PPP seeks climate justice for safer planet

ISLAMABAD   –   Pakistan People’s Party yesterday urged the world for ‘climate justice’ to make the Earth a safer planet.

PPP leader Surendar Valasai urged the international Human Rights organizations to echo the demand of Pakistani Foreign Minister for climate justice and ensure that the impact and redressal of climatic disasters are justifiably shared by the global community. The PPP lawmaker from Tharparker said that the global climate emergency is having devastating effects on human rights as well. Addressing climate change requires a crucial role of international human rights organizations and the world needs for urgent action to ensure a safe climate for humanity on the planet. Valasai, who is Special Assistant to Sindh Chief Minister for Human Rights, pointed out that Pakistan is among the world’s top 10 nations most affected by climate change. Global warming is caused by uncontrolled and unabated greenhouse gases emissions. Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions – mostly generated by industrialized nations – are taking a toll in poor countries. “Countries that are responsible for greenhouse gases are the least vulnerable to climate change.

However, those countries which are emitting the least amount of greenhouse gases are the most vulnerable to the disastrous effects of climate change. Pakistan is one of them; others include Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Haiti, Kenya, Malawi and Niger. According estimates the US alone is responsible for a quarter of all carbon emissions alone while the rest is shared by other industrialized nations,” he added.

He stated that PPP Chairman and Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has eloquently apprised the international community about its responsibility for working towards climate justice. In the aftermath of the flood disaster of biblical proportions, through his interactions with the international and national media, he has successfully sparked a global debate on the issue. Global warming is a global crisis, but its effects are borne by countries which are the least responsible for its causes.

“It is hoped that Bilawal Bhutto’s call for climate justice will reach every nook and corner of the world. There is no denying that now those countries that are being devastated by climate change-driven floods, unprecedented rains, crop and livestock losses and extreme weather conditions have finally got a voice, which is being heard by the international community,” he added. The climate change-driven floods in Pakistan have made one-third of the country disappear under rainwater. One in seven people suffered due to the unprecedented rains within a span of two months – July and August.
Sindh and Balochistan have witnessed large-scale destruction while parts of southern Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) have also borne the brunt of the recent natural calamity of immense proportions. Around 33 million people have been displaced and are compelled to spend days under the open skies or in temporary shelters provided by the government and NGOs.

Official sources say that Sindh and Balochistan have received at least five times more rainfall than their average during past monsoon seasons. More than 1,500 lives have been lost.

The total loss to infrastructure and the economy is yet to be calculated as some parts of the country are still expected to witness rains. Several cities and towns in the hinterland have been completely inundated, and standing crops at two million hectares worth billions of rupees have been washed away. More than one million herds of cattle have died. The tale of devastation is unending. The impact of the current disaster has overshadowed the destruction caused by the 2010 super floods in Pakistan.

Valasai said that unlike the ‘unguided political missile’ Imran Khan, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari was leading the nation in its worst period of natural calamity. In international media too, the only visible personality presenting the true picture of the devastation in Pakistan is PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.
“The young leader is using leading forums and info outlets to launch global awareness for climate justice. It is important to keep repeating that Pakistan is responsible for less than one per cent of greenhouse gases emissions, but it is among the top ten countries currently suffering from climate change,” he said.

He urged that Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and other international human rights organizations should advance on the call for climate justice by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and stress on the industrial nations making trillions of dollars through violations of climatic responsibilities causing unbearable sufferings for the humanity to play their role in mitigating the same.