F.P. Report
DUBAI: Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar on Saturday called for immediately executing the US$100 billion commitments for climate finance to ensure implementation of climate change actions by the developing countries and to mitigate the climate change impacts.
“Such finance should neither be at the cost of development finance nor add to the already high debt burden of the developing countries,” the prime minister said while delivering National Statement at the 28th Conference of Parties of the United Nations (COP 28) here.
He also called upon the developed countries to take the lead in raising global mitigation ambition commensurate with their economic standing and historical responsibility and then help developing countries do the same. “We need to achieve global resilience through delivering an ambitious outcome in the form of a framework for global goal on adaptation with clear targets and indicators including regular monitoring of progress,” he said adding that at least half of climate finance must be allocated to adaptation.
The prime minister said that the expectations from COP28 were high but not unrealistic hoping that this COP would deliver with action not just words. He laid emphasis on providing adequate means of implementation including climate finance, capacity-building and technology, to developing countries to tackle this growing challenge.
The prime minister highlighted that last year, Pakistan suffered super floods while this year would be the world’s hottest year in recorded history. At COP 26 at Glasgow, he said Pakistan increased its ambitions presenting the revised Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) with a target of 60 percent overall reduction in projected emissions by 2030.
“This year, Pakistan presented a comprehensive national adaptation plan and has also launched an innovative Living Indus Initiative that brings together our care for climate and for nature,” he said adding “We will also be presenting our first update report during this COP”. Last year, he said Pakistan led the endeavor to craft an agreement on establishing a global loss and damage fund while this year “we worked to activate an adequately financed loss and damage fund and its funding arrangement”.
He said climate justice demanded that the developing countries should be enabled to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) even as they contribute to climate objectives. “The provision of sufficient additional predictable grant-based climate finance by developed countries is imperative.”
PM for fulfilling growing needs of developing countries to implement climate actions: Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar stressed the need to fulfill the growing needs of developing countries to implement climate change actions. “The financial needs of the developing countries are way more than the unfulfilled US$100 billion pledge,” he said in his address to the Global Stock Take (GST) event on means of implementation here.
He said even to fulfill less than half of their existing Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC), the developing countries needed $6 trillion by 2030. The prime minister pointed out that adaptation needs alone were $387 billion per year until 2030, whereas with respect to the current estimates for loss and damage, they were around $400 billion annually, which were expected to grow to $1 to 2 trillion by 2050.
He urged that the outcomes of GST and the COP28 clearly highlight this enormous gap between the finance mobilized and the needs of developing countries. The prime minister also called upon the developed countries to urgently rectify shortfalls and their financial commitments under the Paris agreement, unlocking scaled-up and improved financial support that would enable developing countries to contribute to bridging the implementation gaps in their mitigation and adaptation actions.
“We believe the outcomes of the GST are well timed to guide the critical discussion in 2024 on setting the post-2025 new collective quantified goals on finance commensurate with the needs of the developing countries,” he remarked. He also stressed that the GST should strengthen the effectiveness of the technology mechanism in scaling up the development and transfer of proven climate technologies and enable a better degree of capacity building for developing countries.
“The need for reform of the international financial architecture also requires focus,” he added. Regarding the technology transfer, PM Kakar said, “We proposed to focus on key and high-emitting sectors with joint indicators of functioning solutions, time frames, and enabling conditions needed to put in place green technologies.”
On capacity building, he said the developing countries required support and greater coherence and coordination across the UN system.
“To attract the required private and public investment, developing countries must be provided capacity-building support to develop appropriate instruments and create pipelines of bankable projects for adaptation and mitigation,” he remarked. He hoped that the discussions and deliberation here and throughout the COP could result in ambitious outcomes on the means of implementation that were equitable and responsive to the needs of developing countries.
He said, “We have all come here with one aim: ensuring that the planet remains liveable for our children and our children’s children.” “Our assembly here recognizes the acuteness of challenges faced in the realm of climate extremes. The notion of implementation and support is a critical element of the Global Stock Take report,” he added. The prime minister maintained that climate change was happening now; some were witnessing it on television screens, while others, like people in Pakistan, were witnessing it firsthand. “The critical concern for developing countries like Pakistan is the recurring natural disasters and consequent adaptation needs in the impacted sectors of water, agriculture, urban resilience, natural capital, and human health,” he said.
PM, Syrian Prime Minister ask Israel to stop brutal use of force on Palestinians: Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar and Prime Minister of Syria Hussein Arnous asked Israel to stop the brutal use of force on the Palestinians, ensure ceasefire, facilitate humanitarian assistance and resolve the Palestinian question in line with UN Security Council resolutions.
During a meeting held here between the two leaders on the sidelines of COP 28, the two sides discussed the ongoing Israeli violence against Palestinian people and called on the international community to take meaningful notice of the situation. The two leaders also expressed the commitment to strengthen bilateral cooperation in diverse fields including economic, cultural and tourism besides agreeing to revive the Joint Ministerial Commission.
They also reviewed the bilateral relationship and agreed to enhance the frequency of bilateral political exchanges to foster understanding between the leadership and the brotherly peoples of the two countries.
Pakistan, Maldives agree to advance cooperation in combating climate change: Pakistan and Maldives emphasizing the need of progress on result-oriented outcomes in the domain of climate action and justice, agreed to advance mutual cooperation in combating climate change. Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar held a bilateral meeting with the President of the Republic of Maldives, Dr Mohamed Muizzu on the sidelines of COP 28 here. During the meeting, the two leaders discussed sharing of expertise in the realm of plantation of mangroves and other climate resistance floras. The prime minister assured the President of Maldives of Pakistan’s full support to the Government and people of Maldives. PM Kakar felicitated Dr Mohamed Muizzu on assumption of the office of the President of Maldives.
He also expressed his desire to promote peace and development in South Asia through enhanced regional cooperation.The two leaders resolved to further strengthen Pakistan-Maldives bilateral relations and capitalize on the immense goodwill between the people of the two countries. They agreed to enhance high-level dialogue and mutually beneficial cooperation especially in economic, trade, cultural and tourism sectors. The President of Maldives thanked the prime minister for conveying warm sentiments on behalf of the government and people of Pakistan.
Caretaker PM, Bill Gates discuss progress on Pakistan’s polio eradication efforts: Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar and Bill Gates, Co-Chair Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), on Saturday met on the sidelines of COP-28 and discussed progress on Pakistan’s polio eradication efforts.
The prime minister apprised Gates of the ongoing polio vaccination drive in Pakistan and said that Pakistan would spare no effort to eliminate poliovirus. He underlined the Government’s full commitment to maximizing outreach of vaccines to children all across Pakistan, PM Office Media Wing said in a press release.
The caretaker prime minister and Gates also discussed cooperation extended by BMGF to Pakistan in financial inclusion, poverty alleviation and malnutrition. While lauding the support received from the Gates Foundation, the prime minister further encouraged the BMGF to work with Pakistan to enhance national capacities in STEM education, strengthen early warning and emergency operations for disaster management as well as to digitalize agricultural value chains.
Caretaker PM, Scottish First Minister discuss collaborative efforts over climate change: Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar and Scotland’s First Minister Humza Yousaf discussed the collaborative efforts in tackling climate change and strengthening the bilateral ties.
The prime minister, in a post on X, said that on the sidelines of COP-28 in the United Arab Emirates, he had a productive meeting with the Scottish minister. The prime minister also termed the COP-28 as a pivotal step towards sustainable global partnerships.
PM felicitates UAE govt, people on their 52nd National Day: Caretaker Prime Minister congratulated the government and people of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on their 52nd National Day. “I am delighted to be in Dubai for COP28 on this historic day. Pakistan is proud of the remarkable progress of our Emirati brothers,” the prime minister wrote on X, formerly twitter.
He also lauded the leadership of President Sheikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum in transforming UAE into a global hub of trade, tourism and technology. “We salute the wisdom and sagacity of the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan who laid the foundation of the UAE.” PM Kakar said, “Pakistan will remain an enduring partner of the UAE in this exciting journey towards progress and prosperity.” (APP)
