The federal government of Pakistan and the United Nations Environment Programme have agreed to enhance cooperation with each other in improving the climate resilience of vulnerable flood-hit communities in the country.
While meeting representatives of the UNEP at her residence in Karachi, Federal Minister for Climate Change Senator Sherry Rehman highlighted the challenges of resilient recovery after the devastating floods of 2022.
Welcoming the delegation on their return from flood-affected areas of Sindh, the Climate Change Minister said that it was important for the country that Inger Andersen (UNEP Executive Director who met the minister) visited in response to his invitation and saw as well as felt the magnitude of the challenge.
The minister added that while many had forgotten about the crisis, even the most optimistic analysis suggests that recovery is going to be slow, largely because resource barriers make it challenging to coordinate responses to such a huge catastrophe.
“Homelessness is a terrible thing to face, especially when the land of so many communities is no longer safe or habitable for resettlement, she said, emphasising that no one wants to become a climate migrant, so our response needs to be more than just strategic.
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The minister and Executive Director of UNEP also spent time discussing ways to mobilise green financing that actually responds to community needs, not just top-down planning. The minister also emphasised the need to gauge and ensure that green grants fulfilled capacity needs at the right time.
Rehman also asserted that there was a need for a full-time commitment by the relevant stakeholders for translating this initiative into a practical reality.
“We cannot afford to have a plug-in and plug-out model for this. What we need is consistency in the performance of tasks and clear progress on deliverables,” she said, advocating for a permanent office of UNEP representatives in her ministry.
On her part, Anderson commended the federal minister for her advocacy for ecosystem restoration in flood-affected areas and for her contributions to pushing for global climate action.
Story was adapted from the News.
