Pakistan: ‘Dystopia’ is already on our doorstep – Battle to recover from devastating floods

The Pakistan will not be satisfied unless the negotiators at UN Climate Conference (COP27) agree to release emergency funds for the reconstruction of the country, after devastating floods that hit it earlier this year, Pakistan’s climate minister said.

“Dystopia is already at our doorSheri Rehman pointed out in an interview on the sidelines of the COP in Egypt, denouncing the slow pace at which climate negotiations are progressingnoting that they cannot cope with the needs of Pakistan, which gives battle to recover from the floods which caused economic damage of 30 billion dollars.

“The policy advances we’re making here will mean very little on the ground if there isn’t a transfer of reimgs that will change the landscape of how people face the future,” Rehman said.

Pakistan is playing an important role in this year’s COP27 as it is one of the two countries co-chairing the conference, along with Norway. He also represents the G77, a group of developing countries that are pushing to double funding to help the poorest countries adapt to the effects of climate change.

So far, as APE-MPE notes, about a third of the funding has gone to adaptation projects, while the full amount committed to by rich countries – $100 billion per year – has never been paid in full. Last year only $80 billion was given.

Moreover, the country played an important role in getting the thorny issue of “losses and damages” on the official agenda of the conference – a diplomatic achievement after decades during which the rich countries resisted. This move opened the way for talks about the request of the poorest and most vulnerable countries to climate change to receive compensation for the natural disasters they suffer.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has asked rich countries to offer compensation and debt relief to his country to support Pakistan’s efforts to rebuild and protect itself against the effects of climate change.

Since the September floods, a third of Pakistan has been under water, while 33 million people were affected and thousands were left homeless.