Pakistan is on the receiving end of the climate-change disasters despite contributing less than 1% to global carbon emissions. The statement was made by the President of Pakistan Dr Arif Alvi, while addressing the “Pakistan- International and National Donors Conference for Relief and Rehabilitation,” organized by the Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS) in Islamabad, according to a press release issued forth by the President’s media wing. During the conference, the President said that Pakistan will become one of the most vulnerable countries in the world by 2050 adding that we need to brace ourselves for the coming catastrophes as a nation and as a specie.

He said we need to adopt new methods of sustainable development and adapt our lives to the climate change reality. The conference was also attended by the Minister for National Health Services, Regulations & Coordination, Abdul Qadir Patel; Chairman PRCS, Sardar Shahid Ahmed Laghari; representatives of international and national organizations; National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and diplomats among others. The President highlighted the importance of first-aid training, and urged that Pakistan Red Crescent Society and other such organizations should launch a comprehensive training and skill-imparting program so that youth can be made ready to provide immediate relief to the affected people during man-made or natural calamities.

He said that “in order to counter the negative fallouts of climate change, the government has taken and is taking multiple steps in different directions at the international, regional and local levels which are, however, hampered periodically by events and shocks taking place in other parts of the world.” He said, the world has become a small place and any negative developments in any part of the world have global repercussions. “Any man-made or natural disaster is felt by even the remotest of the populations,” he added. He said, the world needs to move away from the doctrine of Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD) to the concept of Total Peace. He continued by saying that, trillions of dollars go into the development of weapons of mass destruction.

They could instead be used to end world hunger, disease, and poverty, as well as to improve and rejuvenate the environment and save the endangered flora and fauna from extinction. He said, “the people of Pakistan have a remarkable philanthropy record and they always step up to generously donate in cash and kind and volunteer themselves for rescue and relief activities to lessen the suffering of the population afflicted by man-made and natural calamities.”In order to utilise all of the resources available for rehabilitating the flood-affected population, the president further stated that coordinated and persuasive efforts by all national and international stakeholders were required.

He stated that all people in the world should be treated equally, with respect and dignity, without any form of prejudice based on race, colour, creed, or language, and that resources should be distributed fairly to allow everyone to reach their full potential. The president also thanked Antonio Guterres, the UN Secretary-General, the US Congressional delegation led by Sheila Jackson Lee, as well as other ambassadors and representatives of international organisations who personally visited flood-affected areas, interacted with flood victims, assessed the damage caused by the super floods brought on by climate change, and took action to lessen the suffering of the flood victims.

Abdul Qadir Patel, Minister for National Health Services, Regulations & Coordination, stated that Pakistan was going through the worst phase of climate change while addressing the group. He stated that Pakistan needed somewhere between USD 30 to 40 billion to repair flood-affected districts.Millions of people in the flood-affected areas, according to Sardar Shahid Ahmed Laghari, chairman of the Pakistan Red Crescent Society, need medical assistance.

Credit : Independent News Pakistan-WealthPk