Gilani for universal response to address challenges of climate change 

      
ISLAMABAD, Oct 21 (APP): Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani on Thursday termed climate change “a common challenge” for the humanity and called for a “universal and collective response” for a better future of coming generations. Addressing here at an International Conference on Climate Change and Development, Gilani said it was a major environmental issue and a multi-dimensional developmental challenge.He said climate change, with all its severity and unpredictability, has already become a reality for over 180 million Pakistanis. The massive devastation caused by the recent floods reconfirms Pakistan’s extreme vulnerability to the adverse impact of climate change.
The recent flash floods have left a trail of destruction and loss of lives. More than 20 million people have been affected; 8 million are still homeless; 1.8 million houses destroyed; 2 million hectares of cultiviable land damaged; 1.3 million hectares of cotton, rice, sugarcane, maize and orchards destroyed; 1.2 million large and small cattle and 6 million poultry perished.
Gilani said the government had mobilized all national resources to provide rescue and relief to the affected people.
The Prime Minister said the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) Fourth Assessment Report identified South Asia as a region most vulnerable to the adverse impacts of climate change.
Gilani said as home to the highest number of people living below poverty line, South Asia was already confronting serious and difficult development challenges.He pointed that a rapidly changing climate was unfortunately further exacerbating the situation. He termed it a challenge and a reality for thinkers, planners, policy makers and professionals across the board.
He said Pakistan was moving towards developing a multi-stakeholder consensus on framing a comprehensive Climate Change Strategy and Action Framework.
He hoped it would help develop nationally appropriate responses and actions to mainstream climate change into wider development effort.
Prime Minister Gilani said the rehabilitation and reconstruction in flood affected areas would be challenging and prohibitively expensive.
“We are grateful to the international community for the much needed support and assistance in the rescue and relief efforts in Pakistan,” Gilani said.
“We look forward to their continued assistance and support during the rehabilitation and reconstruction phase as well.”
The Prime Minister said the government was cognizant of the importance of Climate Change and has undertaken a number of steps in this regard. Pakistan is one of the early signatories to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
He said Pakistan has also been active in the international fora and ongoing climate change negotiations.
“We are keen to see the ongoing climate change negotiation reach an early, successful and equitable conclusion,” Gilani said.
He said Pakistan looks forward to a productive and substantive outcome at United Nation Climate Change Conference (COP16), in Cancun, which should pave the way for an agreed outcome in future covering, an overall commitment to reduce emissions by the developed countries, institutional support for developing countries for nationally appropriate mitigation actions, improving the governance and oversight of existing climate financing and creation of a new global climate change fund.
It is important to initiate follow-up actions on the financial commitments by the developed countries and establishing technology development and transfer mechanism along with capacity building.
He said the international conference was a timely intervention before formal negotiations at Cancun, Mexico later this year.
The event was attended among others by minister for environment Hameedullah Jan Afridi, chairman R.K. Pachauri Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), advisor on science and technology Dr. Ashfaq Ahmed, secretary environment Muhammad Javed Malik, Resident Coordinator United Nations in Pakistan Timo Pakkala and Parliamentarians.