Climate change

 Nature is striking back to human relentless development models in the form of

climate disasters – climate change has set in

IPCC report on Climate change

 By the year 2030, 200m people would need humanitarian assistance annually
due to climate induced disasters
 It could displace 140m people within countries by 2050
 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) says that climate change is
irreversible.
 we are in danger of missing a rapidly closing window of securing a sustainable
future
 The report concludes that between 50 and 75 percent of the global population
will be exposed to periods of life-threatening climate conditions due to extreme
heat by the next century.
 Most severe heatwave (2022) the country has faced in more than 60 years.

Climate change, whose responsibility?

 Historically, global north is more responsible for unchecked carbon emissions
since the industrialization phase. 80% of Co2 emission is from 20 most
developed countries
 Poor countries have to suffer because they are not prepared enough to absorb
the impact of climate change. Long run impacts are far more concerning than the
immediate impacts such as soil degradation and unstable weather patterns, loss
agri yield and food insecurity.

Climate justice
 Recent debate which is not new.
 Provide financial support to poor nations to deal with climate change (i.e.,
mitigation and adaptation fund)
 It is the historical responsibility of global north as it is the main driver of human-
induced climate change.
 UNEP estimated that the world will need $280 billion to $500 as adaptation
finance by 2050. In 2009, rich countries have pledged to mobilize $100 billion for
adaptation finance by 2020.this target lagged behind the timeline by three years
 To fill the gap between adaptation finance and the adaptation cost faced by
developing countries Glasgow Accord was signed in COP26. This was to
encourage rich countries to double their climate change support fund and to help
the poor countries in developing climate resilient infrastructure and moving
toward green economies. However, support regarding damage and recovery is
yet to be agreed-upon.
  UN secretary general Antonio Guterres has pleaded multiple times that the rich
nations should take responsibility of their actions and start supporting poor
nations as it is a “matter of justice and not generosity.”

Climate Reparations – effective or not?

 Pak contribute less than 1% in global GHG emission, and is eighth most
vulnerable country to climate-related disasters
 Global north makes 92% emissions
 Reparations require targeting the highest emitters. US; we are trying to repair ties
with, second is China; a friend, Gulf allies; we turn to for bailouts. – demand for
reparations would have implications on foreign relations
 Another argument is that the developing countries should be allowed emissions
and to grow and develop. While the west should curtail its emission and bear the
cost in the form of economic slowdown, but it weakens when you speak the
language of reparations
 Demand for reparations also demand a clean and green vision for Pakistan –
transforming high-emitting economic infrastructure i.e. expressways, luxury real-
estate development and illegal construction. Are we ready for the shift?
 Question on governance and accountability; technical and skill development is
equality important
SMOG Master Plan
 Punjab govt. approved a Master Action Plan to address what is termed as fifth season in
Lahore.
Measures include:
1. Zigzag technology: more efficient and less environmentally toxic
2. Loans for farmer to purchase straw cutter instead of burning
3. Establishment of a commission to prevent illegal housing societies
4. Issuance of tickets to smoke emitting vehicle and seizing their documents
Shortcomings
 No penalty for industrial polluters
 Who is awarding permission for illegal house construction?
 Confiscation of documents would lead to abuse of power by authorities