ISLAMABAD: The United Kingdom (UK) and Germany will provide £50 million and €150 million, respectively, in climate change assistance to Pakistan under multiple agreements signed during the international climate change conference, 26th Conference of Parties (COP-26).
Addressing a press conference regarding the COP-26 held from November 1 to 12 in Glasgow, Scotland, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam on Thursday said that the German and UK governments would provide the assistance for nature conservation and nature bonds initiative of Pakistan under the agreements.
Talking about the country’s achievements in the international event, the SAPM said Pakistan, in recognition of its leading environmental conservation and climate action efforts, bagged two global titles and was elected as vice president of the COP and a member of eight important committees.
“Pakistan was awarded the title of Forestry Champion along with Congo and Costa Rica at the third place due to its ambitious Ten Billion Tree Tsunami Plantation project,” he said.
“The UK organised a Nature Leaders initiative wherein it only invited Maldives, Costa Rica, Gabon and Pakistan to take the honour of leading nations on climate action and conservation,” he added.
At the end of the conference, he said, Pakistan was elected as vice president to the COP for one year and member to eight significant committees on finance, adaptation fund, climate experts, Paris Agreement Monitoring. “These bodies will lead future negotiations at the next COP to be held in 2022,” he added.
He said the world, at the highest forum on environment, has agreed to Pakistan’s vision based on the two main agendas that include conserving forests and reducing carbon emissions or reliance on fuel based energy to achieve net zero emissions.
The SAPM further mentioned that Pakistan was also made chair to the G-77 plus China Group for the first time which would chaired by the country in January 2022. “Almost 80 countries are members of this group where Pakistan will lead negotiations on behalf of member states,” he informed.
Furthermore, the SAPM revealed that the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has also selected Pakistan along with Indonesia, Philippines, and Indonesia, to study the conversion of fossil fuel based energy plants to renewable energy.
“Pakistan has also signed an MOU with the UAE and supported the Emirates’ chairmanship for COP-28 as the country was tasked to make this decision,” he added.
Amin said the mega environmental moot was attended by some 196 countries and around 140 heads of states in Glasgow which Prime Minister Imran Khan had to attend but had to cancel due to certain reasons.
He mentioned that the German chancellor and Canadian prime minister told him that they were waiting to hear Prime Minister Imran Khan’s address at the COP-26 and felt his absence at the global conference.
However, he said that he conveyed the prime minister’s message to members at the conference.
He said that the Pakistani pavilion at the event was one of the famous places where the country hosted 25 sideline events and over 50 bilateral meetings.
Moreover, he lambasted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his “non-serious commitment of net zero emissions by 2070 and plan to phase down coal power plants.”
“India has played the role of a spoiled child at the event; I told the global leaders that it was a non-serious state when it came to the issue of climate change. The neighbouring country’s net zero emissions pledge made it a laughing stock for the entire conference,” he said.
In reply to a query, Amin Aslam said that under the green energy initiatives, Pakistan would be converting coal based power plants to renewable energy in phases for which Chinese firms were being consulted.
