ISLAMABAD: Acting President and Senate Chairman Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Monday said Pakistan faced significant challenges from climate change, which were the main obstacles to achieving sustainable development.
He was speaking at the inaugural plenary of the 27th Sustainable Development Conference (SDC) organised by the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) in collaboration with the Ministry of Climate Change.
The theme of this year’s conference is ‘From Fragility to Resilience: Enhancing Sustainable Development’.
Mr. Gilani said the country had made commendable strides towards climate governance and sustainable development as the national climate and sustainable development policy outlined a comprehensive strategy to address resilience, mitigation, poverty alleviation, women empowerment, agriculture, water resources, and energy efficiency.
On food insecurity, the acting president called for developing a resilient food system that could withstand climate shocks and ensure food security for all.
He said tough economic decisions taken by the government had set the country on a path of economic stability.
Mr. Gilani said Pakistan had been passing through a ‘polycrisis’, and the immense struggle and sacrifices made by the countrymen and the weight of tough economic decisions borne by the government could not be overlooked.
He said an imminent default was averted thanks to the sustained efforts of the present government to stablise the economy.
He said Pakistan had linked its Vision 2025 to the SDGs to demonstrate commitment towards achieving sustainable development outcomes for a wider human well-being.
The 5Es Framework by the planning ministry also defines Pakistan’s short to medium-term strategy on exports, e-governance, environment and climate change, energy, infrastructure, and equity and empowerment, he added.
Acting President Gilani told the gathering that the Benazir Income Support Programme had provided financial assistance to millions of vulnerable families while additional economic reforms were being introduced to reduce poverty and promote inclusive growth.
Coordinator to the Prime Minister on Climate Change Romina Khurshid Alam said the impacts of climate change were devastating the ecosystems beyond repair, with extreme weather events and slow-onset disasters disrupting the lives of millions of people.
Citing World Bank’s report, she said 750 million people in South Asia had experienced natural disasters in the past two decades, with Pakistan's 2022 floods causing $30 billion in losses
Smog across the border was causing loss of lives and spreading diseases, especially in Lahore, Ms Alam added.
The prime minister’s aide lauded the resolve of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz who was taking stringent actions against climate change.
She said the chief minister had called for joint action by both Pakistan and India to save their people from smog and other climatic hazards, she said.
Ms Alam said climate-induced loss and damage demanded urgent action and finance, with estimates suggesting that economic losses in developing countries could reach $1-1.8 trillion annually by 2050.
She affirmed the government’s commitment to building resilience under the guidance of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, highlighting the government’s efforts to combat plastic pollution as part of its broader waste management strategy.
The PM’s aide called for collective efforts to transform vulnerabilities into strengths, urging stakeholders to seize this opportunity to rethink, re-collaborate and commit to sustainable progress for future generations.
Ms Alam said the Sustainable Development Conference would provide fruitful recommendations for the upcoming COP29 to be held in Baku.
SDPI Executive Director Dr Abid Qaiyum Suleri said the world, and Pakistan in particular, stood at a crossroads.
“As individuals and societies, we constantly face choices, yet today’s challenges are especially crucial in shaping our future,” he said.
Dr Suleri said: “In recent years, we’ve endured immense trials: the Covid-19 pandemic halted global life, testing even the most advanced health systems. Then, the Ukraine war disrupted energy supplies, raising costs and impacting economies worldwide, including Pakistan’s.”
He said climate change had brought devastating floods, heatwaves and smog, pushing the country to the edge.
He said in the Middle East, conflict persists, with Gaza under attack and regional tensions rising, affecting oil and gas supplies.
“But we are not here to despair; we’re here to celebrate resilience. Pakistanis rebuilt after the 2022 floods, our economy stabilised despite global crises, and our citizens turn to solar energy and social activism to improve their lives,” Dr Suleri said.
In his opening remarks, SDPI Chairperson Shafqat Kakakhel highlighted global issues, including political conflicts like those taking place in Ukraine and Palestine, climate crises, as well as rising poverty, which had impacted 1.1 billion people worldwide.
He emphasised the need for greenhouse gas reductions and noted Pakistan’s own environmental, poverty, and pollution challenges.
He highlighted that 40 per cent of Pakistan’s population was living below the poverty line, adding that the rate of population growth itself had degenerated into the mother of all problems of Pakistan.
Despite this, Mr Kakakhel said, Pakistan had seen economic improvement through increased agricultural and industrial production.
The SDPI chairperson said the SDC would feature discussions on topics such as emerging technologies, food systems, and women's empowerment in tech.
He said the SDPI also launched a ‘Sustainability Investment Expo’, focusing on climate resilience and underscored SDPI's commitment to sustainable development and its collaborations with government and international organisations.
