Experts and policymakers have called for urgent collective action, regional cooperation, and innovation to address the climate crisis during a session at a global climate conference. The event, part of a two-day discussion, focused on making Pakistan climate-resilient by 2047 and fostering cooperation across South Asia to combat shared challenges such as rising temperatures, water scarcity, and increasing natural disasters.
Former climate change minister Sherry Rehman warned against the resurgence of climate “denialism” and emphasized the borderless nature of climate change, urging immediate action. She identified three key challenges for Pakistan, including the perception of climate change as an external issue and the lack of global media coverage of Pakistan’s environmental disasters, such as the 2022 monsoon floods and wildfires in Balochistan.
Rehman called for greater media involvement in climate discourse, stressing the importance of making climate and environmental issues central to conversations. She also applauded the announcement that Pakistan’s energy mix is now 55% renewable, urging the media to hold leaders accountable.
LUMS Vice Chancellor Ali Cheema shared alarming data on rising temperatures, forecasting an additional month of temperatures over 37°C by 2050, which could severely impact public health and agriculture. He also noted the unequal growth of early industrializing nations and developing countries, highlighting the challenges faced by today’s emerging economies.
Valerie Hickey from the World Bank emphasized the need for clearer climate communication, pointing out the gap in understanding between experts and farming communities. LUMS professor Ijaz Nabi also called for mainstreaming climate action and enhancing the adaptive capacity of vulnerable nations.
