ISLAMABAD: The government on Friday said it would use the UN Conference of the Parties (COP27) to plead Pakistan’s case to avail climate funding.

“Pakistan will emphasise on seeking $100 billion as promised in 2009 and will be suggesting to develop a transparency mechanism for defining climate finance needs,” Secretary Ministry of Climate Change Asif Hyder Shah told members of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Climate Change.

He briefed the lawmakers on the upcoming COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, where world leaders would discuss efforts for coping with environmental degradation.

The secretary informed the committee about the stance of the Ministry of Climate Change on the issue of adaptation mechanism during the conference. He said Pakistan was in the frontline of the advocacy of the climate finance issues along with other developing countries.

According to the official, unprecedented climate-induced disaster in Pakistan hit 84 districts across the country.

“The World Bank has estimated Pakistan’s flood losses AT around $40 Billion,” he said.

The meeting held under committee chairperson MNA Nuzhat Pathan lauded the efforts of the ministry for including the advocacy of climate finance, loss and damages and adaptation to bring on the agenda of COP27 for the first time.

The ministry also shared its schedule, which included the prime minister’s speech, joint chairing of round-table with the prime minister of Norway, bilateral engagements at the ministerial level, negotiation on eight dedicated streams, side events by Pakistani delegation and civil society members.

The committee decided to hold its next meeting on November 29 at Gwadar to witness the marine pollution and waste management at the sea site.

The committee deferred the Pakistan Trade Control of Wild Fauna and Flora (Amendment) Bill 2022, a government bill, and the Environmental Protection (Amendment) Bill 2021 moved by MNA Ali Gohar Khan due to absence of its mover.

Published in Dawn, October 29th, 2022