Pakistan is among the most affected countries by climate change. The irony of the situation is that while the industrialised world reaps the benefits of industrialisation we pick up the consequences.
It was in this background that Pakistan attended the 28th session of Conference of the Parties or COP held in the UAE, recently, which tackled crucial challenges. Pakistan, as an important participating country also put forward various recommendations to build climate-resilience.
The priority issues at COP 28 were finalising loss and damage finance, setting a global climate finance goal, and advancing energy transition. Pakistan’s National Climate Change Policy has been built on the same lines, prioritizing resilience, youth empowerment, climate-friendly infrastructure, gender-inclusive programs, and flood risk mitigation among several others.
Pakistan needs to have purposeful conversations to address the perils faced by urban and non-urban flooding alike; however, urban flooding, a phenomenon which occurs because of seasonal rain and/or cyclones; and the inability of the civil infrastructure to withstand them, must be addressed to keep the cities at work and economy progressing.
The recent spell of rains in Karachi caused urban floods leading to high levels of inconvenience for the citizens. This is now happening more frequently and even the intensity is on the increase. Only last year we were almost hit by cyclone........