“Decades of intransigence by big emitters”, particularly Group of 20 members behind climate crisis, according to UN chief Secretary General Antonio Guterres who recently visited Pakistan.
In his latest tweet, the UN chief says, “All countries – with the G20 leading the way – must boost their national emissions reduction targets every year, until we limit the world’s temperature rise to 1.5 °C.”
The South Asian country that suffered $150 billion in economic losses being the frontline in global war against terrorism, is now facing another socio-economic crisis. Climate change is to blamed, independent observers and experts say.
It’s unusual that Pakistan received 391 mm (15.4 inches) of rain, or nearly 190% more than the 30-year average, in July and August. Sindh province is worst hit –it received 466% more rain than average and all the flood waters roll through Dadu, which has a population of 1.5 million. The southern province’s major infrastructure had been destroyed, particularly Mainline-I Sukkur-Hyderabad section of Pakistan Railways that would now require complete rehabilitation.
The floods have affected over 33 million people, 1,500 have died and swept away homes, transport, crops and livestock. Officials estimate that about 700,000 cattle have been lost in the floods nationwide, and the rest, which form a critical asset in the country, are growing thin for lack of food. A shortage of fodder for cattle has emerged.
The floods damage is estimated at $30 billion –a local newspaper report says the damage and economic losses may cross $40 billion. “The needs across Pakistan in this emergency are fast-changing, with the health situation being especially worrying,” the United Nations’ Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Julien Harneis said on Wednesday. U.N. agencies are assessing Pakistan’s reconstruction needs.
Both the government and U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres have blamed climate change for the extreme weather that led to flooding in the South Asian nation of 220 million. UN chief has called on the developed world to ‘lower the temperature’ so as not to “drown” the world, recalling his recent visit to Pakistan.
“I have just returned from Pakistan, where I looked through a window into the future – a future of permanent and ubiquitous climate chaos on an unimaginable scale,” the UN chief told a news conference, days before global leaders were due to arrive in New York for the UN General Assembly session.
“What is happening in Pakistan demonstrates the sheer inadequacy of the global response to the climate crisis, and the betrayal and injustice at the heart of it.”
“My message to world leaders gathering here is clear: lower the temperature — now. Don’t flood the world today; don’t drown it tomorrow,” he said, denouncing “decades of intransigence by big emitters”, particularly Group of 20 members.
Honorary contributors to DesPardes: Adil Khan, Ajaz Ahmed, Ammar Jafri, Anwar Abbas, Arif Mirza, Aziz Ahmed, Bawar Tawfik, Dr. Razzak Ladha, Dr. Syed M. Ali, G. R. Baloch, Hasham Saddique, Jamil Usman, Jawed Ahmed, Ishaq Saqi, Khalid Sharif, Majid Ahmed, Masroor Ali, Md. Ahmed, Md. Najibullah, Mustafa Jivanjee, Nusrat Jamshed, Shahbaz Ali, Shahid Hamza, Shahid Nayeem, Syed Hamza Gilani, Mushtaq Siddiqui, Syed Hasan Javed, Syed M. Ali, Tahir Sohail
