Dr Pervaiz Ali Mahesar
Currently, the 27th UN Climate Change conference was held at Sharm el-Sheikh from 6 to18 November 2022. The purpose of this gathering was to mitigate the level of global warming, adapt action, finance climate-related projects (USD 100 Billion per year by 2025), and collaborate on climate issues. In this gathering, the Prime Minister of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif, and his team, attended the summit in which two main demands were made: debt relief and climate compensation. The environmental changes are posing an existential threat to regions across the globe. Almost in every region, in one form or the other, climate changes are affecting not only the agriculture sector but also every walk of life. Climate change has gravitated the attention of academic scholars and the media. Voice has often been raised against climate terrorism, climate unfriendly policies, lack of policy direction, and commitment to implement objective-oriented climate policy. Of late, Pakistan was the direct victim of global climate policy and regrets the lacklustre response of the international community toward floods and is equally responsible for its disaster mismanagement. This indifferent attitude of the global community and lack of cohesive and rapid response on the part of the government in Pakistan further proliferated problems. The purpose of the Green Marshall Plan is to offer aid and support to countries to purchase American-made clean energy. America intends to increase its supply chain by offering climate-resilient infrastructure products. In connection with this, to promote sustainable development at the global scale, there is a dire need of building bridges rather than burning bridges in infrastructure development. To cope up with climate issues, several efforts have been made at global level. The first UN Climate (COP 1: Conference of the Parties) talks began in 1992 , at Rio Earth Summit, Brazil, while the last summit (November 6-18, 2022: COP-27) is going on at Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt. Gradually, ideas, related to tackling climate issues and funding to underdeveloped countries, were discussed, interpreted, institutionalized, but are yet to be materialized. David Malpas, the President of the World Bank, noted that in the Fiscal Year 2022, WB has committed $31.7 billion in climate related projects which is said to be 19 percent increase from $26.6 billion. This initiative would definitely benefit underdeveloped countries including Pakistan. While looking back on history, American President Franklin D. Roosevelt (32nd President) gave the concept of the “New Deal” in the 1930s. But this idea was capitalized on in 2009 by UNEP. The term “Global Green New Deal” was first time adopted by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), in which most of the G-20 countries were approached to develop a consensus to initiate a $3 billion-plus package. This plan was launched against the backdrop of the global financial crisis, and was linked to climate change, renewable energy, and its sustainability. Similarly, Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) agreement was adopted in December 2015, which was known as Paris Agreement. This agreement was agreed to by seventy-five parties. They had decided that up to the end of 2020, parties to the agreement should implement and update Nationally Determined Contributions. The NDC report (2021) showed that countries would reduce the level of emissions thereby increasing the prospects for at least 1 percent reduction in 2030. In contrast to this report, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) also noted in its report that “emission reduction should meet the 1.5°C temperature goal and it should be around 45 percent lower.” Given the increasing levels of the climate crisis, countries are looking for clean energy and improved climate-resilient infrastructure. Clean energy is cheaper and safer but there are hindrances to smooth supply chains. To achieve the target of global decarbonization, countries are looking for new technologies, leveraging international donors, and focusing on a pervasive mobilization to achieve ends. Motivated by the potential of the Marshall Plan after the devastations of the second world war, green new deals are a need of the hour. In line with this, approaches, policies, capacity building, and political will of the nations are much needed to reorient and recapitalize the green transition at the global scale. Recently, the foreign minister of Pakistan, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari revived, revisited, and recalled the idea of the “Green Marshall Plan” during his interactions with regional and global stakeholders. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari reiterated and reinforced that responsible nations should come forward and cooperate with climate-affected countries. Mr. Bilawal further reiterated that “we could turn the crisis into an opportunity”. He suggested that there are two ways of doing things: “we can do this dirtier, badly, in a way that will be worse for us and worse for the environment, or we can try to build back better in a greener, more climate-resilient manner”. Currently, the purpose of invoking the idea of the Marshall Plan was to garner the support and galvanize the international community and Americans, in particular, to work for a green, clean, and safe planet. This is in line with what President Joe Biden has been looking for “Build Back Better World”. If we want to turn the tide of the climate crisis, we must reorient our efforts and interests towards private sector investment, and ecologically sustainable infrastructure for Pakistan. That’s why Bilawal Bhutto Zardari was enthusiastic and suggested that “we have to pause our geopolitical differences and unite to face this existential threat to mankind.” Various reports suggests that floods in Pakistan has affected infrastructure of $40 billion dollars, displaced around 7.6 million people and killed almost 1,693 people. Consequently, these devastating natural floods have severely affected agriculture, industry, education, health, communication, infrastructure development, and daily life. In these trying times, Pakistan is looking towards its regional allies and the international community to offer some sort of relief, financial assistance, donations, and humanitarian aid. Similarly, in its 77th UNGA session, the Prime Minister of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif also emphasized in his address to the world leaders that it is high time to act and face the reality of climate change in order to reverse the course of colossal and collateral damage. The promises, policies, approaches, and strategies would fail if the climate crisis were not tackled seriously and on a priority basis by Pakistan in particular, and the global community in general. Its implications and ramifications could be severe and unparallel. Unfortunately, at the same time, there is a lack of institutional cohesion, lack of governance, disaster mismanagement, corruption, lack of vision, and political will is missing in Pakistan. In this sense, climate policies should be institutionalized; a comprehensive framework should be launched, and action is the need of the hour.
