THE Global Climate Risk Index has placed Pakistan on fifth place as the most affected country from 1999 to 2018 in its annual report for 2020.The top 10 countries of this list are developing ones which contribute to climate change less compared to developed countries.

For instance, America is responsible for more than 30 per cent of the total greenhouse emissions of the world owing to its industrialised network. Adding insult to the pain, the Donald Trump administration has left the Paris agreement recently.

The Paris agreement had decided that the developed countries are under obligation to pay developing countries for the mitigation of climate-related issues.

According to a report, Pakistan needs $14 billion annually to eliminate the issues related to climate change. Our environment champion Prime Minister Imran Khan merely relies on rhetoric about it and takes no visible action. It should be part of our foreign policy to get our share from developed countries like the US and China and to strive for the mitigation of these issues.

The climate change is real and very soon it will take the shape of a monster which will not be in our control. It is the right time to fight for a better environment.

Waqar Ali
Gilgit

Published in Dawn, February 16th, 2020