Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif co-chaired, together with Prime Minister of Norway Jonas Gahr Støre, a high-level roundtable on “Climate Change and the Sustainability of Vulnerable Communities” in Sharm El-Sheikh today. It was one of the six high level roundtables organized by the Egyptian Presidency as part of the Climate Summit. The event was attended by several world leaders as well as representatives of UN System entities and International Financial Institutions. In his welcoming remarks, the Prime Minister stated that the climate change was the defining issue of our times, which necessitated urgent and well calibrated response from the international community. He stressed that burden of climate action must be shared equitably rather than equally, without compromising economic growth and development of the developing countries. The Prime Minister briefed the participants about the massive devastation caused by the recent climate-induced floods, which had impacted over 33 million people in Pakistan, half of which were women and children. He also shared the details of the measures taken by the government to provide immediate relief to the flood victims, including through Benazir Income Support Program. Sharing the details of the Post-disaster Needs Assessment, the Prime Minister stated that public debt, rising international energy prices, and no real access to adaptation resources, among other factors, were the key challenges which impeded Pakistan’s recovery and rehabilitation efforts. He invited the international community to join in Pakistan’s efforts towards climate resilient recovery. Noting that addressing climate change would require a collective approach to help the most vulnerable countries, the Prime Minister laid emphasis on the significance of climate finance as integral to inclusive, adaptive and resilient recovery in the climate devastated Global South. The Prime Minister also called for simplified, long-term climate financing instruments to plug capacity deficits in the developing countries
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