PM Sharif calls for global unity in climate action, highlights Pakistan’s commitment

Residents wade through the flooded waters outside their homes following heavy rains in Charsadda district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on April 17, 2024. (AFP)

• PM issues the message on World Environment Day for the well-being of people and survival of the planet
• He calls for ‘proactive steps’ to nurture and cultivate forests, revive and replenish dwindling water sources

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif emphasized his country’s resolve to fight climate change on Wednesday, urging the global community to recognize the shared responsibility to protect the planet by taking the right steps while moving forward.
Pakistan ranks among the top ten countries most vulnerable to climate change, having experienced severe droughts, floods and heat waves in recent years.
The catastrophic floods of 2022 particularly underscored this susceptibility, inflicting over $38 billion in damages to homes, farmlands and public infrastructure across the nation.
The prime minister, who is currently on a five-day China visit, issued the message on World Environment Day, which is commemorated annually on June 5.
“Today, on the occasion of #WorldEnvironmentDay, let us join hands to safeguard and preserve our environment, not only for the well-being of people but also for the survival of our planet,” he wrote in a social media post.
“Though we cannot turn back time, we can certainly make a significant impact on the health and sustainability of our environment by taking proactive steps toward endeavors to nurture and cultivate forests, revive and replenish dwindling water sources, and rehabilitate and revitalize exhausted soils,” he added. 
In a detailed statement issued by his office in Islamabad, Sharif said his country had a firm resolve to combat environmental challenges and stands committed for contributing to global efforts toward sustainability.
“Initiatives such as the Green Pakistan Programme, Living Indus Initiative, and National Adaptation Plan, underscore our commitment to reforestation and ecosystem restoration, tackling issues of deforestation and biodiversity loss head-on,” he said.
The prime minister noted Pakistan’s climate diplomacy efforts, particularly its role in establishing a Loss and Damage Fund during COP27, had been widely recognized.
He maintained on the domestic front, Pakistan was actively working on developing sustainable long-term low-carbon development strategies with assistance from United Nations Development Program and the World Bank.