‘Crisis of justice’ as floods devastate: Pakistan’s climate change minister

Pakistan’s climate change minister has criticized the “crisis of justice” facing his nation as it struggles to recover from one of the worst flooding to hit the country in decades. Over 1, 000 people have died and more than two million have been displaced.

More than six million people have been affected, according to the UN, following reports from local authorities that a heavier-than-usual monsoon and cloudbursts have caused landslides and extensive flooding since June 26. The National Disaster Management Authority estimates that in addition to the widespread destruction of crops across the nation, more than 12 500 homes have been damaged and 6 500 livestock have been lost.

One of the many contributors to the deluge is thought to be climate change. Pakistan, one of the top 10 most vulnerable countries for climate change, contributes less than 1% of global emissions, but it is one of the top 10 most vulnerable countries.

Pakistan’s climate change minister Musadik Malik also questioned the “lopsided allocation” of funding by the international community to combat the effects of climate change in an interview with Al Jazeera. &nbsp,

Al Jazeera: Agriculture is a major source of income for Pakistan. How significant a threat does climate change pose to this vital industry, particularly as glaciers melt melt?

Malik: Agriculture accounts for between 50 and 55 percent of Pakistan’s population. Canals and rivers, with some reliance on rainfall, provide the majority of our agricultural system. There are about 13 000 glaciers in Pakistan. Imagine the effects on our river system, our barrages, and eventually our canal network if these glaciers start to melt erratically and at a much faster rate as a result of global warming and rising carbon emissions, which are primarily coming from developed nations.

The agricultural economy of Pakistan, which accounts for the majority of our GDP and is a major source of employment, would suffer in such a bad way as a result. The potential for destruction is enormous, both economically and agriculturally.

Al Jazeera: What are Pakistan’s wider effects of climate-induced floods, besides the agricultural impact?

Malik: Agriculture and livelihoods are far at the center of the destruction. Losing a life is the most important concern right away. Over the past ten to fifteen years, floods have risen alarmingly in the number, pattern, and erratic nature. When these floods strike, there are a lot of deaths, morbidities, and people who have to move. In Sindh, thousands of years of civilization were flimsily erased, including mosques, temples, schools, hospitals, and other historic structures.

Such destruction results in significant economic losses, limited access to safe drinking water, increased infant and child mortality, and reduced access to education. This is a harsh reality that we must deal with, not just theoretically.

What other environmental problems does Pakistan face, according to Al Jazeera?

Malik: First of all, there is air pollution. What was once misty or fogy has turned into smog, particularly for two to three months in Punjab’s [province] cities. Traveling is severely hampered, leading to accidents and posing as a challenge. Your lungs burn for about 30 seconds before you can adjust when you land in these cities.

Second, the water is polluting. Our flowing waters, once regarded as intact and a sign of civilization, are now largely poisoned. Children would jump into canals as children, and elders would say that drinking flowing water was okay. You wouldn’t dare to drink directly from a canal today. No one would risk drinking tap water in Islamabad’s most expensive neighborhoods, even in the most expensive real estate areas. Imagine the situation in less developed regions.

Solid waste comes last. Ammonia and other pollutants are produced by the numerous landfills we are building, making temperature increases and causing glacier melting and floods. This also makes agriculture less predictable, which is essential.

Al Jazeera, you’ve frequently addressed the global gap in funding and responsibility for climate change. Can you provide more information about Pakistan’s perspective?

Malik: It’s a secret that one of the two nations, China and the US, has even withdrawn from international agreements, accounting for 45% of the world’s carbon emissions. More than 70% of the world’s carbon burden is made up of the top 10 nations. These ten nations receive 85% of the world’s green funding for building climate resilience and adaptation infrastructure, which is astonishing. Only 10 to 15% of the remaining 180+ nations, including ours, are given this. This is absurd. With such unfinancial funding, what kind of resilience or adaptation can we create?

This is not a climate crisis, in my opinion. It constitutes a justice crisis, in my opinion. The nations that pollute and contaminate the environment don’t invest in solutions for the most suffering and vulnerabilities. Even though our per capita carbon emissions are so small, you wouldn’t even see Pakistan on a map, we are the ones who are affected by erratic climate changes, floods, and agricultural devastation.

Who is consuming the environment on a global scale despite our own water pollution and the health of our citizens? Who is consuming alcohol?

This disparate amount of green funding is a moral gap, not a funding gap. It is complete injustice and overbearing unless there is a fair and equitable distribution of funding to support adaptation, forestation, and various projects from micro to macro.

Al Jazeera: So what is Pakistan’s approach to tackling climate change on its own resources?

Malik: Whether or not we receive sufficient funding, we must take care of our children. Instead of lamenting it, we are embracing our vulnerability.

Because there is little we can do to stop global warming rising, we will slowly work toward adaptation. What kind of resilience can we create to stop carbon emissions from rising or the climate from being consumed? This discussion about resilience, which involves countries like us preventing events from occurring and reducing global temperatures, is somewhat inappropriate. We require justification.

Al Jazeera, you mentioned a language and policy gap between developed nations and nations like Pakistan. Please explain this.

Malik: Our understanding and priorities are fundamentally different. Access, affordability, and sustainability are the key factors for us. We live in a very poor society. Our top priority when we think about energy is ensuring that we have access to safe drinking water, sanitation, and clean air. Additionally, this access must be affordable. Access, affordability, and sustainability are the top priorities for us.

Many of the world’s major emitters don’t have the same language as we do, according to them. They might have been inspired by books or from distant imaginaries of poverty. I urge them to visit Pakistan and use their theories. When their books don’t apply, it simply becomes clear that they are speaking a language that treats billions of people around the world as vagabonds who live in remote areas, like exotic animals.

For clarity and brevity, this interview was edited.

Source: Aljazeera