At A United Nations Conference, Pakistan To Seek For $16 Billion To Help Recover The Country After Devastating Floods
In what is being called a crucial test case for who pays for climate catastrophes, Pakistan and the United Nations are hosting a big summit in Geneva on Monday for Pakistan to seek for $16 billion after devastating floods to rebuild the nation.
Author:Hajra ShannonReviewer:Paula M. GrahamJan 10, 2023646 Shares71.7K Views
In what is being called a crucial test case for who pays for climate catastrophes, Pakistan and the United Nations are hosting a big summit in Geneva on Monday for Pakistan to seek for $16 billion after devastating floodsto rebuild the nation.
A calamity in September of last year caused by record monsoon rains and melting glaciers was attributed to climate change and resulted in the displacement of around 8 million people and the deaths of at least 1,700.
Despite the fact that the flood levels have subsided, millions more people may fall into poverty when rebuilding work to repair millions of houses and hundreds of kilometers of roads and railway begins.
Islamabad will offer a recovery "framework" during the meeting, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at the helm. Other speakers include UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and French President Emmanuel Macron.
UN Secretary General Plead For Aid
Opening the summit, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres made an emotional appeal for relief on behalf of the millions of Pakistanis whose lives and livelihoods had been thrown into disarray by the calamity.
More than six months after the floods, he said, one-third of Pakistan was still under water, calling the situation a "climate disaster of monumental scale."
“„A terrifying wall of water killed more than 1,700 people, injured thousands more, and affected a total of more than 33 million, displacing eight million people. It swept over roads, ruined millions of acres of agricultural land, and damaged or destroyed two million homes.- Antonio Guterres, U.N. Secretary-General
He said that nine million more individuals have been brought to the edge of poverty and that these people need and deserve international assistance.
Guterres elaborated that Pakistan, which contributed less than one percent of global emissions, was not responsible for the climate problem but was one of its largest sufferers. He said that countries on the front lines of the climate calamity need significant help.
Flood Response Plan for Pakistan - UN Chief message
Post Disaster Needs Assessment
A Post-Disaster Needs Assessment conducted in October assessed overall damages and economic losses of over $30 billion, as confirmed by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Over $16 billion is required for repair and robust rebuilding, he added. He stated half of that sum will come from Pakistan's domestic and development budget and the other half would come from foreign help.
“„I am asking for a sustained international support plan to meet this daunting challenge. I am asking for a new lifeline for people who need to power our economy and re-enter the 21st century with a future that is protected from such extreme risk to human security.- Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan's Prime Minister
The catastrophic flooding in September, which has been likened to something out of the Bible, has killed more than 1,700 people and displaced at least 8 million, according to government estimates. Thousands upon thousands of kilometers of transportation infrastructure, including roads, bridges, and trains, were also either severely damaged or destroyed. One tenth of Pakistan's GDP was lost, or $30 billion, according to a post-disaster needs assessment (PDNA).
Pakistan was already struggling with food shortages before the accident, and now that situation is becoming worse. According to studies conducted by Save the Children, a staggering 86 percent of flood-affected Pakistani households have lost all sources of income and are thus struggling to put food on the table. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that 5.7 million people (3.4 million of them are children) in flood-affected regions are at risk of food insecurity.
Pakistan is one of the most susceptible nations to catastrophic weather events driven by climate change while having the fifth-largest population in the world.
At COP27, the country took the lead in creating a fund to compensate nations that are more susceptible to the effects of climate change and natural catastrophes. Decisions about the fund's administration, its budget, and the recipients of its distributions are all expected to be made during the next climate conference, which will be based on the proposals included in the COP27 final accord.
Countries Pledged For Support
Some governments have responded to this appeal by promising large financial contributions. A hundred million dollars has been pledged by the United States, for instance. Since the middle of August, the United States government has provided Pakistan with approximately $200 million.
The French president, Emmanuel Macron, addressed the conference via video link from Paris, promising to provide more than $300 million for climate adaptation and resilient rebuilding.
Sharif mentioned the $4.2 billion announced by the Islamic Development Bank in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, as the greatest donation to date.
Final Words
A calamity in September of last year caused by record monsoon rains and melting glaciers was attributed to climate change and resulted in the displacement of around 8 million people and the deaths of at least 1,700.
Despite the fact that the flood levels have subsided, millions more people may fall into poverty when rebuilding work to repair millions of houses and hundreds of kilometers of roads and railway begins.
Hajra Shannon
Author
Paula M. Graham
Reviewer
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