Daily Times

Last week of September was celebrated worldwide as the second Climate Diplomacy Week – a time for the EU Delegations around the world to reach out to communities and partner organisations for collaboration on climate action. The first worldwide Climate Diplomacy Week of this year was marked in the third week of June.

Launched by Germany, France and Britain through their diplomatic missions in over 30 countries in September 2014, the Climate Diplomacy is relatively a new concept in the realm of climate change advocacy.

In 2016, the Council of the European Union defined three strands that climate diplomacy has to build upon after COP21. The first one is to continue advocating climate change as a strategic priority in diplomatic dialogues, public diplomacy and external policy instruments. Secondly, supporting the implementation of the Paris Agreement in the context of low-emission and climate resilient development; and thirdly to increase efforts to address the nexus between climate, natural resources, prosperity, stability and migration.

The key objective of the Climate Diplomacy Day was set to highlight the importance of our climate diplomacy partnership, showcase successful climate projects, and to emphasise the need for collaborative climate action. Over the years, this has become an important event on the environmental calendar. This eventful Day brought together people from diverse backgrounds to become part of the exchanges taking place worldwide in the crucial reflection on how to explore the opportunities arising through the irreversible transition to low carbon economies while ensuring equitable access to sustainable development.

From a day to a week, vigorous support from three countries to the entire European Union, engagement of people from 30 countries to across the globe – the acceptance and realisation of the Climate Diplomacy urged the need for taking action for collective good. The Paris agreement has been a great milestone to think beyond borders. The only setback to this accord has been the backing out of the US from its commitment to financially contribute to the Green Climate Fund. This pool of financial and technical resources is meant to support the mitigation and adaptation mechanisms in the climatically vulnerable countries. Quite unfortunate, world’s top polluter has opted out of its obligations. No diplomacy worked out to retain the US in the accord.

Despite large number of participants at the Climate Diplomacy Day, no senior government officer from the Ministry of Climate Change, Capital Development Authority, Metropolitan Corporation of Islamabad or other relevant department was seen. A clear case of disinterest and disconnect

Pakistan remains indifferent to the responsibilities that come in the wake of fast changing climatic conditions. Despite all visible vulnerabilities, Pakistan’s climate action agenda is far behind from the countries of similar stature. Hence, it needs ‘diplomacy’ within its folds and folks. Will the celebration of the Climate Diplomacy Day help in getting the government babus out of their sulmber?

Out of over 400 audience of the Climate Diplomacy Day celebrated on Sunday at the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) by the EU with the support of WWF-Pakistan, no recognisable government officer from the Ministry of Climate Change (MoCC), Capital Development Authority (CDA), Metropolitan Corporation of Islamabad (MCI) or any other relevant department, was seen. A clear case of disinterest and disconnect.

The interest of general public and youth was overwhelming. More than two hundred bicycle riders paddled on the roads of Islamabad where the CDA is shamelessly busy in chopping off trees to widen roads for speedy movement of vehicles. The cash-starved CDA has all funds for such type of ‘development projects’. Its kitty is empty when it comes to provide the civic amenities to the citizens, especially to the deprived rural communities. Environmental improvement for the CDA is limited to planting the saplings alone while the protection of trees is a far cry. The miserable condition of greenbelts in Islamabad indicate CDA’s connivance with the culprits while choked natural streams with solid waste and household sewage speaks of their incapacity to handle the water and sanitation of the city. So, the Climate Diplomacy must begin at home first.

Promoting cycling is a good idea to reduce carbon footprint, but the question is: do we have cycling tracks alongside of the roads in any city in Pakistan? Even, we don’t have in the model city of Islamabad. So, the cycling could not turn to be an eco-friendly mode of transportation though it could remain only a hobby or leisure.

The EU Ambassador’s stance to remain committed to the Paris Agreement and its full implementation for the finalisation of the measures to reduce emissions by at least 40 per cent by 2030 is quite encouraging for the countries like Pakistan.

Since the COP 21, we have seen EU playing its role by strengthening and widening its partnerships to enable the weaker countries to fight against climate change. The objective of the Climate Diplomacy, a sustained engagement, is for the EU to raise global climate ambition together with its partners. In particular, with countries that are vulnerable to the negative effects of climate change. Pakistan should welcome EU’s engagement and work with international partners to prepare for and mitigate the effects of climate change. After all, it is one of the most vulnerable countries despite the low level of its global carbon emissions.

The writer is an Islamabad-based policy advocacy, strategic communication and outreach expert. He can be reached at devcom.pakistan@gmail.com. He tweets @EmmayeSyed

Published in Daily Times, September 8^th 2018.