BEIJING, Jan. 18 (APP): Pakistan Ambassador to China, Moin ul Haque has emphasized the urgency for proactive climate action and international cooperation to mitigate the effects of climate change.
Since mid-June, over 33 million people in Pakistan have been affected by unprecedented rains and devastating floods across the country, leaving millions of people in urgent need of humanitarian assistance.
“This catastrophe was indeed unprecedented in its scale and its magnitude. However, the outpouring of international sympathy and support during these difficult times was very heartwarming. A manifestation of this was the recent Climate Resilient Pakistan conference in Geneva, where we saw strong support and solidarity of the international community with Pakistan,” Haque said while addressing an online launching ceremony for a series of charity events.
The event held online was co-hosted by China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation (CBCGDF) and the Pakistani Embassy in China, China Economic Net (CEN) reported.
Ambassador Haque said that China had always been a very strong supporter and partner of Pakistan. China was among the foremost countries to announce the assistance package and also one of the largest donors today.
He expressed his gratitude and called for Chinese friends from all walks of life to help suffering people in Pakistan in reconstructing their homes and rehabilitating their lives.
While addressing the campaign to raise awareness of enhancing climate resilience through global cooperation and promoting cultural exchanges, Dr Zhou Jinfeng, Secretary-General of CBCGDF, reiterated the importance of global cooperation in creating an ecological civilization for a shared future.
“Climate change is a global threat nowadays. Over the past 200 years, the development pattern of human industrial civilization has caused global warming and eventually led to many disasters, including floods in Pakistan. Every one of us has the obligation and responsibility to work together to mitigate the negative effects of climate change,” said Zhou.
“We humans live in a community of a shared future. We are helping Pakistan restore its soil and habitat after the disaster, which is also rebuilding the resilience of our planet and human habitat,” he added.
In his remarks, Vanno Noupech, UNHCR’s Representative in China, said that climate change was aggravating displacement, worsening poverty, food insecurity, water shortages, and access to natural resources that communities rely on for survival.
He also appreciated Pakistan’s generosity in providing humanitarian assistance and protection to millions of refugees and highlighted the need for international solidarity in tackling climate change.
International organizations, Chinese think tanks, NGOs, and members of youth leagues attended the event, urging proactive action to mitigate the effects of climate change and support Pakistan’s reconstruction after last summer’s devastating floods.
