Human harm, climate costs to countries like Pakistan dominate UN summit

In this picture taken on September 27, 2022, internally displaced flood-affected people wade through a flooded area in Dadu district of Sindh province. (AFP/File)
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Updated 07 November 2022
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Human harm, climate costs to countries like Pakistan dominate UN summit

  • Human side of contentious issues of climate change will likely dominate climate negotiations in Egypt
  • While Pakistan was flooding, six energy companies made $97.49 billion in profits from July to September

SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt: It was a total loss — the type that is usually glossed over in big impersonal statistics like $40 billion in damage from this summer’s Pakistan floods that put one-third of the nation underwater.

“We lost everything, our home and our possessions,” said Taj Mai, a mother of seven who is four months pregnant and in a flood relief camp in Pakistan’s Punjab province. “At least in a camp our children will get food and milk.”

This is the human side of a contentious issue that will likely dominate climate negotiations in Egypt this month. It’s about big bucks, justice, blame and taking responsibility. Extreme weather is worsening as the world warms, with a study calculating that human-caused climate change increased Pakistan’s flood-causing rain by up to 50 percent.

While Pakistan was flooding, six energy companies — ExxonMobil, Chevron, Shell,BP, Saudi Aramco and Total Energies — made $97.49 billion in profits from July to September. Poorer nations, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Europe’s leaders and US President Joe Biden are calling for fossil fuel firms to pay a windfall profits tax. Many want some of that money, along with additional aid from rich nations that spewed the lion’s share of heat-trapping gases, to be used to pay countries victimized by past pollution, like Pakistan.

The issue of polluters paying for their climate messes is called loss and damage in international climate negotiations. It is all about reparations.

“Loss and damage is going to be the priority and the defining factor of whether or not COP27 succeeds,” said Kenyan climate activist Elizabeth Wathuti, referring to the climate talks in Egypt. United Nations top officials say they are looking for “something meaningful in loss and damage” and were “certainly encouraged” by negotiations Friday, Saturday and Sunday that put the issue on the meeting agenda.

Money for loss and damage is different from two other financial aid systems already in place to help poorer nations develop carbon-free energy and adapt to future warming.

Since 2009, the rich nations of the world have promised to spend $100 billion in climate aid for poor nations, with most of it going toward helping wean them off coal, oil and natural gas and build greener energy systems. Officials now want as much as half of that to go to building up systems to help adapt to future climate disasters.

Neither financial pledge has been fulfilled yet, but both don’t address the issue of paying for current and past climate disasters, such as heat waves in India, floods in Pakistan and droughts in Africa.

“Our current levels of global warming at 1.1 degrees Celsius (2 degrees Fahrenheit) have already caused dangerous and widespread losses and damages to nature and to billions of people,” said Climate Analytics scientist Adelle Thomas of the Bahamas.

“Losses and damages are unavoidable and unequally distributed” with poorer nations, the elderly, the poor and vulnerable hit harder, she said.

CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENT

After years of not wanting to talk about reparations in climate talks, US and European officials say they are willing to have loss and damage discussions. But the US — the No. 1 historic carbon polluter — won’t agree to anything that sounds like liability, special envoy John Kerry said.

US emissions that created warmer temperatures caused at least $32 billion in damage to Pakistan’s gross domestic product between 1990 and 2014, according to calculations by Dartmouth climate researchers Christopher Callahan and Justin Mankin based on past emissions. And that’s only based on temperature-oriented damage, not rainfall.

“Loss and damage is a way of both recognizing past harm and compensating for that past harm,” Mankin said. “These harms are scientifically identifiable. And now it’s up to the politics to either defend that harm or remunerate for that harm.”

The United States in 16 days puts more carbon dioxide into the air from burning fossil fuel than Pakistan does in a year, according to figures by the Global Carbon Project.

American Gas Association CEO Karen Harbert said Americans won’t go for such payments to faraway nations and that’s not the way to think of the issue.

“It’s not just Pakistan. Let’s talk about Puerto Rico. Let’s talk about Louisiana. Other things that are happening here at home that we also need to pay attention to and help our fellow Americans,” Harbert said in an interview with The Associated Press.

“If there was an opportunity to talk to people in Pakistan, I’d say ... the solution is first of all, you have the opportunity with natural gas to have a much cleaner electric system than you have today,” she said.

But for Aaisa Bibi, a pregnant mother of four from Punjab province, cheaper cleaner energy doesn’t mean much when her family has no place to live except a refugee camp.

“With less than 1 percent of the global emissions, Pakistan is certainly not a part of the problem of climate change,” said Shabnam Baloch, the International Red Cross Pakistan director, adding that people like Bibi are just trying to survive floods, heat waves, droughts, low crop yields, water shortages and inflation.

In semi-arid Makueni County in Kenya, where a devastating drought has stretched more than three years, 47-year old goat and sheep farmer John Gichuki said: “It is traumatizing to watch your livestock die of thirst and hunger.”

Gichuki’s maize and legumes crops have failed four consecutive seasons. “The farm is solely on the mercies of climate,” he said.

In India, it’s record heat connected to climate change that caused deaths and ruined crops. Elsewhere it’s devastation from tropical cyclones that are wetter and stronger because of the burning of fossil fuels.

This global issue has a parallel inside the United States in at times contentious discussions about paying for damages caused by slavery.

“In many ways we’re talking about reparations,” said University of Maryland environmental health and justice professor Sacoby Wilson. “It’s an appropriate term to use” he said, because the rich northern countries got the benefits of fossil fuels, while the poorer global south gets the damage in floods, droughts, climate refugees and hunger.

The government of Barbados has suggested changes in how the multinational development banks loan to poorer nations to take into account climate vulnerability and disasters. Pakistan and others have called for debt relief.

It’s “about putting ourselves in everybody else’s shoes,” said Avinash Persaud, special envoy to Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley.

Persaud suggests a long-term levy on high oil, coal and natural gas prices, but one done in reverse. At current high energy prices there would be no tax, so no increase in inflation. But once fossil fuel prices decline 10 percent, 1 percent of the price drop would go to a fund to pay victims of climate loss and damage, without adding to the cost of living.

United Nations’ chief Guterres, who has called movement on loss and damage a “litmus test” for success for the Egypt climate conference, has named two high-level national officials to try to hammer out a deal: Germany’s climate envoy and former Greenpeace chief Jennifer Morgan and Chile’s environment minister, Maisa Rojas.

“The fact that it has been adopted as an agenda item demonstrates progress and parties taking a mature and constructive attitude toward this,” UN Climate Secretary Simon Stiell said in a Sunday news conference. “This is a difficult subject area. It’s been floating for thirty plus years. So that the fact that it is there as a substantive agenda item, I believe it bodes well.″

“What will be most telling is how those discussions progress in the substantive discussion over the next couple of weeks,” Stiell said.


United Nations to review international commitments on Pakistan’s post-flood reconstruction today

Updated 11 sec ago
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United Nations to review international commitments on Pakistan’s post-flood reconstruction today

  • The UN and Pakistan co-hosted a conference in Geneva to marshal funds for reconstruction and rehabilitation
  • The bilateral and multilateral donors committed over $9 billion, though not much of that amount was released

ISLAMABAD: The United Nations General Assembly is scheduled to hold an informal meeting in New York on Wednesday to review the outcome of commitments made by the international community to support flood-affected families in Pakistan following the monsoon devastation of last year.

Caretaker Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani expressed optimism last week that the financial pledges made by various bilateral and multilateral donors to help Pakistan carry out reconstruction activities would soon materialize.

His statement came months after the United Nations and Pakistan co-hosted a conference in Geneva to generate the funds needed to rebuild homes, roads and railway tracks that were washed away by flash floods, submerging much of the country and displacing millions of people.

According to estimates, Pakistan needed $16.3 billion for reconstruction activities, with participants at the event committing over $9 billion.

“The informal meeting will hear a briefing on the implementation of General Assembly Resolution 77/1, passed last year in October 2022, which expressed ‘solidarity and support for the Government and the people of Pakistan and the strengthening of emergency relief, rehabilitation, reconstruction, and prevention in the wake of the recent devastating floods,’” said the curtain-raiser for the upcoming meeting, released by Pakistan’s permanent mission at the UN.

“UN Secretary-General H.E. Antonio Guterres will share the update with the participants of the meeting,” it added.

The General Assembly resolution sought to “sensitize the international community” to Pakistan’s reconstruction needs and “mobilize effective, immediate, and adequate international support and assistance.”

Prior to its passage, the UN secretary-general visited Pakistan to witness the extent of flood damages and noted that the country had experienced “a monsoon on steroids” that had devastated much of its southern regions.

Pakistan has since called for the required global assistance, pointing out that the world needs to collectively deal with the growing issue of climate change.

It was also at the forefront of efforts to establish a loss and damages fund at COP27 in Egypt, aimed at assisting those nations facing the brunt of erratic weather patterns without contributing significantly to global warming.


A rocket launcher shell accidentally explodes at a home in southern Pakistan and 8 people are dead

Updated 8 min 32 sec ago
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A rocket launcher shell accidentally explodes at a home in southern Pakistan and 8 people are dead

  • Police believe family members took unexploded shell home after finding it at nearby farm
  • City of Kandhkot where the explosion took place is known as hideout of robbers and criminals 

KARACHI: A shell of a rocket launcher apparently accidentally exploded at a home in a remote village in southern Pakistan on Wednesday, killing at least eight people, including women and children, police said.

At least two people were also wounded in the blast in southern Sindh province, said regional police chief Rahil Khoso.

Investigators believe that family members took the unexploded shell home after finding it at a nearby open farm field. Such blasts often happen when people try to dismantle unexploded ammunition to sell as scrap metal.

The city of Kandhkot, where the explosion took place, is known as a hideout of robbers and criminals who are well armed, including with rockets. Security forces have launched operations against criminals in the area.


Pakistani cabbies struggle to stay on the road as fuel costs hack pay

Updated 24 min 27 sec ago
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Pakistani cabbies struggle to stay on the road as fuel costs hack pay

  • On Sept. 15, Pakistan announced a record rise in petrol and diesel prices, second big increase in two weeks
  • Spiraling fuel costs and inflation have left Islamabad cab drivers with reduced incomes, no alternative means of livelihood

ISLAMABAD: Khairullah Khan, a 50-year-old taxi driver, remembers a time when he could fill his tank with cheap fuel to drive passengers across the Pakistani capital and take home enough money for food, drink and a decent life for his wife and nine children. 

Today, spiraling fuel costs and soaring inflation mean he is left at the end of a busy day with less than a few dollars in earnings. 

Last week, parked under a tree near a bustling market in Islamabad, Khan waited for customers but said rising fuel costs had driven most of his clients away.

On Sept. 15, Pakistan announced a record rise in petrol and diesel prices — by 26.02 rupees to 331.38 rupees a liter and by 17.34 rupees to 329.18 rupees a liter, respectively — the second big increase in two weeks for the South Asian nation already struggling with high inflation. A $3 billion loan program, approved by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in July, averted a sovereign debt default in Pakistan but reforms linked to the bailout have fueled annual inflation running at 27.4 percent.

“We have no work, no income, we are ready to kill ourselves,” Khan, who has been plying the streets of Islamabad since 1991, told Arab News. “It has become very difficult to make ends meet now.” 

Khairullah Khan, a 50-year-old taxi driver, is pictured sitting in a roadside cafe in Islamabad, Pakistan on September 19, 2023. (AN photo)

Khan complained that customers were now unwilling to pay the high cost of rides that drivers were forced to charge due to new fuel prices.

“When we raise the fares, people argue that they are not responsible for the fuel prices so why should they pay higher costs,” the cabbie said.

Yellow cab driver Talib Hussain, 47, said now even “middle class people” could not afford taxi rides.

“I have not had any customers since morning, neither have any other cabbies standing here,” he said, pointing to a line of cabs behind his car.

Hussain said he used to make almost Rs25,000 ($85.6) per month last year but now took home barely Rs 8-10,000 ($27-34) monthly.

“If we [family] were eating thrice a day [last year], now we can only afford to eat one meal per day. Earlier my kids used to go to school by a van but now they have to walk to school every day. I have enrolled them in a government school because I could not afford to pay for private schools.”

An employee waits for customers at a fuel station in Islamabad, Pakistan on September 25, 2023. (AN photo)

Many drivers who work with ride hailing apps like Uber, Careem, Bykea and InDrive reported a 50-60 percent decrease in average income compared to last year.

“The way fuel prices have increased, the rates per kilometer have not been increased the same way [by the ride-hailing company] which has resulted in a 50-60 percent drop in our incomes,” part time cabbie Naveed Alam said.

“If I was saving Rs 1,000 ($3.42) per day from this work last year, now I can barely save Rs600 ($2) … Customers have decreased, and fuel prices have doubled, which has reduced our income manifold.”

An InDrive bike rider who only identified himself by his first name, Usman, said he earned Rs1,000 ($3.42) per ride last year while burning Rs200 ($0.68) on fuel.

“Now for the same job, the fuel costs us around Rs 500-600 ($2),” he said, adding that maintenance costs for his bike had also doubled. “The fuel costs have almost doubled, and inflation has also increased so much, which has made our lives very difficult.”

Many cab drivers said the price hikes were forcing them to seek alternative means of livelihood, an uphil task, or get a second job.

“We toil for over 18 hours a day, yet we are unable to cover our expenses,” said Vilayat Khan, a cab driver in Islamabad who has been associated with the profession for the last 28 years. “But to start any other work we need investment, but we don’t have any money to invest, we don’t even own the cars we are driving.”

Bykea motorcycle driver Haider Ali Bykea said he saw no silver lining in the clouds:

“People like us will be forced to end our lives … what else can we do? I have five kids, how do I feed them? How is a poor man supposed to survive?”


Punjab health minister says lack of ‘informed consent’ led to blindness caused by experimental drug

Updated 27 September 2023
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Punjab health minister says lack of ‘informed consent’ led to blindness caused by experimental drug

  • Nearly 70 patients of diabetes across the province suffered vision loss after being administered Avastin medicine
  • The drug is primarily used to treat cancer but is also prescribed for diabetic retinopathy-related edema in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Punjab’s interim health minister Dr. Javed Akram announced on Tuesday an experimental medication suspected of causing vision loss among dozens of diabetics across the province was administered by hospitals without following proper procedures that included obtaining “informed consent” from patients.

Nearly 70 individuals from various districts in Punjab reported eye infections leading to blindness in recent weeks after receiving injections of Avastin. The medication is primarily used to treat cancer but is also prescribed off-label in Pakistan for diabetic retinopathy-related edema.

Pakistan imposed a temporary ban on the drug earlier this week after patients began losing their vision and initiated an inquiry to assign responsibility.

In a media briefing in Lahore, the provincial health minister said the off-label use of any medication required prior authorization from the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP).

“This did not happen,” he clarified. “Moreover, the good clinical practice of securing informed consent [from patients in such cases] was also not followed.”

Dr. Akram emphasized that it was mandatory to seek a patient’s consent “in the local language when administering an experimental drug.”

He disclosed that the government had now decided to require audiovisual recordings from hospital authorities, demonstrating that patients had been clearly informed of the benefits and risks associated with off-label medication use.

The minister reiterated the government’s commitment to bringing those responsible for this criminal negligence to justice and confirmed that Avastin would be available only for cancer treatment while the inquiry continued.


Minister says Pakistan to finalize first artificial intelligence policy by December

Updated 27 September 2023
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Minister says Pakistan to finalize first artificial intelligence policy by December

  • The information technology minister says it is important to help people develop AI skills since they are quite valuable
  • The government is setting up a policy committee of experts from IT industry and academia to finalize the draft policy

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s interim information technology minister Umar Saif said on Tuesday his team had prepared the draft of the National Artificial Intelligence Policy and was currently in consultation with relevant stakeholders to finalize it by December.
Artificial intelligence, often abbreviated as AI, refers to the development of computer systems that can perform tasks typically requiring human intelligence. These tasks include learning from data, recognizing patterns, making decisions, and solving problems. AI aims to create machines that can mimic human-like thinking and decision-making processes.
With this technology becoming more readily accessible, governments and private sectors across the world are beginning to reap its benefit while performing day-to-day functions. Pakistan’s planning ministry also acknowledged in April the AI incorporation in different government sectors would lead to better decision-making processes, personalized medical treatments, and enhanced learning experiences and solutions that were previously unattainable.
“There are far reaching consequences of this policy,” the information minister told Arab News in a brief conversation. “We have put it for public consultation. There is a draft which helped us get public comments from outside as well as inside the country … We need to train people to develop AI skills according to the policy since they can be quite valuable.”
“My goal is to finalize and notify this AI policy by December,” he continued.
Syed Junaid Imam, the spokesperson for the information technology ministry, also informed Arab News the country’s official artificial intelligence would be finalized after consultation with all stakeholders before being sent to the federal cabinet for approval.
“It is based on four main points,” he said while sharing details. “Enabling AI through awareness and readiness, AI market enablement, building a progressive and trusted environment, and its transformation and evolution.”
A recent notification by the information ministry said it was “forming a policy committee that will lead the policy consultation process and finalize the draft,” adding that the members of the committee would have experts from industry, academia and the government.
“The National AI Policy is crafted to focus on the equitable distribution of opportunity and its responsible use, having the defining attributes such as evidence-based and target oriented, user-centric and forward-looking, objective and overarching,” according to the draft of the policy, a copy of which was seen by the Arab News.
The draft also outlined how Pakistan would collaborate with other countries to share best practices and expertise in the AI field.
“The policy proposed the establishment of an AI regulatory directorate that ensures the ethical and responsible use of AI,” it read.
The draft policy also addressed the potential job displacement that could result from the global proliferation of the new technology.
“AI can help to promote economic growth by encouraging investment in AI research and development which can lead to the creation of new jobs and industries, as well as improved productivity and efficiency,” it said.
It further stated that owing to the impact of artificial globally, the Pakistani government envisioned embracing it by appreciating human intelligence and stimulating a hybrid intelligence ecosystem for equitable, responsible and transparent AI use.