ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar is leading the Pakistan delegation at a "high-level" segment of the United Nations (UN) Climate Change Conference, or COP28, in Dubai today, on Friday, his office said, following the operationalization of $575 million for a global fund for climate-related “loss and damage” at the summit.
The UN climate summit clinched an early victory Thursday, with delegates adopting the new fund to help poor nations cope with costly climate disasters. In establishing the fund on the first day of the COP28 conference, delegates opened the door for governments to announce contributions.
And several did, kicking off a series of small pledges that countries hoped would build throughout the conference to a substantial sum, including $100 million from the COP28 host United Arab Emirates, at least $51 million from Britain, $17.5 million from the United States, and $10 million from Japan. Later, the European Union pledged $245.39 million, which included $100 million pledged by Germany.
The momentous occasion followed Pakistan's crucial role at COP27 in Egypt, where, as the chair of the G77 and China group, it advocated for the establishment of the fund. PM Kakar, who leads his country's delegation at Friday's talks, is expected to build on this momentum for further contributions by wealthy governments to address challenges faced by climate-vulnerable nations.
"Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar will lead the Pakistani delegation in the high-level segment of the 28th Conference of Parties (COP 28) held at the United Nations Expo City in Dubai starting tomorrow," Kakar's office said on Friday.
It said the Pakistan prime minister was scheduled to attend the World Climate Action Summit on December 1-2, where he would deliver a "national statement" on the final day of the summit.
On the sidelines of COP28, PM Kakar is also expected to meet world leaders and discuss with them the adverse impacts of climate change faced by his country and other developing nations.
Thursday's early breakthrough on the damage fund, which poorer nations had demanded for years, could help grease the wheels for other compromises to be made during the summit.
Another task for the conference will be the global stocktake, an assessment of countries' progress in meeting the Paris Agreement goal of limiting global warming to well below 2°Celsius (3.6°Fahrenheit).
