Islamabad: In a keynote address at a national conference titled “Pakistan’s Final Warning: Climate Calamity or Collective Action,” Senator Sherry Rehman, the Chairperson of the Senate Standing Committee on Climate Change, issued an urgent appeal for collective climate action. She highlighted Pakistan’s alarming ranking as number one on the Germanwatch’s Climate Risk Index 2025, urging immediate strategic measures to address what she described as a “cascading polycrisis.”
Senator Rehman stressed the need to link extreme weather emergencies with climate trends, emphasizing the lack of urgency in policy circles despite recent climate shocks, including the devastating 2022 floods that affected over 33 million people and severe heatwaves. She criticized the absence of recalibrated budgets to better cope with these crises, noting the systemic failures behind these disasters.
The senator called for a shift from rhetoric to accountability and action, underscoring the high stakes of climate impact in Pakistan. She cited the need for comprehensive risk reduction measures, like early warning systems, recognized by the United Nations as a basic human right.
Highlighting Pakistan’s unpreparedness for the required climate investment, Senator Rehman emphasized the necessity for scaled-up efforts and sustained commitment beyond mere statements. She also urged the international community to uphold its climate justice responsibilities alongside local commitments.
Rehman pointed out the fragmented institutional response in Pakistan and advocated for a whole-of-society approach involving all levels of government, businesses, schools, communities, and the media. Public-private partnerships, she noted, are crucial but need proper empowerment.
Senator Rehman emphasized strategic climate communications as pivotal for a sustained national response, calling for collaboration between the private sector and governments on an integrated institutional roadmap. She warned against a “Business-as-Usual” approach to sustainability and pollution goals.
Concluding her address, Senator Rehman called for prioritizing water conservation as the top climate action agenda in Pakistan, citing the country’s water stress and the need for large-scale conservation and rain harvesting initiatives. She urged collective action to protect Pakistan’s water resources, highlighting the stark choices between catastrophe and action.