Call to Action

The global community first recognized the severity of climate change in the 1980s. The United Nations stepped forward to mitigate the effects of climate change and established the Conferences of the Parties (COP) under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The Paris Agreement gained widespread recognition as nearly 195 member countries joined the treaty, and the majority of them ratified it.

The Paris Agreement focused on global climate change, Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), and their implementation. The Pakistani delegation, led by then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, participated in the Paris Agreement held in Paris, France. Pakistan's NDCs include increasing the use of renewable energy sources by 60%, ensuring that 30% of vehicles are electric, and generating 12,000 MW of energy through nuclear resources by 2030. Pakistan has worked towards achieving these goals and has begun implementing its NDCs.

Currently, the world is on the brink of disaster due to rising global temperatures. China is the top emitter of greenhouse gases, followed by the United States and then Brazil. At the recent COP 30, held in Brazil, the United States did not send a high-level representative, as the Donald Trump administration chose not to do so. To maintain climate resilience, it is imperative to shift to low-carbon energy use and promote afforestation.

The forest-covered area of the world is approximately 40 million square kilometers, accounting for roughly 31 percent of Earth's land area. The Amazon rainforest, the planet's biggest, is hosting COP 30 in Belém, Brazil, a key forum for shaping global climate resilience strategies. Brazil announced its hosting of COP 30 in Belém in 2025, during COP 28 in 2023. It's a harsh reality that Brazil, the custodian of the Amazon, is also the world's leading capital of deforestation. The irony is stark!

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz led the Pakistani delegation to participate in COP 30. In the ongoing session, Turkey and Australia have struck a deal for COP 31, with Turkey hosting the 2026 conference in Antalya and Australia taking the lead negotiating presidency. This partnership is seen as a stabilizing move for the UNFCCC, bridging a gap between developed and emerging economies.

The European Union has outlined a roadmap for transitioning away from fossil fuels, indicating that a just, orderly, and equitable shift in energy systems must be at the core of the outcome package. COP 30 focuses on shifting pledges into tangible actions, financing developing countries to the tune of $1.3 trillion by 2035, and protecting the ecosystem. The need of the hour is for developed countries to play their vital role in reducing the use of fossil fuels and setting an example for developing countries to follow.

If pledges and commitments remain limited to words and no practical steps are taken, the global ecosystem will soon be unable to provide a healthy atmosphere for living creatures. This eleven-day summit should conclude with the ratification of agreements that include tangible actions to be taken immediately.