Governance reforms urged to combat climate change issues.

ISLAMABAD -- While the $10 billion international commitments for Pakistan's post-flood recovery and rehabilitation is likely to mature, the country needs to go for institutional and governance reforms to combat the challenges of climate change in the long-run.

Speakers at a webinar, 'the Geneva roadmap for a climate resilient Pakistan', suggested that a country-wide efficient adaptation plan shall be worked out on a bottom-up approach alongside religiously implementation of conservation strategies.

The webinar was organised by Development Communications Network.

Climate change expert Ali Tauqeer Sheikh was the keynote speaker. Other speakers included Lahore Garrison University Assistant Professor International Relations Dr Zainab Ahmed, economist at Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE) Dr Khalid Mahmood and climate advocacy specialist Zahra Khalid Haque.

Devcom-Pakistan Executive Director Munir Ahmed said the UN and Pakistan co-hosted the 'International conference on climate resilient Pakistan' on January 9 at Geneva to present a $31.2 billion 'Resilient recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction framework (4RF)', which lays out a multi-sectoral strategy for rehabilitation and reconstruction in a climate-resilient and inclusive manner.

The other key objective was to secure international support and forge long-term partnerships for building Pakistan's climate resilience and adaptation. He said it was the first ever UN donor conference at Geneva to raise funds for any country.

Pakistan needed to act wisely to safeguard its climate vulnerable communities with a stronger local governance system.

The inclusive bottom-up approach, and multi-stakeholder monitoring for transparency will support sustainable recovery and rehabilitation.

Ali Tauqeer Sheikh said: 'Resilient development is not possible without institutional reforms. The urgency is staring us in the face with a current price tag of 8 per cent GDP loss and projected GDP shrinking 20pc by 2050.'

In fact, resilience, reforms and economic development have become intrinsically linked. Pakistan's existing political and economic systems breed climate vulnerability, made worse by food and water insecurity, degraded land and polluted air. The...