Pakistan flags climate change as existential threat

April 25, 2025 (MLN): Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb has singled out climate change as an existential threat facing Pakistan. 

He made this statement while addressing the High-Level Dialogue of the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD) on the sidelines of the 2025WBG/IMF Spring Meetings in Washington today. 

The Finance Minister said that Pakistan was the biggest proponent of the Loss & Damage Fund set up at COP28 through an agreement by 198 countries to assist particularly vulnerable developing countries in responding to economic and non-economic loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change, including extreme weather events and slow-onset events.

During his address, Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb underlined the urgency of operationalizing the Fund and the importance of the integrity of the whole process with adequate checks and balances. 

Emphasizing that simplicity and agility should be the guiding principles, the Finance Minister urged the need for speedy disbursements under the Fund, unlike the experience of LDCs and the most vulnerable countries with the existing climate funds. 

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