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Collaborative efforts stressed to enhance climate adaptation strategies

Our Correspondent
Wednesday, Jan 22, 2025

Islamabad:Coordinator to the Prime Minister for Climate Change Romina Khurshid Alam, as a former convener of Sustainable Development Goals Task Forece, briefed a high-level parliamentary delegation from South Sudan, led by Deputy Speaker Nathaniel Oyet Pierino, on the SDGs during a visit to the SDGs Secretariat.

The meeting was part of an ongoing exchange aimed at fostering greater international cooperation on sustainable development. The SDGs, a set of 17 global objectives established by the United Nations in 2015, are designed to tackle pressing global challenges and promote a more sustainable, equitable, and peaceful world by 2030.

Ms Alam emphasised the importance of these goals in addressing the interconnected challenges facing countries worldwide. She said that the SDGs were not only about achieving sustainable development but also about ensuring that all nations—regardless of their size or economic status—had the opportunity to thrive while protecting the environment for future generations. The aide to PM said both Pakistan and South Sudan were highly vulnerable to climate change, facing similar challenges such as water scarcity, extreme weather events, agricultural vulnerability, and the loss of biodiversity.

She called for collaborative efforts to enhance climate adaptation strategies, focusing on building resilience within vulnerable communities. Ms Alam pointed to the critical importance of the Paris Agreement, an international treaty aimed at limiting global warming to well below 2°C, ideally to 1.5°C.

She said achieving this ambitious target requires urgent action to reduce carbon emissions, transition to renewable energy sources, and promote sustainable practices across industries globally.

Deputy Speaker Nathaniel Oyet Pierino expressed great interest in the SDGs and conveyed South Sudan's commitment to achieving sustainable development. He noted that South Sudan, as one of the world's youngest nations, is keen to learn from the experiences of other nations in implementing the SDGs, particularly in areas like climate action and environmentally sustainable infrastructure. The meeting also highlighted the importance of South-South cooperation and the sharing of best practices, especially in the context of climate adaptation and mitigation strategies.

Ms Alam assured the delegation that Pakistan remains committed to supporting its partners in Africa and beyond, especially in helping them navigate the complex challenges of climate change and sustainable development.