The U.N. General Assembly (UNGA) on Friday unanimously adopted a resolution urging donor nations and institutions to provide more funding to combat climate change, with a special focus on rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts in flood-hit Pakistan.
The resolution states that better access to international climate financing is important in helping developing countries mitigate and adapt to climate change, particularly those that are most vulnerable. Addressing the General Assembly, Secretary General Antonio Guterres reiterated that he was working with the Government of Pakistan to organize a high-level donors’ conference.
“The scaling calamities in Pakistan can linger for years. Massive guidance and support to the Government of Pakistan are absolutely essential,” he said, recalling that during his visit to Pakistan last month he had not only seen the devastation caused by the floods but also the best of humanity. “I saw the immense generosity and solidarity of neighbors and strangers helping one another,” he said. “So, people themselves have risked and lost all their worldly possessions to rescue others,” he said, noting that on Oct. 4, the U.N. had launched a revised plan for collecting $816 million to help the flood victims. “I urge donor countries, international financial institutions, and other relevant international organizations, along with the private sector and civil society, to fully support these efforts,” he added.
Stressing that U.N. climate talks scheduled for Egypt in November “must be the place for serious action on loss and damage,” he said the effects of these floods would be felt not just for days or even months. The disaster, he warned, was just a taste of what is to come with global warming. “Climate chaos is knocking on everyone´s door right now,” he said.
In his address to the General Assembly, Pakistan’s U.N. Ambassador Munir Akram said countries like Pakistan should not be left to fend for themselves during extreme climate events. “We must construct global mechanisms that can enable climate-struck countries to access resources to mitigate the impacts of the ever more frequent and more intense climate disasters and to recover quickly from such disasters,” he stressed.
Friday’s resolution says that “enhanced access to international climate finance is important to support mitigation and adaptation efforts in developing countries, especially those that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change.” Emphasizing the need for the international community to maintain its focus beyond the present emergency relief, it said this was necessary to support the medium- and long-term rehabilitation, reconstruction and risk reduction efforts; and adaptation plan developed by Pakistan.
It also welcomed the proposed convening of a pledging conference to generate assistance and commitments for the long-term rehabilitation and reconstruction phases in disaster-stricken areas, and called upon all U.N. member states to participate at the highest level.
The resolution requested the secretary general and the entities of the United Nations system to continue to support Pakistan in the preparation of a climate-resilient reconstruction plan and urged them to further intensify their efforts to sensitize the international community to the humanitarian, recovery and reconstruction needs of Pakistan and to mobilize effective, immediate, and adequate international support and assistance to Pakistan.