Page 12 - TEXtalks March/April 2022

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Asia-Pacific is falling

behind on sustainability

goals: UN

Asia-Pacific is not on track to achieve its enhanced discharge of greenhouse gas (GHG)
sustainability targets by 2030. The Covid pandemic emissions in our outer atmosphere due to fossil fuel
has dragged on progress in many areas, said a combustion leads to a rise in Earth's average
United Nations representative. "Time is running out. temperature besides polluting the air. Climate
Right now, at the current pace, without raising change affects human life and the economy by
ambitions, without acceleration, this region is not set disrupting Earth's climatic processes, leading to
to achieve any of the sustainable development goals floods, famines, droughts, and cyclones, among
by 2030," Kaveh Zahedi, deputy executive secretary other natural disasters.
of the United Nations Economic and Social
Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP). Pakistan's Perspective
In Pakistan, climatic changes are expected to have
The Asia and Pacific region is more vulnerable to wide-ranging impacts, such as reduced agricultural
climate change risks than other regions because of productivity, increased variability of water availability,
its dependence on the natural resources and increased coastal erosion and seawater incursion,
agriculture sectors, densely populated coastal and increased frequency of extreme climatic events.
areas, weak institutions, and poverty among a Pakistan has prioritized the Sustainable
considerable proportion of the population. Development Goals (SDGs), which will enable us to
Therefore, adaptation—making adjustments in join the league of upper-middle-class countries by
natural or human systems in response to actual or 2030. Pakistan was the first country to adopt the
expected climatic stimuli or their effects that SDGs 2030 agenda through a unanimous resolution
moderate negative or exploit beneficial of the Parliament of Pakistan. Pakistan's textile
opportunities—becomes an essential strategy for sector is well aware of the climate threat and the
sustainable economic growth. Failure to adapt could need to look for sustainable alternatives. Therefore,
stall development, particularly in the countries that various textile units have singed the Net Zero
depend on natural resources. Adaptive capacity Coalition Pakistan. Net Zero Pakistan is a national
entails the ability to adapt, conduct a sum of actions collaboration between pioneering companies, public
to change behaviors, shift priorities, produce institutions, and sectoral experts to deliver the goal
necessary goods and services, and plan and of net-zero carbon for Pakistan by 2050. The
respond in ways that reduce harmful coalition will establish the roadmap and framework
climate change. through which Pakistan's private sector can
accelerate its sustainability transition and deliver this
The rapidly emerging climatic changes are one of net-zero goal. About 22 companies have signed this
the biggest threats to the sustainability of life on agreement, which is a positive change. Thus,
Earth. The phenomenon of global warming is a Pakistan is trying to meet the UN's sustainability
significant cause of environmental degradation. The goals, but it is a long road ahead.

March/April 2022