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The Fashion Revolution initiative called on fashion Roadmap for COP 28 – Expectations & Goals.” This
brands to set robust climate targets in consultation event was crucial for engaging with national and
with their suppliers and on policymakers to hold them international stakeholders, including government
to account for decarbonization. The call to action was bodies, development partners, international
issued to coincide with the COP28 climate summit in community stakeholders, UN agencies, NGOs, civil
Dubai, which aims to bring world leaders together to society, the private sector, and academia to
agree and co-ordinate global action to address strengthen Pakistan's climate resilience agenda.
climate change.
This was one of the many series of events, seminars,
Understanding the gravity of the situation, several and dialogues held before COP 28 to brainstorm, be
pledges were made at COP28. One was the methane aware, and explore key consideration points to
pledge, where more than 50 oil and gas companies, present Pakistan’s perspective and achievements
including Saudi Aramco, ExxonMobil, and Shell, during COP 28. Such efforts have emphasized the
Commonwealth environment ministers' commitment become a daily reality. In the Commonwealth’s most signed the Oil and Gas Decarbonisation Charter need for collective negotiations, awareness,
to accelerating climate action at their inaugural vulnerable countries, fertile lands are turning to dust, (OGDC) – which calls for net-zero emissions by 2050 accountability, and action to address the
meeting, held alongside the 78th Session of the wells are running dry, storms and floods are or before and near-zero upstream methane unprecedented challenges facing humanity, the
United Nations General Assembly in New York City. overwhelming communities, and the ocean is rising. emissions by 2030. planet, and biodiversity. For efforts to be effective and
The Secretary-General delivered at least 20 speeches Rt Hon Patricia Scotland KC. meaningful, negotiations and dialogues hold great
across the summit and urged negotiators to deliver a Also on the table was a draft resolution regarding the importance.
transformative outcome. During the summit, the Secretary-General called for future of fossil fuels – coal, gas, and oil – with one
increased support for small and vulnerable states, option stating to do “nothing at all,” but oil producers As the host country for COP 28, the United Arab
This includes accelerating efforts to implement highlighting that despite ambitious pledges, these like Saudi Arabia and top consumers like India Emirates has outlined a comprehensive agenda to
national climate plans mandated under the Paris countries are receiving limited funds to mitigate, remained resistant. As the race to abide by the Paris make this conference a pivotal moment in the global
Agreement, using the findings of the ‘global adapt to, and build resilience against the impacts of Agreement’s 1.5 degrees Celsius mandate further fight against climate change.
stocktake’ report to increase ambition and action, climate breakdown. She drew attention to the stresses the urgency of change, Pakistan remains at
and delivering an inclusive, operational Loss and broader consequences of the climate crisis on the forefront of severe environmental challenges due Mr. Ahmad Irfan Aslam, Federal Minister for Climate
Damage Fund. economic growth, leading to high debt burdens, food to climate change and various factors. Pakistan is Change & Environmental Coordination, said that
insecurity, stressed resources, and impaired ranked 5th among the countries most affected by such pre-COP events refine our collective negotiating
Secretary-General Patricia Scotland officially opened livelihoods for many of the 2.5 billion people living climate change. This vulnerability is evident in positions. He stressed that our mission is to
the Commonwealth Pavilion COP28, which will host across the Commonwealth. experiencing extreme weather conditions such as mainstream climate change in the economy's
about 40 events across the two weeks, heatwaves, floods, and droughts. But more than that, economically and socially vulnerable sectors and
demonstrating the Commonwealth’s ability to These decisions also benefitted the textile sector of it allowed Pakistan to learn from other countries’ steer Pakistan toward climate-resilient development.
convene vital dialogues between governments, these countries as it was decided that the experiences and best practices in mitigating and
experts, businesses, youth leaders, and civil society. Commonwealth Disaster Risk Finance Portal, which adapting to climate change. For the first time, a key document being negotiated at
She also met with leaders and ministers from gives countries open, 24-hour hour access to crucial the U.N.’s annual climate summit has underlined the
Commonwealth member countries and across the information on financing to manage the impact of In a concerted effort to address the urgent and need for the world to do away with all fossil fuels
The Secretary-General, The Rt Hon Patricia Scotland vulnerable member countries. King Charles III also international community to advance progress on disasters better, and the Commonwealth Sustainable
KC, led the Commonwealth delegation at the United attended COP28. emissions, finance, adaptation, biodiversity, oceans, Energy Transition Agenda, which seeks to fast-track escalating challenges posed by climate change, the in its draft text. As the first week of negotiations at
Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) in health, innovation, and the green economy. an inclusive, just, and equitable transition to Ministry of Climate Change & Environmental COP 28 nears an end, the latest version of the
Dubai to call for accelerated action on the climate Scheduled from 30 November to 12 December 2023, low-carbon energy systems across the group would Coordination, in collaboration with the National Global Stocktake includes a clause committing all
crisis in light of intensifying threats to small and the annual summit came just months after “The worst predictions of climate change have be used to aid them. Disaster Risk Management Fund (NDRMF), signatories to “an orderly and just phase out
of fossil fuels.”
organized a High-Level Dialogue on “Pakistan’s
November/December 2023