PM’s Climate Aide Romina Khurshid Alam Urges PCCA to Coordinate for Unified Climate Action
Romina Khurshid Alam Urges Enhanced Collaboration Among Federal and Provincial Bodies
Romina Khurshid Alam, Coordinator to the Prime Minister on Climate Change, has called on the Pakistan Climate Change Authority (PCCA) to enhance collaboration among various federal and provincial organizations to achieve climate resilience, environmental sustainability, and low-carbon development goals.
While presiding over the second meeting of the PCCA, she emphasized the need for Pakistan to undertake long-term sustainability and climate resilience actions to prepare better for the current and future impacts of climate change, particularly in the agriculture, water, and energy sectors.
Alam pointed out that the PCCA, established at the federal level, has a crucial role in responding to the growing threats posed by climate change, coordinating efforts across sectors, and implementing evidence-based policies that promote climate resilience.
She noted that the lack of collaboration among federal and provincial organizations in implementing national climate change policies has exacerbated the vulnerability of socio-economic sectors and infrastructure, impacting the lives and livelihoods of the population.
Alam urged the PCCA to strengthen its role and expedite efforts to unite all relevant organizations, including national and international NGOs, to implement the national climate change policy effectively. This is crucial for protecting the country and its people from increasing climate risks, including floods, heatwaves, sea-level rise, shifting rainfall patterns, and accelerated glacial melting.
She also emphasized the need for developing national climate adaptation programs to mitigate the effects of floods, droughts, and rising temperatures, alongside programs aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions through sustainable practices and renewable energy projects.
Romina Khurshid Alam highlighted the importance of raising public awareness about climate change and engaging communities in climate action. She stated, “Educating the public about the impacts of climate change and potential adaptation and mitigation measures is vital for equipping them with the skills and knowledge to combat climate challenges. The media and educational institutions play a key role in enhancing public awareness.”
During her opening remarks, Aisha Humera Chaudhry, Secretary of the Ministry of Climate Change & Environmental Coordination, underscored the necessity of a unified approach at the national level to tackle climate challenges. She pointed out that recent severe floods, heatwaves, and glacial melting in northern Pakistan demonstrate that the country is facing significant socio-economic consequences due to climate change, ranking it among the most vulnerable countries globally.
“The increasing frequency of extreme weather events—especially devastating floods, prolonged droughts, rapid glacial melting, and rising temperatures—poses a mounting threat to Pakistan’s socio-economic stability and environmental sustainability,” Chaudhry highlighted.
The Global Climate Risk Index consistently ranks Pakistan among the top ten countries most affected by climate-related disasters, underscoring the urgent need for coordinated action at both national and international levels.
As an agrarian economy, Pakistan’s agricultural sector is highly sensitive to changing weather patterns, with unpredictable rainfall and intensified droughts and floods threatening crop yields, farmers’ livelihoods, and exacerbating food insecurity and rural poverty.
Earlier, the PCCA members reviewed the status of national climate change policy implementation and discussed strategies to enhance coordination across federal and provincial organizations to ensure a unified approach to climate challenges.
The meeting participants agreed on the necessity of accelerating coordination for the effective implementation of the national climate change policy and aligning other adaptation and mitigation measures outlined in the policies of various government organizations.
Romina Khurshid Alam assured her full support to the PCCA for a unified and effective response to climate risks and achieving climate resilience and sustainability goals.
