Romina lauds World Bank for fostering more resilient future for Pakistan
ISLAMABAD: Najy Benhassine, the Country Director for Pakistan from the South Asia Region, met with Romina Khurshid Alam, the Coordinator to the Prime Minister on Climate Change, to discuss key areas of bilateral cooperation aimed at enhancing Pakistan’s resilience to climate change through targeted measures.
The high-level discussion focused on Pakistan’s increasing climate vulnerabilities and the urgent need for collaborative action to address the challenges posed by climate change.
Both parties agreed to jointly invest in climate-sensitive sectors, including agriculture, water management, energy, flood control, and disaster risk reduction, to improve their resilience against environmental challenges.Meezan Bank Partners with Trifit Gym
The meeting emphasized the pressing climate-related issues Pakistan faces, such as extreme weather events, including floods, heatwaves, and droughts. Despite contributing minimally to global carbon emissions, Pakistan remains one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change.
Romina Khurshid Alam highlighted that Pakistan is grappling with severe consequences of climate change, including desertification, groundwater depletion, crop failures, and erratic rainfall patterns. These impacts carry significant economic, social, and environmental costs. She added that despite its limited resources, Pakistan is striving to mitigate these challenges through its available capacities.
She recalled the catastrophic floods of 2022, which displaced millions, devastated crops, and severely damaged critical infrastructure, underscoring the urgent need for flood resilience and disaster management measures.
The meeting also shed light on growing water scarcity, worsening droughts, and expanding desertification, emphasizing that Pakistan’s reliance on glacier-fed rivers is becoming increasingly precarious. Alam stressed the need to address these challenges, particularly in agriculture, which remains a cornerstone of the country’s economy.
Najy Benhassine acknowledged Pakistan’s escalating climate risks and assured technical and financial support from the World Bank. He highlighted the importance of developing comprehensive climate risk management strategies at national, provincial, and district levels to better prepare for and respond to natural disasters.
The World Bank official proposed supporting Pakistan in key areas such as water, energy, agriculture, and food security. He suggested providing funding for climate-resilient infrastructure projects, sustainable agricultural practices, and disaster preparedness plans.
Discussions also emphasized the importance of engaging the private sector in addressing climate risks, particularly in critical sectors like agriculture, energy, and infrastructure, to promote sustainable investment for long-term resilience.
The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to strengthening Pakistan’s institutional frameworks and policies to integrate climate risk management into development planning at all levels. The World Bank also expressed readiness to facilitate access to international climate funds to finance projects that enhance Pakistan’s capacity to adapt to climate change impacts.
