Karachi: The Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OICCI) has officially announced the upcoming Pakistan Climate Conference (PCC) 2023, slated for November 1. This marks the second year in a row that OICCI is hosting a multi-stakeholder dialogue aimed at devising collective solutions to address Pakistan’s climate emergency.
The Pakistan Climate Conference, initiated in 2022, serves as a platform that convenes both national and international experts to identify and implement strategies that promote positive climate actions and combat the adverse effects of climate change in Pakistan.
One significant focus of the conference will be on mitigating the recurrence of natural disasters, particularly in light of the devastating floods that struck Pakistan in 2022. The calamitous flooding event resulted in a tragic loss of 1,700 lives, affected over 33 million people, and displaced approximately eight million individuals.
Amir Paracha, President of OICCI, stressed the urgent need to confront climate risks in Pakistan. He pointed to the staggering economic losses of over $30 billion incurred in 2022 due to severe flooding, and he further emphasized the ongoing and potentially devastating threat of climate and environmental change. This threat has the potential to reduce Pakistan’s GDP by 18-20% by 2050, underscoring the pressing need for proactive national efforts to mitigate climate change.
Rehan Shaikh, Vice President of OICCI, acknowledged the challenges Pakistan faces in meeting its ambitious Nationally Determined Commitments (NDCs) and highlighted the crucial role of dialogues, effective policy development, and implementation.
Andrew Bailey, a member of the managing committee, noted the conference’s role in building upon insights from PCC 2022 and COP 27 to identify essential actions for mitigating climate risks in Pakistan. These actions will align with the broader agenda for COP 28.
Furthermore, it’s worth highlighting that OICCI member companies actively contributed a significant sum of Rs1.2 billion in 2022 for climate action.
M. Abdul Aleem, Secretary-General, emphasized that addressing climate issues requires a collective national effort and recognized the vital role of public-private collaborations in achieving climate-related objectives.
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