The Supreme Court of Pakistan considers the climate change issue affects the fundamental rights of Pakistanis.
This is first time in the history of Pakistan https://pakistan.gov.pk/ that the apex court of the country is taking the climate change issue is directly linked the fundamental rights of the citizens. Pakistan has experienced the devastation caused by the catastrophic floods in 2022 https://www.unicef.org/emergencies/devastating-floods-pakistan-2022 as a result the country faced total damage of Rs.3.2 trillion, a total loss at Rs3.3 tr. No doubt it was a huge loss for any developing country especially when it is already facing economical challenges and is at under the influence of IMF policies.
Recently, Supreme Court of Pakistan has strictly directed the federal government to establish a Climate Change Authority (CCA) and Climate Change Fund (CCF) as envisioned in the Pakistan Climate Change Act, 2017. It has been more than seven years that Act passed through the legislature procedure at national assembly and promulgated on March 31, 2017. The Act provided comprehensive adaptation and mitigation policies, plans, projects and other important measures needed to address the effects of climate change. https://mocc.gov.pk/
Unfortunately, due to lack of interest by the government the Supreme Court finally directed to form CAA within fortnight and operationalize the CCF as envisaged in the Climate Change Act, 2017.
Secondly, COP28 in Dubai last year also discussed about Loss & Damage Fund to be set and disbursed to the under-developing countries including Pakistan. So this is right time that federal government should take serious measures to establish the CCA & CCF on priority basis so that it could urge the world community that Pakistan has a specially body designed to tackle and utilize the funds on climate change.
In case of Pakistan, the situation is very critical and alarming with regard to climatic changes. As per Global Climate Risk Index https://www.germanwatch.org/en/89895, Pakistan is currently the 5th most climate-vulnerable country in the world. The frequent floods, earthquakes, tropical cyclones, heatwaves are the signs of hazards ahead. The statistics about the climate change also insist the government to urgent action now to combat any emergency situation in future. The matter is again concerning that it is matter of survival, it is matter of livelihood and it is matter of human fundamental rights!