Islamabad– Senator Sherry Rehman, delivering the closing keynote address at the Civil Society Coalition for Climate Change (CSCCC) high-level roundtable on the Post COP29 outcomes, urged Pakistan and other Global South countries to recalibrate their approach to multilateral climate action. Praising Aisha Khan for organizing the critical dialogue, Senator Rehman asserted the urgent need for revitalizing the climate agenda, warning that current global climate goals are slipping out of reach.
“We need to see very clearly where we stand. It’s certainly not the Paris moment anymore — that was the highest point of multilateralism,” she remarked, stressing that “we are still speaking the same language” while emissions continue to rise, and the 1.5-degree goal is no longer viable. “1.5 degrees is not alive. That’s the bumper sticker we need to confront,” she declared, in a stark reality check on the state of climate action.
Senator Rehman said that while COP29 was heralded as a “finance COP,” it fell short of expectations. “It became very good at raising gripping slogans, but it has to go beyond slogans. We didn’t see the goals being met,” she said, referring to the unfulfilled pledge of $100 billion annually, which was only realized in 2022 after years of delay. “The $300 billion promised by 2035 is a band-aid on a bullet wound,” she asserted, adding that Pakistan alone required $30 million for loss and damage, far exceeding the meagre commitments that have been made.
Senator Rehman took a critical view of Pakistan’s approach to climate governance, highlighting the need for clarity of purpose. “Much of institutional Pakistan is still confused about climate change,” she noted. “It’s not just about making arguments multilaterally. Multilateralism today is not rules-based or order-based.” She emphasized the need for Pakistan to take the reins of its own climate agenda, rather than waiting for directives from the Global North.
She cited the slow pace of international action on Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) — the commitments made under the Paris Agreement — noting that while NDCs are not legally binding, they are still vital instruments for accountability. “The whole business was about lowering emissions — those were the commitments made at Paris. It was about 1.5 degrees, but that is no longer alive.”
In a direct response to some speakers, Senator Rehman called to pivot away from centralized climate authorities and toward localized leadership at the provincial level. “If you make a climate authority, it will not lead you to the momentum you want. Quite the opposite, the actual momentum will come from the provinces, and yet another authority will just become a white elephant” she said. She emphasized that actual climate action in Pakistan is rooted in the provinces, underscoring the importance of bottom-up, community-driven solutions.
Underscoring a new paradigm in climate activism, she drew attention to the emerging global trend of “do no harm,” a shift from lofty commitments to actionable, practical measures. “This is the new actionable trend,” she noted, urging Pakistan to adapt and evolve in line with global best practices.
Senator Rehman critiqued the broader multilateral climate system, calling for a departure from “business-as-usual” practices that hinder progress. She emphasised that multilateral platforms like the COP conferences are essential, as they remain “the only table where targets are set, and we have some outcomes that we cling to.” However, she cautioned against complacency, adding that climate multilateralism must deliver tangible outcomes, not just “slogans” and “poster campaigns.”
Senator Rehman called for Pakistan to adopt a more assertive and proactive role in climate negotiations. “We didn’t get the loss and damage fund while staying within the box,” she noted. “It was not by breaking rules, but by just speaking truth to power.” She underscored the need for Pakistan to develop its own agenda and stocktake of its climate policy, rather than waiting for directives from others. “We want to stay within the box. But we didn’t get the loss and damage fund by doing that,” she warned, emphasizing that bold, decisive action is required.
She asserted “Pakistan needs its own stocktake on how we deal with multilateralism, as well as how to manage financing vitally needed local action.” While the nation remains engaged with multilateral frameworks, Senator Rehman emphasized the need for homegrown leadership to advance Pakistan’s climate agenda.
Concluding her remarks, Senator Rehman raised alarm bells on the broader trajectory of global warming. “We are not greening — we are fast on our way to becoming the red planet,” it is time to move beyond slogans, and act decisively.