Way past 11th hour

We are living through climate collapse in real time,” UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned delegates attending the recently-held COP28 in Dubai, as he quoted some of the most harrowing figures of climate change yet.

2023 was officially the hottest year ever recorded in the State of the Climate report by the World Meteorological Organization. Not only did the CO2 emissions (increased by 50 per cent) bring the temperatures 1.4C above pre-industrial levels, but also the return of the El Niño climate pattern is expected to make 2024 another record year.

Guterres noted that the “devastating” impact of the searing temperatures around the world “should send shivers down the spines of world leaders” and “trigger them to act.”

Pakistan contributes less than one per cent to the total global emissions, but it is one of the most vulnerable states to be impacted by the rising temperatures.

In the past few years, the country has witnessed some of the worst effects of climate, including heatwaves, droughts and the catastrophic floods of 2022 that shook the country with losses rounding up to 30 billion dollars.

Every year, Conference of the Parties (COP), the main decision-making body of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), brings together 198 countries to make pertinent decisions on their ways to reduce their carbon footprint.

At the recently held COP28 summit, world leaders and delegations from country members, including Pakistan, gathered to adopt a new climate agreement focussed on ‘phasing out’ of fossil fuels; moreover, to also prove their commitment to reducing emissions by reviewing their Global Stocktake – an inventory of progress on climate action.

Of the many issues highlighted, the conference underscored the role industries need to play immediately. In a bid to make a substantial change, it is imperative that industries, which are the biggest polluters, are revising their operations to control and reduce their carbon emissions.

“Private companies have the capacity to drive innovation in clean energy, sustainable practices, and climate-smart solutions,” said Muhammad Abdul Aleem, Secretary General of OICCI and Audit Committee Chairman at Engro, who was part of the Pakistan delegation at the summit.

“Multinational companies are particularly influential, bringing global expertise and cutting-edge technologies to the table. These large corporations can also encourage their partner organisations and smaller businesses to adopt environmentally friendly practices, thereby contributing to the reduction of their collective carbon footprint.”

He also suggested that “involving the private sector in policymaking ensures that policies are grounded in the realities of the market.”

Highlighting the key points that they brought up during the summit, Aleem recalled emphasising the impacts of climate change on Pakistan’s economy and presenting opportunities to investors to “contribute to mitigating climate impact, building resilience, and fostering climate-friendly businesses.”

“Pakistan presents promising opportunities in various sectors, including energy, transportation, and climate-resilient agriculture. We are eager to present these opportunities to the international community, highlighting the potential for impactful investments in these areas,” he added.

Amir Paracha, President of OICCI and CEO of Unilever Pakistan, informed that their organisation had advocated for “inclusive climate finance and promoting green financing tools” in the Pakistani context and topics like ‘Net Zero and Decarbonisation,’ which will drive them to climate-positive projects for sustainable development.

He also revealed that they are actively working in collaboration with the government as public-private partnerships are pivotal in driving meaningful change towards a more sustainable and prosperous future. Per Paracha, OICCI represents over 200 multinational investors across 14 sectors which is significant in contributing to shaping Pakistan’s economic landscape.

When asked how the business industry is addressing the climate crisis in their practices, Paracha explained that businesses now view climate action as a “compelling business opportunity.”

“Environmental sustainability is no longer just a matter of ethics; it has become a strategic imperative for companies. Those that proactively address climate change, minimise their environmental footprint, and invest in resilience strategies are not only doing the right thing, but also safeguarding their long-term financial stability and maintaining their competitive edge. Embracing climate action is a wise business decision,” he explained.

In the past couple of years, many eco-friendly businesses, mostly small-scale, have emerged in Pakistan. These businesses have been observed to make conscious efforts for their operations to emit minimum emissions. Furthermore, they are mindful of the materials used in their products.

Similarly, mainstream and corporate companies have also begun following suit as they introduced ‘new and improved’ products, boasting promises of being recycled and their commitment to adopting cleaner practices.

Unfortunately, that is not always the case. Many companies merely resort to ‘greenwashing’ their products. Greenwashing is when an organisation spends more time and money on marketing itself as environmentally friendly rather than actually minimising its environmental impact. It’s a deceitful marketing gimmick used by companies to exaggerate their environmentally friendly actions. This gimmick misleads the general public, much to the frustration of the climate activists around the world.

Emaan Rangoonwala kickstarted her business, Code Green, in 2018, which was committed to providing eco-friendly products. For instance, when sending out her parcels, not only did she nearly cut out the use of new plastic in packaging, she opted to reuse shopping bags rather than printing her own brand labels in a bid to reduce waste. She also only insisted her customers buy things from her brand that they will actually use and not hoard anything. Admitting that many of her practices may not have been a “smart business move” or “profitable one”, she is willing to do what it takes to do right, otherwise it defeats the purpose.

Rangoonwala went on to point out that greenwashing “backtracks on the awareness” as companies would use “wrong terminologies.”

“The business industry tends to greenwash a lot as they are very resistant to change, and it diminishes the efforts of small-scales businesses,” she stressed. “Corporates often make big claims because they are not really making an effort themselves in the right way. In my capacity, when I reached out to some of the larger businesses to encourage them to reduce plastic use, they would clearly say that it ‘doesn’t align with their marketing strategy’ and give excuses like there is ‘no budget’ or ‘customers won’t like it’, or just dismiss it,” Rangoonwala continued.

Oddly enough, having some disgruntled customers over plastic-free packaging, Rangoonwala had been adamant on reusing and upcycling with hopes to not contribute to global waste and continue advocating for eco-friendly practices.

She noted while mainstream products are “possibly cheaper and the marketing is better,” most people are not able to distinguish between a legitimate eco-friendly product. And since company managements are not directly involved in the process, decarbonising their operations is “not a priority” for them.

Tofiq Pasha Mooraj, a renowned horticulturist and climate activist, also expressed his frustration towards the matter calling it a mere ‘keyword’. “It’s not just greenwashing, it’s hogwash. It’s everything from textile to food to even schools. They are using it to market themselves rather than doing something more concrete to make a change,” lamented Pasha.

Pasha has been working on the climate change issue in Pakistan since the past 40 years and has been vocal about the matter for 20 years. Bringing the discussion to COP28, he pointed out some glaring issues that emerged from the summit.

“The oil companies have won. It was more of a whitewash and a huge waste of opportunities to bring about pertinent change and a waste of people’s sentiments. Many concrete decisions could’ve been made but that was not the case,” he observed.

Pasha went on to criticise climate change conferences, which talk about big changes, but fail to adhere to them while organising them. “I’m often called in for interviews to talk about climate change. With these conferences, I just tend to call them out. Whenever I visit their offices, they have these air-conditioned rooms with so many lights. They would have these big glass windows, covered with blinds, which could provide such wonderful natural light, but they instead rely on bulbs,” pointed out Pasha.

Last year, during the COP27, a ‘loss and damage’ fund was proposed following the devastating floods that came in Pakistan in 2022. The fund was approved in COP28, but developed nations have been criticised over the amount of money they are willing to extend.

“Pakistan is a poor country and we suffered a lot during the 2022 floods. The fund that was proposed in COP27 was something we really needed, however, that was also a mere drop in the flood. State also needs money to protect their interest. And since with the questionable hierarchy, there is always a chance of much of that fund to be syphoned out,” expressed Pasha.

Contemplating on what can be done to bring about a guaranteed change, Rangoonwala suggested that the government should be taking care of such things as they are the real stakeholders in the situation. “The government should be investing, promoting and encouraging and subsidising renewable and better energy practices like solar, wind etc,” she commented.

As Pakistan grapples with the aftermath of climate disasters, which will be becoming a frequent occurrence in the future, there is an urgent need to bridge the financial gaps created by it.

Paracha acknowledged that equitable finance is now of paramount importance. He urged that governments, businesses, and international stakeholders must unite to mobilise resources on a scale that matches the magnitude of the challenge and make sure that no community is left behind in our pursuit of a sustainable and climate-resilient economy for Pakistan.

He also asserted that Pakistan has the potential to become a trailblazer in the fight against climate change. He added that the private sector financing holds the key to filling these gaps, providing sustainable funding for both green initiatives and transition needs.

“Through innovative policies that incentivise green investments and prioritise climate-conscious strategies, Pakistan has the potential to set an example for other nations facing similar climate vulnerabilities,” he elucidated.

According to Paracha, Private sector climate financing in Pakistan currently stands at a mere 5 (per cent), lagging Nigeria (10 per cent), Kenya (14 per cent), and India (51 per cent).

“This financing gap necessitates the active involvement of both local and international private investors. By doing so, we can attract domestic and international investors to support climate-positive projects and ensure long-term economic stability for our nation. Our aim is to foster sustainable development and resilience, leaving a lasting impact on the future of our country.”

UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell said during the summit, “We need highest ambition, not point-scoring or lowest common denominator politics. Good intentions won’t halve emissions this decade or save lives right now.”

Guterres also urged that the numbers shown in studies are “more than just statistics.”

He surmised, “We cannot return to the climate of the 20th century, but we must act now to limit the risks of an increasingly inhospitable climate in this and coming centuries.”

As big promises are made and hopes are raised over a positive change that will be better for the planet, stakeholders must realise that it is way past 11th hour. And yet, it remains to be seen how effectively and sincerely these efforts are carried out.

The writer is a freelance journalist dedicated to gender-based issues and climate change. She can be contacted at adeelaakmal@gmail.com