Wahab stresses need for tackling climate change at global mayors’ conference

As a result of climate change, the province of Sindh has been badly affected and its capital Karachi is facing problems.

Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) Administrator, Sindh Government Spokesperson and Chief Minister’s Adviser on Law Barrister Murtaza Wahab said this on Saturday as he virtually addressed the World Conference of Mayors C-40.

He said that if no heed was paid to climate change and global warming in past, “we must try to deal with the problem today”.

In order to transform Karachi into a green city, he said, more trees would be planted and the local population involved in the decision-making process.

Wahab remarked that he wanted to attend the conference in person but could not as currently the government was dealing with the effects of unusual rains and floods.

He said that Karachi was one of the largest cities in the world, with a population of about 25 million, in a region that is generally considered a dry region.

He told the event that now the weather of the city was changing. The city received no rainfall in 2018, and in 2019, there were 65 deaths in the city due to heatstroke, he said, adding that in 2021, 340 millimetres of rain was recorded, and in July and August 2022, abnormally high rain was witnessed.

"This is a serious problem. If we don't deal with it today, it will be too late,” the KMC administrator said, adding that there were parks and green spaces in Karachi but due to dry weather, it was difficult to maintain them.

He said that global warming and climate change were affecting every section of the society, including the rich and poor. “We are trying our best to make people understand this fact and help us create more green zones and urban forests," he added.

Wahab said the mayors conference was an important event and on the occasion, key progress could be made to deal with climate change, which required joint efforts.

He vowed that like other cities of the world, Karachi would follow the steps taken at the global level to deal with climate change.