Moot highlights climate change impacts on agriculture

LAHORE:The ‘COP in My City 2024’ conference took place at Government College University (GCU) Lahore on Monday, drawing a diverse group of young leaders dedicated to addressing the pressing challenges posed by climate change.

“Overcoming climate challenges in Pakistan requires the economic, political, and social inclusion of women,” said Fahad Shahbaz, Coordinator for the Prime Minister's Youth Programme in Punjab, while addressing the event. The conference sought to prepare participants for the upcoming COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, and to amplify youth voices in global climate discussions.

During his speech chief guest, Huang Pei, Chairman Agriculture Branch, Pak-China joint chamber of commerce and industry, highlighted the devastating impacts of climate change on Pakistan’s agriculture, noting that losses from crops and livestock alone exceed $30 billion.

Notable speakers included Ms Maleeha, WASH Specialist at Unicef; Ms Sidra Humayun, Programme Coordinator UNWOMEN; Rafay Alam, an environmental lawyer and activist and Ms Saba Asghar Ali, Chief Environmentalist from P&D Board Punjab.

GCU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Shazia Bashir remarked that Pakistan was among the most climate-vulnerable countries in the world. “These challenges are not just environmental; they threaten our economy, health, and future.” She emphasised the need for societal improvements by granting equal opportunities to women, adding that around 50pc of GCU’s student body is female and in the upcoming years it will cross this figure.

Three parallel breakout sessions on decarbonisation, loss and damages and climate finance were held to shortlist students. These sessions focused on the climate responsibility divide between the Global North and South. Decarbonisation session was moderated by Ayaz Uddin and Prof Dr Faiza Sharif, Director of GCU's Sustainable Development Study Centre. Dr Sharif stressed the importance of focusing on education and capacity-building in the Global South. Ayaz Uddin pointed out the disproportionate impact of climate change on countries like Pakistan, calling for increased funding for climate initiatives and how businesses can shift to cleaner technologies to achieve net-zero target by 2050.

The day-long conference covered critical topics including climate finance, loss and damage, mitigation strategies, and enhancing adaptation measures. Sessions on Just Transition and Decarbonisation emphasised the urgency of reducing carbon emissions.