Deputy Resident Representative for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Pakistan, Van Nguyen called on Coordinator to Prime Minister on Climate Change MNA Romina Khurshid Alam here on Thursday.

During the meeting, both sides discussed at length the matters related to the climate risk mitigation, climate finance for adaptation and mitigation measures, agriculture insurance, and urban flood resilience.

Van Nguyen also briefed the PM’s Coordinator about the Global Shield against Climate Risks initiative, saying the new global funding mechanism aims to close protection gaps in climate-vulnerable countries like Pakistan, using pre-arranged finance.

The UNDP-Pakistan official assured the PM’s Coordinator of her organisation’s all-out support to access the financial and technical support provided by the initiative to build the country’s climate resilience.

Romina Khurshid lauded the UNDP – Pakistan for their generous offer for helping Pakistan through the climate change and environmental coordination ministry to build up resilience of the climate-vulnerable sectors, particularly agriculture, urban flood resilience and early warning for disaster risk reduction.

During the meeting, the PM’s Coordinator also noted that over the last decade, the adverse fallouts of climate change have exacerbated alarmingly to an extent that these now pose grave risk to the human survival and ecosystems’ sustainability.

She also highlighted that storms, droughts and floods are continuing to become more frequent and more intense not only in Pakistan but also other countries.

She said these extreme weather events along with slow-onset impacts from climate change pose a growing risk for the sustainable development of all countries, but particularly for the most vulnerable countries and communities.

But, despite climate action and investments in adaptation to climate change, residual risks leading to climate-related losses and damages still persist, resulting in more devastating impacts, Romina Khurshid Alam pointed out, she added.

“When a climate-related disaster strikes, better systems need to be in place, providing immediate finance in the most efficient, effective and fast way for the most vulnerable,” she emphasized.