Observer Report Islamabad
The United Kingdom has pledged over £55 million to help Pakistan fight climate change, use water more sustainably and unlock climate investment as part of the ongoing 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26), a statement issued by the British High Commission on Thursday said.
According to the statement, the funding has been split into three parts. Of the promised financial support, £38m has been allocated for a five-year climate resilience programme to help Pakistan’s poorest communities in protecting themselves from the changing climate
Another £15m has been set aside for a five-year water governance programme, aimed at making water use in Pakistan more sustainable and water access fairer.
Moreover, £2.5m has been allocated to support “new ways of attracting [the] much needed climate investment to Pakistan, including on the development of a Nature Performance Bond,” the statement said.
It added that the UK had committed to helping Pakistan attract climate investment on World Environment Day in June this year.
According to the press release, the British High Commissioner was due to announce “the urgently needed new programmes at a high-level reception for climate change stakeholders at the British High Commission in Islamabad this evening (Thursday)”.
In this regard, the statement quoted British High Commissioner to Pakistan Dr Christian Turner as saying: “For Pakistan, climate change could be catastrophic.
