COP31 must deliver climate justice, not empty pledges, says Sherry

Senator Sherry Rehman urged COP31 in Antalya to shift from mere declarations to delivering a genuine, affordable, and fair climate financing framework. She warned that Pakistan and other climate-vulnerable nations were being drawn into a perilous cycle of disasters, debt, and reduced development opportunities. Rehman praised Turkey for hosting COP31 and its role as the conference's presidency, appreciating Turkey's position as a close friend and long-time partner in addressing climate-related challenges.

She hoped the Antalya conference would transcend renewed pledges and instead produce concrete financial commitments and tangible results for the most vulnerable nations.

Reiterating the UN Secretary-General's call for fossil fuels to be phased out, Rehman emphasized that the world could no longer reconcile climate commitments with ongoing support for fossil fuels. She pointed out that global fossil fuel subsidies amount to around $7 trillion, a colossal misallocation of resources while frontline countries struggle to finance essential adaptation, resilience, and recovery measures.

Rehman stressed the urgency of redirecting resources, not just the availability of financial resources but the political will to do so.

Highlighting the alarming trajectory of global temperatures, she noted that the 1.5°C threshold was slipping further away. According to Climate Action Tracker, current policies are expected to lead to approximately 2.7 degrees centigrade of warming by the end of the century, a stark departure from the previous estimate of 2.6 degrees.

This trajectory would have catastrophic consequences for countries like Pakistan, where climate extremes are already eroding livelihoods, food security, water availability, and economic stability. Rehman stressed that the cost of inaction would be measured not just in terms of lives lost and communities displaced but also in the reversal of decades of development progress.

Drawing attention to Pakistan's worsening climate vulnerability, Rehman recalled the devastating floods of 2022 that affected 33 million people and caused an estimated $30 billion in damages and losses. She further pointed out that agricultural losses from the 2025 floods alone have been estimated at $1 billion. She emphasized that these were not isolated disasters but rather a recurring threat to Pakistan's economy, food security, infrastructure, and development prospects.

Pakistan is not seeking charity; it is demanding climate justice, financial accountability, and a more equitable global system.