A big thanks to everyone who added their names and showed solidarity with us in asking Prime Minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif sign the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.
Here is the letter we sent to Prime Minister Office in Islamabad today!
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Here is the letter we sent to Prime Minister Office in Islamabad today!
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April 16, 2016
Honorable Prime Minister of Pakistan
Muhammad Nawaz Sharif
Ref: Public
resolution to Sign the Paris Agreement on Climate Change
Dear Prime Minister,
I would like to thank you for your personal
attendance and much valued representation of Pakistan in the opening session of
the 21st session of the Conference of Parties (COP 21) in Paris,
France last December 2015.
The outcome of the COP21 was widely
appreciated by international community, particularly those concerned of global
environment and climate change. The historical Paris Agreement as a result of
two week negotiations in Paris thus brings too much hope for us all as the
world leadership, including Pakistan, agreed to take every possible step in limiting
the emission of greenhouse gases which is the primary cause of climate change.
As you know, Mr. PM, the UN Secretary General
Ban Ki-moon will convene a high level signing ceremony on April 22, 2016
in New York where the world leaders will be invited to sign the Paris
Agreement. The Paris Agreement will enter into force if at least 55
countries, which together accounts for at least 55% of the global emission,
sign the agreement and ratify it within their own legal system.
Dear Prime Minister, the citizens of Pakistan
from across the country have reached us through online survey to demand that
our Government should take proactive action and join the signing ceremony of
the Paris Agreement in New York. We, as the citizen of this country, very much
look forward that our Government play it due role in making the Paris Agreement
a huge success.
Signing of the Paris Agreement is important
for us all. Every day, human induced activities like burning of fossil fuel in
industries, transportation and massive global deforestation lead to
emission of 110 million tons of greenhouse gases into the Earth’ atmosphere.
This huge amount of emission is negatively changing our climate and bringing
in frequent disasters like heat waves, flash floods and deeper droughts.
Pakistan although contributes less than one
percent in global carbon emission, but it still suffers from catastrophic
climate crisis. Similar to the 2015 heatwave in Karachi, meteorologists have
again predicted another heatwave this year, thanks to climate change. We
would never forget the 2010 flood which affected 20 million Pakistanis and
brought one-fifth of the country land under water. Every year we are losing 6%
of our total GDP due to environmental degradation and weather related
disasters. This is the time our Government join the international community in
every possible effort to fight climate crisis.
The citizens of Pakistan demand the Prime
Minister of Pakistan Muhammad Nawaz Sharif to join signing ceremony at New York
and sign the Paris Agreement. The citizens also demand that the Government of
Pakistan take proactive measures to put in place a strong inventory system of
greenhouse gases emission and make its national climate action plan (Intended
Nationally Determined Contribution) “specific” and in the best interest of the entire
nation.
On behalf of our fellow citizens who contacted
our voluntary campaign!
Asif Iqbal
Manager
The Climate Reality Project Pakistan
Al Gore’s Climate Change Leadership Program
https://www.climaterealityproject.org/