Pakistan Humiliated By US Climate Summit Snub
Apparently irked over not being invited by long time ally US to an upcoming meeting on the climate change crisis, Pakistan on Saturday said its commitment to addressing the simmering issue is “well accepted and appreciated around the world.” Pakistan is one of lowest emitters, says Foreign Office
The White House on Friday announced that a total of 40 world leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jumping were invited to the summit to be hosted by U.S. President Joe Biden.
The Foreign Office said that the Leaders’ Summit on Climate Change hosted by President Biden reconvenes the U.S.-led Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate, which brings together leaders from countries responsible for approximately 80% of global emissions and GDP.
However Pakistan which hardly has any industrial activities is one of the lowest emitters in the world has not been invited to this Summit. So its commitment to addressing the simmering issue of climate change does not account for much around the globe. The government of Pakistan has thus come under criticism from the Opposition after Prime Minister Imran Khan was not invited to a U.S.-hosted virtual summit on the issue.
The Foreign Office of Pakistan in an overnight statement said that Pakistan is committed to addressing climate change. “Pakistan, despite being among the top ten countries affected by climate change, is one of the lowest emitters – with less than one per cent of the global emissions,” it said.
“It shows a failure on the part of the government,” Pakistan Muslims League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Rana Sanaullah was quoted by Samaa TV channel as saying.
Several Pakistanis took to various social media platforms to express surprise at the exclusion of Pakistan from the summit, particularly when the country is among the nations most affected by climate change.
“Climate Change is one of the defining challenges of our times that can only be countered through inclusive, cooperative and forward-looking policies,” the FO said.
“Pakistan remains fully committed to playing its due role in this fight,” it said.
