PARIS, Nov 29 (DNA): Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif has arrived in Paris to represent Pakistan at the 21st UN Climate Change Conference commencing from Monday after concluding his three-day trip to Malta.The Prime Minister will deliver his speech on the opening day of the two-week event, which is scheduled to be attended and addressed by over 140 world leaders.

During his stay in Malta’s capital Valletta, Nawaz participated in CHOGM’s multiple sessions on violent extremism and radicalism, climate change, Sustainable Development Goals and migration.

The prime minister was seen off at Luqa International Airport by senior officials of the Malta government. Pakistan’s Ambassador for Tunisia resident in Malta Zaheer Pervaiz Khan was also present.

The prime minister is expected to highlight Pakistan’s efforts in tackling the climate change challenges. He will also join the world leaders at a lunch to be hosted by French President Francois Hollande in the honour of the heads of state and government.

Although Pakistan is amongst the lowest emitters and accounts for less than one percent of the total global carbon emissions, it remains committed to the global efforts to reduce climate-altering carbon emission to tackle global warming and its impacts.

Earlier, briefing newsmen in Islamabad about the mega event, Minister for Climate Change Zahid Hamid said the Prime Minister will also deliver a speech at the Leaders Event that day.

He said that during Paris Conference, Pakistan will highlight its vulnerability to the prevailing and future threats of Climate Change.

The prime minister will also hold meetings with other world leaders on the sidelines of the conference. Zahid Hamid, the newly appointed Minister of Climate Change will lead the Pakistani team during the two week negotiations, comprising federal and provincial government officials. A dozen or so representatives of leading non-governmental organisations and civil
society groups will also participate in the conference.

“Sustainability of Pakistan’s economy is at stake. Because, the climate change-induced disasters, particularly floods and erratic rainfall patterns, have already badly affected water, agriculture and energy sectors, which are at the heart of the national socio-economic development goals,” he emphasized during his press briefing on “Goals and Expectations of 27-member Pakistan Delegation’s Participation in the UN-led Global Climate Conference in Paris, France.

Briefing about the core goals of the Paris Climate Change Conference 2015, he told media that the historic event was indeed a defining moment in the history of international climate policy development process. The conference in the shape of the expected ‘Paris Agreement’
would determine and shape up the contours of the global climate regime with far-reaching economic, social, technological and policy implications and opportunities for countries in varying degrees.

The two-week long climate moot is beginning from this year November 30, which will be attended by delegations of around 195 developed and developing countries.

The climate change minister Zahid Hamid will lead the Pakistani delegation comprising top key government officials from different federal, provincial government departments, representatives of non-governmetnal organisations, educational institutions and private sectors.

He highlighted that Pakistan’s contribution to global emissions was minuscule – roughly 0.8% of global GHG emissions. On the basis of per capita GHG emissions, the country stands at 135th in the world.

“However, Pakistan is frequently exposed to extreme weather and climate change induced events such as droughts, sea level rise, floods, landslides, recession of glaciers and glacial lake outburst floods (GLOF); and cyclone activity. The most recent Global Climate Risk Index issued by German Watch ranks Pakistan as the 10th most climate change affected country. During the last 20 years our average annual economic losses due to climate related events have been
estimated as US$ 4 billion,” he added.=DNA