South Asia must unite for climate resilience

City Desk :

Environment, Forest and Climate Change Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan has called upon South Asian nations to rebuild trust, strengthen regional connectivity and pursue joint action as global disorder becomes the new reality.

She stressed that the region must act collectively to confront shared crises such as air and plastic pollution, water insecurity and escalating climate disasters. The Environment Adviser made the call while addressing the opening plenary titled ‘Sustainable Development in the Emerging World Disorder’ as guest of honour at the SDPI Annual Conference in Islamabad, Pakistan, says a release received on Tuesday.

“Environmental protection and development are not alternatives. Sustainability must be at the heart of our future,” she said, urging regional cooperation on river governance, equitable water-sharing and plastic waste management.

She warned that South Asia is already facing both sudden and slow-onset climate impacts – from historic floods and heat waves to salinity, soil degradation and declining agricultural productivity. Bangladesh alone needs $230 billion to implement its National Adaptation Plan, she noted, highlighting a serious gap in global climate finance.

Describing the conference theme as “profound and timely,” the Adviser said the world is witnessing instability at every level – global, regional, and domestic. “The rule-based international order is in crisis. Multilateralism is losing ground. Inequality, geopolitical rivalry, and climate change are reshaping our world,” she observed.

The plenary was also attended by Prof. Ahsan Iqbal, Federal Minister for Planning, Government of Pakistan; Mohamed Yahya, UN Resident Coordinator, Pakistan; Prof. Kazuhiko Takeuchi, President, IGES, Japan; High Commissioner of Bangladesh to Pakistan Md. Iqbal Hussain Khan, Ambassador Shafqat Kakakhel, Chairperson, SDPI; Dr. Abid Qaiyum Suleri, Executive Director, SDPI; and Dr. Irshad Ahmad Arshad of AIOU.