Najam in Dawn on Pakistan’s Climate Change Risks
Adil Najam, Dean of the Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies at Boston University, was interviewed for an article examining Pakistan’s ranking in a recent Germanwatch report as the fifth most vulnerable country in the world to climate change.
Najam was quoted in a December 5, 2019 article in Dawn entitled “Pakistan 5th Most Vulnerable Country to Climate Change, Reveals Germanwatch Report.”
From the text of the article:
Dr Adil Najam, the dean of Pardee School of Global Studies, Boston University blames the lack of action taken to combat climate change risks.
“The report clearly indicates that the world hasn’t acted, so the vulnerability of the whole world is increasing, and since Pakistan hasn’t acted, things are worsening for us too,” he said.
Talking about the threat of rapidly melting glaciers that resulted into Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) in Pakistan, Dr Najam said, “The glaciers won’t stop melting because there was a beautiful speech.”
However, Dr Najam believes the government was not serious when it was drafting the NDC document.
“We knew we won’t get the money and let’s suppose for a second if we did, we won’t spend it properly!” he said.
“The issue is not just of Pakistan but the NDCs of most countries are not worth the paper they are written on, that is why the Paris Agreement has failed.
“It lacks aspiration,” Dr Najam declared.
Adil Najam is the inaugural Dean of the Pardee School and a commentator on foreign policy and diplomacy. Learn more about him here.