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ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Climate Change was informed Friday that the World Bank estimated Pakistan’s flood losses around $40 billion.

The committee which met here with Nuzhat Pathan was given a detailed briefing by ministry of climate change secretary Asif Hyder Shah on the upcoming 27th Conference of the Parties to United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 27).

He apprised the panel about the stance of ministry of climate change on the issue of adaptation mechanism during the moot.

He said that Pakistan is in the front line of the advocacy of the climate finance issues along-with other developing countries.

He said that unprecedented climate-induced disaster in Pakistan hitting 84 districts across the country, adding World Bank has estimated Pakistan’s flood losses around $40 billion.

He said that Pakistan will emphasize on seeking $100 billion as promised in 2009, adding Pakistan will be suggesting developing transparency mechanism for defining climate finance needs.

The committee lauded the efforts of climate change ministry and the government for including the advocacy of climate finance, loss & damages and adaptation to bring on the agenda of 27th Conference of Parties to United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 27) for the first time.

The climate change ministry also shared their scheduled which includes prime minister’s speech, joint chairing of round table with prime minister for Norway, bilateral engagements at ministerial level, negotiation on eight dedicated streams, side events by Pakistani delegation and civil society members.

The committee deferred “The Pakistan Trade Control of Wild Fuana and Flora (Amendment) Bill, 2022” (a government bill) and “The Environmental Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2021, due to non-presence of the movers.

The committee decided to hold its next meeting on 29th November, 2022 at Gwadar to witness the marine pollution and waste management at sea site.