Islamabad: UN Secretary-General António Guterres revealed that the ongoing flooding had cost Pakistan $30 billion, as he visited Pakistan to mobilise help for millions of people affected by devastating monsoon floods.
Nearly 1,400 people have died in flooding that covers a third of the country — an area the size of the United Kingdom — wiping out crops and destroying homes, businesses, roads and bridges.
Guterres said he hoped his visit would galvanise international help, noting Pakistan had always shown generosity towards others, hosting millions of refugees for decades from neighbouring Afghanistan at enormous cost. The UN secretary general called the lack of global attention to climate change “insanity”.
“This is insanity, this is collective suicide,” Guterres told a news conference in the federal capital, lamenting the lack of attention the world gave to climate change — particularly the industrialised nations that scientists blame.
He was speaking with the prime minister at the National Flood Response and Coordination Center where the UN chief was given a comprehensive briefing about the damages and rescue and relief efforts.
Pakistan is responsible for less than one per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, but is eighth on a list compiled by the NGO Germanwatch of countries most vulnerable to extreme weather caused by climate change.
Guterres plans to tour flood-hit parts of the south on Saturday, and also visit Mohenjo Daro, a centuries-old UNESCO-designated world heritage site threatened by the deluge.
He urged the international community to extend “massive support” to a country that had little contribution to the emissions but bore the brunt of climate change.
As many as 33 million people were affected by the natural disaster. Web Desk
