Fifth Monthly Meeting of Youth Climate Education and Fellowship Programme 2024: Understanding Climate Finance and Environmental Laws
Day & Date: Friday, October 11, 2024
Venue: Business Incubation Centre, University of Peshawar

Transparency International Pakistan in collaboration with University of Peshawar organized fifth monthly meeting of Youth Climate Education and Fellowship Programme 2024, at Business Incubation Centre, University of Peshawar. The meeting, titled, “Understanding Climate Finance and Environmental Laws” was attended by youth fellows, university faculty and journalists. Dr. Shakeel Khan, Director, Business Incubation Centre, University of Peshawar and Mr. Tariq Afghan, Lawyer, and Human Rights and Climate Justice Activist covered the session.

During the session, Dr. Shakeel Khan, Director, Business Incubation Centre, University of Peshawar provided an overview of climate finance, focusing on the financial resources allocated to support projects aimed at mitigating and adapting to climate change. Dr. Khan emphasized the importance of international cooperation, private sector involvement, and financial support for vulnerable communities to address the challenges posed by climate change.

He highlighted key financial mechanisms such as the Green Climate Fund (GCF), which provides financial assistance to developing countries for climate actions, and the Adaptation Fund, which helps vulnerable communities cope with climate impacts. Bilateral and multilateral agreements also play a significant role in mobilizing resources. The session also touched on the role of private sector investments and national climate change funds in supporting climate initiatives.

Dr. Khan discussed the Public Financial Management System in Pakistan, explaining how climate-related expenditures are managed through a complex framework involving the federal and provincial levels of government. He pointed out that despite Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s vulnerability to climate risks, its budget allocation for climate action remains inadequate, with allocations often under 1% of the total budget. This highlights the need for increased funding and better integration of climate change considerations in the province’s financial planning to meet the rising climate impacts and demands for sustainable development.

Next, Mr. Tariq Afghan, Human Rights and Climate Justice Activist discussed the intersection between climate change and human rights. He highlighted how the impacts of climate change, such as extreme weather events, displacement, and resource scarcity, disproportionately affect vulnerable communities, threatening their fundamental rights to life, health, and security. Mr. Tariq emphasized the importance of climate justice in ensuring that the most marginalized groups are protected, and their rights upheld in the face of environmental crises. He called for stronger legal frameworks and international cooperation to integrate human rights into climate action, ensuring that climate policies are both effective and equitable for all.

He highlighted key laws and treaties that emphasize the protection of human rights in the context of environmental degradation, such as the Paris Agreement, which acknowledges the right to a healthy environment. Mr. Tariq also discussed the role of national environmental protection laws, such as Pakistan Environmental Protection Act, 1997 and The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Environmental Protection Act, 2014, urging stronger enforcement to safeguard communities facing climate-induced displacement and health risks. He emphasized the need for integrating human rights into national climate policies, ensuring that laws protect the most vulnerable and hold governments accountable for their climate-related obligations.