Najam Interviewed on the Impact of Climate Change on Pakistan
Adil Najam, Dean of the Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies at Boston University, was interviewed for a recent article on the impact of climate change on Pakistan — the eighth most affected country by climate change from 1998 to 2017 according to the Long-Term Climate Risk Index (CRI).
Najam was quoted in a December 13, 2018 article in The Express Tribune entitled “Pakistan – the 8th Most Affected Country From Climate Change.”
From the text of the article:
For Dr Adil Najam, dean of the Pardee School of Global Studies, Boston University and lead author of the third and fourth assessment reports of the IPCC, it should no longer be a surprise to anyone anymore that Pakistan is one of the countries at great risk of the impacts of climate change. “Pakistan lives this reality every day. What we need is action. Urgent action. Most importantly we need adaption action that is also development enhancing.”
“My own research on climate and security comes up with the same conclusions. Climate change is now a major security threat to Pakistan. This is not a problem that will go away with time,” he said.
Dr Najam lamented the western countries for “using the global atmosphere as their waste dumping ground and now poor countries like Pakistan are having to pay the price. We now have to clean it up for our own sake. Yes, the rich countries should assist, but I am convinced that they will not – because they have already abdicated their responsibilities. Therefore, it is now up to us – as Pakistani citizens and Pakistan government – to take steps to adapt and prepare for the impacts. We should start with those steps which have development benefits for Pakistan in addition to climate benefits. And there are plenty such options.”
Adil Najam is the inaugural Dean of the Pardee School of Global Studies at Boston University and was the former Vice Chancellor of the Lahore University of Managment Sciences, Pakistan. More about him, here.