Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif called for global cooperation to tackle the negative impacts of climate change.

Mr Sharif, at a meeting with Inger Andersen, executive director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), on an official visit to Pakistan, highlighted an urgent need for climate action.

“As one of the country’s most vulnerable to climate change, Pakistan fully appreciated the need for a global response to combat climate change and build resilience and shared the efforts being undertaken in this regard,” Mr Sharif said Tuesday.

He added, “Climate change is one of the defining issues of our times, and Pakistan is playing its part in this regard.”

Appreciating the work by the UNEP, Mr Sharif called for enhanced efforts to address climate change, biodiversity loss, and ecosystem degradation more effectively.

“As part of the UN system, UNEP is encouraged to contribute to and support Pakistan’s efforts to build back better and greener after the climate-induced devastating floods in the country,” the prime minister stressed.

Meanwhile, Mr Andersen briefed the Pakistani prime minister on the initiatives taken by UNEP in Pakistan and appreciated Pakistan’s active role in addressing climate change.

(Xinhua/NAN)