We have long been experiencing severe impacts of global warming and climate change. The temperature in summers and winters has been increasing, with the former getting hotter and the latter getting chillier. Not everyone can enjoy, or even tolerate, these weather conditions.
There is enough evidence available for us to acknowledge that humans are responsible for global warming and climate change as much as any natural phenomenon. The way forward is to adopt the holistic approach of the triple helix model (THM) with the aim of fighting climate change at national and local levels.
The floods last year caused loss of human lives, infrastructure, livestock and property, leading to a negative impact on Pakistan’s gross domestic product (GDP). There was an eruption of infections and diseases in rural areas, and shattered sewage systems in urban areas. We are in no position to bear a calamity of such a scale on a routine basis.
The THM model in its right spirit entails the involvement of the government, the academia, and the business. The government should devise laws and provide the required financing for innovative projects and initiatives that cater to the fight against climate change. The academia, mostly comprising universities in this context, needs to conduct scientific research and provide evidence-based knowledge to the lawmakers and other stakeholders.
The business community has a critical role to play by being positive in the consumer market. Under THM, the business community provides regular financing to the pool of larger climate financing. Giving back by the business community to society where it operates shows the business community’s commitment to ethical business practice. It is a step beyond the clichéd corporate social responsibility (CSR).
Some organisations are doing good work against the impact of climate change, but they need to join hands within the THM paradigm to make a more meaningful, impactful change. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) need to get involved at the grassroots level.
Assistance for this can be sought from different SME entities, including the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (Smeda), business incubation centres, International Trade Centre in Pakistan, chambers of commerce and industry at the district level, and the European Union’s delegation to Pakistan.
Climate financing requires properly coordinated efforts, and, for that to happen, it needs to be prioritised as an innovative approach that may change things around.
FURQAN HYDER SHAIKH
HYDERABAD
