Rizwana calls developing world to prioritise people over mega-projects
Environment, Forest and Climate Change Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan called upon developing nations to work together even without external funding, stressing the need to prioritise regional cooperation, community empowerment, and people-centred policies.
"Development has no meaning if people continue to suffer from climate disasters and lack access to safe water," she said, urging a shift away from costly mega-projects toward protecting the most vulnerable.
Rizwana, also the adviser of the Ministry of Water Resources, made the call while speaking at a reception held yesterday night in honour of the distinguished delegates of the 28th Sustainable Development Conference at M"venpick, Centaurus Islamabad, according to a ministry press release issued today (5 November).
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She said rising public frustration can be turned into positive change if governments, civil society, and the private sector act collectively. True resilience, she said, must be built from the ground up through cooperation, behavioural change, and renewed public trust.
Warning that deep political divisions and narrow self-interest are weakening national and regional priorities, the adviser said many countries are failing to seize opportunities for shared progress.
Citing recent political transitions in Sri Lanka to Nepal, she noted that such disruptions should be used to reset governance, rethink economic pathways, and create space for youth leadership.
Referring to global youth movements, Rizwana said young people today are demanding not only climate justice but also democracy, freedom, and dignity.
She cautioned that the future world, marked by food and water insecurity, extreme weather, and mass displacement, will be unbearable for the next generation unless urgent reforms are made now.
On SDGs and climate finance, she criticised the lack of genuine global commitment, saying, "Developing countries have been handed a beautiful SDG menu, but with no resources to place an order."
She condemned the empty Loss and Damage Fund and the practice of offering loans instead of justice to climate-affected communities.
Acting President Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani welcomed delegates from 23 countries.
The event was also addressed by Dr Abid Q. Suleri, Executive Director of the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), and Nabeel Goheer, Chief of Asia, Middle East and Europe, PATH.
