Tipping point
THE World Meteorological Organisation alarmingly reports that the concentration of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere has reached unprecedented levels, with no sign of abating. The continued rise of carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide — all of which trap heat — signals a looming crisis that can no longer be ignored. The WMO has painted a dire picture, revealing that CO2 levels in 2022 were 50pc higher than pre-industrial times, and that nitrous oxide recorded the highest year-on-year increase ever. It has become so that GHG emissions are not just an environmental challenge, they also necessitate a battle for our survival, demanding immediate, concerted action on a global scale. Despite the dire situation, a glimmer of hope shines through. The EU’s reported reduction in GHG emissions by over 5pc in the second quarter of 2023 exemplifies that progress, though incremental, is possible. Policies aimed at reducing emissions can yield tangible results, without necessarily hindering economic growth. However, the challenge remains monumental. WMO Secretary General Petteri Taalas’s statement encapsulates the grim reality: “We are still heading in the wrong direction.”
The threat of more extreme weather, ice melt, rising sea levels, and ocean acidification underlines the urgency for global action, not just pledges. The UN’s warning that current national climate plans are insufficient to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C further underscores the need for accelerated and more substantial actions. The upcoming COP28 is not just another conference; it must be a decisive turning point, where words translate into action. South Asia’s struggle with hazardous smog highlights the immediate impact of inaction. The region’s plight is a microcosm of the global emergency we face. The path forward is clear: we must drastically reduce fossil fuel consumption, invest in renewable energy, and implement effective climate policies. Governments, industries, and individuals must work in unison to rewrite our environmental narrative. The time for debate has passed; the time for action is now.
Published in Dawn, November 19th, 2023
Xi-Biden summit
THERE were smiles and photo ops aplenty as Presidents Joe Biden and Xi Jinping met recently in a San Francisco suburb for a much-anticipated summit. Considering that the meeting came after a lengthy lean patch between the world’s two top economies, the outcomes have been described as generally positive, even though Mr Biden labelled his Chinese counterpart a dictator not too long after both had met, perhaps another one of the bizarre faux pas the US leader is prone to. Mr Xi assured his host that the planet was “big enough” for both countries, while Mr Biden said that understanding each other was “paramount”. The restoration of military communication channels between Washington and Beijing is also being seen as a step towards de-escalating tensions.
Constructive as the meeting was, there should be no illusions that the summit foretells a golden age for Sino-American ties. The Pentagon, in its National Defence Strategy last year, termed China America’s most “consequential strategic competitor”. There is little to suggest that this characterisation has changed. What the summit did succeed in doing was to keep channels of communication open between two global powers in an unstable world. Yet unless both capitals manage the relationship — and their Great Power competition — responsibly, there are chances of a bruising collision, particularly over the Taiwan issue. While the US says it still adheres to the One China policy, many within the American political establishment insist on prodding Taipei towards independence. For Beijing, this is the foremost of the “red lines” Mr Xi mentioned at the summit. In fact, along with the Ukraine war and the Middle East situation, experts feel that unless managed cautiously, the Taiwan issue could become the source of an open US-China conflict. The US should stick to the One China policy and stop provoking Beijing, while China must not take the bait, and resolve the Taiwan question peacefully. Yet if and when these geopolitical ‘elephants’ fight, nations caught in the middle, such as Pakistan, must avoid the fallout. It is easy to advocate for neutrality, but in case a Sino-American conflict breaks out, countries will have to make hard choices. That is why the state needs to plan for all geopolitical expediencies, to ensure that Pakistan’s interests are protected, and the country survives the shockwaves of foreign conflict.
Published in Dawn, November 19th, 2023
Sindh’s denial
AS if a surreptitious Senate resolution against the Supreme Court’s military trials verdict, passed last week with just six votes, was not enough, some elements, it emerged on Saturday, also planted stories in the media to give their actions an air of legitimacy.
In a shocking development, the caretaker set-up in Sindh — being led by a widely respected retired Supreme Court justice — said it never initiated an appeal against the military courts verdict. “The impression that the Sindh government has filed an appeal in the Supreme Court for the trial of civilians in military courts is baseless,” a statement from CM House clarified.
An informed source in the provincial set-up has revealed that the caretaker chief minister and chief secretary had been in transit when the ‘news’ that they had appealed the verdict was given to the media. By the time they wised up, the caretaker governments at the centre and in Balochistan had also filed similar appeals.
Meanwhile, in the Senate, both the chairman and deputy chairman refused to address the strong objections raised by lawmakers from all three of the country’s biggest political parties against the controversial resolution passed on Monday against the SC’s judgement. Two successive sittings were adjourned on two consecutive days as the two individuals attempted to dodge the angry protestations of senators aghast that the Upper House had been abused in such an obnoxious manner.
The Senate chairman, in particular, has a lot to answer for. It was he who allowed the resolution, which had not been part of Monday’s agenda, to be tabled when a majority of the senators were absent. He not only allowed that, but also put the resolution to a vote before there could be any debate, and then adjourned the sitting within minutes for good measure.
Among all the ignominies the Pakistani state has inflicted upon itself in recent years, this one stands out for its crudeness. Some quarters, clearly unhappy that the Supreme Court disagrees with their views on justice, are ready to go to any extent to have a widely hailed verdict overturned. Their issue with the verdict is that it has barred the military from trying civilians suspected of involvement in the May 9 and 10 disturbances via court martial.
By majority, the verdict has also struck down certain sections of the Army Act, which may render it inapplicable to other civilians as well. Unfortunately, those who are criticising the verdict are brushing aside even the basic precepts of democratic governance in which civilian courts are mandated by law to deliver justice. To such critics, this truth does not seem to be of any consequence. Sadly, they fail to see that parallel forums of ‘justice’ must be resisted at all cost.
Published in Dawn, November 19th, 2023