Rich Nations Owe Reparations To Countries Facing Climate Disaster - Pakistan Minister

The rich polluting countries predominantly to blame for the "dystopian" climate breakdown have broken their promises to reduce emissions and help developing countries adapt, according to Pakistan's minister for climate change. In an interview with the Guardian, Sherry Rehman said reparations were long overdue.

- Nina Lakhani Shah Meer Baloch

Close to 1,300 people are dead and a third of Pakistan is under floodwater after weeks of unprecedented monsoon rains battered the country - which only weeks earlier had been suffering serious drought.

Rehman, a former ambassador to the US, said global emission targets and reparations must be reconsidered, given the accelerated and relentless nature of climate catastrophes hitting countries such as Pakistan. "Global warming is the existential crisis facing the world, and Pakistan is ground zero - yet we have contributed less than 1% to emissions. We all know that the pledges made in multilateral forums have not been fulfilled.