smartcybers786@gmail.com 
#SCO #climate #disasters #Political #Economy
He has concluded its summit in the Chinese city of Tanjan, China, in which the Tanjan Declaration reflects the ambitions of its member states to strengthen cooperation in political, economic and cultural domains, with a wide -ranging document. This declaration, while confirms support for multilateral, regional stability and integration, is especially prone to the major gaps, in danger of endangering the most populous countries in the region, especially to deal with climate crisis.
The meeting took place when two major members of the SCO, Pakistan and India, were suffering from devastating floods and disasters on the weather. The two countries, with about 1.7 billion people, suffered massive human and economic losses due to climate -affected events. Although the leaders promised to support the regional climate summit in Kazakhstan in 2026, they failed to restrict any concrete mechanism that provides immediate assistance or cooperative framework for member states fighting the devastating results of climate change.
The Tanjan Declaration, which was adopted on September 1, is a Mahatkanakshi. It indicates the SCO’s commitment to a multi -faceted global order based on international law and UN centrality. It also highlights a number of issues ranging from counter -terrorism and security to digital trade, transport corridors and the Green Industry, from counter -terrorism to counter -terrorism.
An important result of the declaration is the approval of the SCO Development Strategy by 2035 and the approval of the SCO Development Bank. The purpose of these institutional innovations is to deepen cooperation and reduce dependence on external financial systems.
The declaration also indicates decisions to strengthen cooperation in green industries, food security, e -commerce, energy transfer and environmental protection. However, when it comes to climate change, the document is less than expectations. The most prominent announcement associated with the climate is confirming the regional climate summit in Kazakhstan with the United Nations support in 2026. Nevertheless, this confession is suffering from the region, which is already a response to the immediate climate crisis in the region.
The summit took place with an extraordinary flood in South Asia. In Pakistan, heavy monsoon rains gave rise to a flash flood which claimed hundreds of lives, destroyed the crops and displaced thousands. Economic losses are estimated at billions of dollars, eliminating critical financial stability. Similarly, in India, severe floods in several states destroyed the infrastructure, destroyed the homeless communities and suffered extensive agricultural damage.
These tragedies highlight the raw fact that SCO member states are the weakest in the world for climate change. In terms of population, the first and fifth globally, India and Pakistan stand on the front of the cautious disasters. The failure of the summit to create an integrated forum to tackle these suppressed challenges exposes a clear difference in the SCO’s cooperative agenda.
The support of the Tanjan declaration for the regional climate summit in 2026 is commendable but inadequate. There are no threats of remote calamities. They are already destabilizing economies, destroying livelihoods and damaging security throughout Eurasia.
The absence of a permanent SCO mechanism to respond to the climate emergency reflects immediate and lack of priority. Instead of waiting for 2026, the SCO announced the establishment of a regional climate elastic task force or SCO climate adaptation forum, where member states gain pool expertise, integrate the reaction of destruction and mobilize joint funds. Such a move will not only save lives, but will also strengthen the credibility of the SCO as a platform that is able to respond to modern challenges.
The statement mentions the formation of the SCO Development Bank, which can be an important source for regional economic cooperation. Nevertheless, the absence of a clear mention of climate finance is a chance to lose. All over the world, the financial support of the climate has become a life of a life of the weaker economies to create elasticity, transfer to clean energy, and recover from disasters.
Under the Paris Agreement, the United Nations has already established a complimentary framework through the Green Claimat Fund, Adaptive Fund, and a mechanism for loss and loss facilities. These funds are designed to help developing countries in both the efforts to reduce and adapt.
The SCO, which represents almost HALF half of humanity, can fulfill these efforts by setting up a dedicated facility for climate financing by developing resources from wealthy member states like China and Russia, to help weak members like Pakistan, India and Central Asian countries. Such a move will not only eliminate the financial difference, but will also be led by regional powers to tackle the biggest threats of humanity. Instead, the Tanjan declaration immediately ignored the hurry and returned to extensive statements and future summit meetings.
The SCO includes two nuclear weapons-equipped neighbors-India and Pakistan-whose relations are strained with political disputes and security tensions. Nevertheless, climate change offers a rare area where cooperation is not only possible but necessary. Both countries face common threats such as floods, droughts, melting glaciers and heatwaves that are beyond the borders. The two countries can launch joint ventures under the SCO framework that focuses on the joint water management of the Indus Basin to reduce flood risks and ensure a fair distribution of resources.
They can work together on the initial warning systems for floods, heat views and storms, taking advantage of satellite and digital technologies. They can set up regional climate research centers to develop data -powered policies and solutions, and they can launch cross -border renewable energy projects, including solar and air energy, to reduce the dependence on foam fuel and to create flexibility. Such cooperative measures can create confidence, reduce human and economic losses, and show that rivals can also find a common basis when survival is at stake.
The summit also agrees with key progress in Pakistan’s economy and diplomacy. Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif held important meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin during his stay in Beijing.
President XI endorsed China’s support for Pakistan’s development, especially through the second phase of China -Pakistan economic transit. The two leaders expressed their commitment to continue the construction of a common future party and called for upgrading the CPEC with new transits for industrial, agricultural and digital cooperation.
In his meeting with President Putin, Prime Minister Sharif agreed to promote Pak -Russia relations in trade, energy and defense. Russia’s support for Pakistan was also highlighted during natural disasters, including the recent floods. The two leaders confirmed their desire to enhance communication through regional trade routes that could connect Russia to South Asia through Central Asia.
On the domestic front, Pakistan’s economy is showing mixed signals. The Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan, Jamil Ahmed, predicted GDP growth from 3.25 to 4.25 percent for the financial year 2026, reducing better foreign reserves, inflation and financial stability. The reserves have risen to $ 14.3 billion, inflation has increased by 3.2 percent, and remittances have risen to $ 38 billion, he said. These indicators propose a more stable foundation than the years of the crisis from 2022 to 2023.
Still, the challenges remain.
The Pakistan Bureau of Statistics has reported that the country’s trade deficit has increased from $ 30 % to $ 2.87 billion in August 2025, which has increased imports and declining exports. This identifies structural weaknesses in competition and highlights the urgent need for export -based improvements. The Pakistan Textile Council has already warned that input spending and banned trade policies are increasing the country’s key export sector.
It should be prepared to be a political and security platform, which also provides practical solutions to the 21st century’s most essential challenges. Climate cooperation, climate financing and regional solidarity should be the main pillar of this evolution. India and Pakistan, despite their enmity, have a unique opportunity to work together on a joint threat and have a unique opportunity to guide them.
For Pakistan, the summit is with China and Russia with positive diplomatic engagements and with cautious candidates for its economy. However, without decisive action on climate and export challenges, these benefits can remain critical. The Tanjan Declaration will be remembered for the vision of multilateral and integration, but unless the SCO leaders face the climate crisis, future declarations face repeated floods, droughts and human suffering.
The Supreme Court and the author’s lawyer, Dr. Ikramol Haq, is an affiliated faculty in the Lahore University of Management Sciences.
Abdul Rauf Shakuri is a corporate lawyer based in the United States.
