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COP Process Devolves into 'Climate Fair', Leaving Vulnerable Nations Desperate
8 Nov
Summary
- COP process has evolved into a 'climate fair' with corporations and lobbyists vying for visibility
- Global emissions continue to rise, putting vulnerable nations like Pakistan at immediate risk
- Pakistan urged to reframe its approach from normative attendance to strategic influence
As of November 8th, 2025, the Conference of the Parties (COP) process, established under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, has evolved or devolved into what many observers now describe as a 'climate fair'. The COP, originally intended to provide a multilateral forum for nations to collectively agree on measures to stabilize greenhouse gas emissions and prevent dangerous climate change, has become crowded not only with negotiators but also with corporations, NGOs, and lobbyists, all vying for visibility.
This diversity of actors has fostered innovation and awareness, but it has also blurred the focus. The spectacle often overshadows substance, and announcements frequently outnumber actual deliverables. The risk is that COPs have become a performative rather than transformative stage for declarations, not decisions. Meanwhile, global emissions continue to rise, and current trajectories point towards warming of around 2.7°C by the end of the century, putting vulnerable nations like Pakistan at immediate risk.
For Pakistan, it is time to reframe its approach from normative attendance to strategic influence, using COP not just as a diplomatic event but a platform for survival advocacy. By focusing its voice on justice, adaptation, and regional solidarity, Pakistan can not only safeguard its national interests but also contribute meaningfully to a fairer and more resilient global climate order.
