Muhammad Faisal Kaleem

Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Musadik Masood Malik said that the government is preparing a new strategy to help Pakistan secure funding from major international organizations to meet its growing climate needs. In an exclusive conversation with Wealth Pakistan, the minister said the plan will outline Pakistan’s climate priorities along with bankable projects that can attract financing from institutions such as the Asian Development Bank (ADB), World Bank, UN’s Green Climate Fund (GCF), Global Environment Facility (GEF), and United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).

He said work is also underway to develop a real-time climate finance dashboard to support more accurate and evidence-based climate policy interventions across the country. Mr Malik noted that the ministry has initiated several strategic measures to integrate climate considerations into national and provincial development planning. “Pakistan Climate Change Policy 2021 has been updated to align national priorities with emerging challenges,” he said, adding that the National Adaptation Plan 2023 provides a comprehensive roadmap for climate-resilient development.

He said Pakistan’s nationally determined contributions continue to guide mitigation and adaptation efforts in line with global commitments. The Framework for Implementation of Climate Change Policy (2014–2030), he added, serves as a roadmap for sector-specific climate actions nationwide. The ministry is also working to strengthen institutional coordination, enhance access to climate finance, build provincial capacity, and promote research, awareness, and early warning systems to better manage evolving climate risks.

Mr Malik pointed out that the “Pakistan Policy Guidelines for Trading in Carbon Markets” were approved earlier this year by the federal cabinet, providing a strategic direction for leveraging carbon market financing to meet the country’s climate and economic objectives. He said Pakistan is currently facing a wide spectrum of worsening climate hazards that threaten ecosystems, the economy, and public well-being.

“The risks range from recurring heatwaves and prolonged droughts to erratic rainfall, rising sea levels, glacial melt, riverine and urban flooding, cyclones, shifting monsoon patterns, and growing vector-borne diseases,” he said. “These hazards are increasing in both frequency and intensity due to global warming, and Pakistan remains among the most climate-vulnerable countries in the world.”

Credit: INP-WealthPk