Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called on the international community to fulfill his promises of climate financing, saying it is not a solution to the climate crisis to load more debt to vulnerable nations.
PM Shehbaz highlighted Pakistan’s acute vulnerability, noting that the country is still recovering from the devastating floods of 2022 that caused over $ 30 billion in losses. He added that this year’s Monsun season has already “affected more than five million people, destroyed 4,100 villages and claimed over 1,000 precious lives.”
Despite contributing less than 1% to global greenhouse gas emissions, Pakistan has “carries influence far beyond our share,” the prime minister emphasized. However, he confirmed Pakistan’s commitment to his climate goals after he had already reached his unconditional target for a 15% reduction in expected emissions by 2030.
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Despite Pakistan’s minimal role in causing global emissions, the prime minister said the country bears a disproportionate burden of the effects. He confirmed Pakistan’s involvement in the climate measure and announced new targets to generate 62% of energy from renewable energy sources and hydropower by 2035 and switches 30% of transport to electrical power.
Official data from the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) reveals the heavy toll in the 2025 -Monsun season and records at least 956 fatalities and 1,062 injuries between June 26 and September 12.
The human loss was most acute in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab, with 504 and 268 deaths respectively, primarily from flash floods and building collapse. The destruction is expanded to infrastructure, with over 8,480 houses damaged, almost 6,500 livestock lost and more than 1,100 kilometers of roads and bridges destroyed across the country.
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In response, a large -scale relief effort was fitted, involving 5,399 rescue operations evacuating close to 2.8 million people, while relief and medical camps provided shelter for 101,000 displaced persons and treatment for over 355,000 patients.
UN Secretary General António Guterres called for ambitious new national plans. “Clean is competitive and climate measures are imperative,” he said, pressing for a clear strategy to deliver $ 1.3 trillion in annual climate financing.
He urged nations to submit strong new climate plans for 2035 and emphasized that the upcoming COP30 in Brazil will deliver a “credible global response plan.” This includes a specific path to mobilize the agreed $ 1.3 trillion annually in climate financing by 2035.
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Guterres also called for “effective debt relief” for the development of nations suffering most from a crisis they did least to cause.
