Pakistan bears a heavy climate burden despite a low carbon footprint, says Prime Minister Shehbaz

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Tuesday that while Pakistan contributes less than one percent to global carbon emissions, it is among the most affected by climate change in his address at a United Nations event in Vienna.

Speaking on ‘Sustainable Development as a Pathway to Global Peace and Prosperity’, the Prime Minister emphasized that sustainable development must be inclusive and equitable and leave no one behind. “Development cannot be called sustainable if it excludes millions from the promise of a better life,” he added.

Highlighting the disproportionate burden borne by developing countries, he said nations that contribute the least to global emissions pay the highest price in terms of climate change, economic volatility and debt problems.

Prime Minister Shehbaz also recalled the devastating floods of 2022 that claimed thousands of lives, destroyed crops and infrastructure and displaced millions in Pakistan, adding that subsequent floods had compounded the challenges.

“These disasters erode human security at its core,” he said, stressing that sustainable development must be rooted in equity, justice and fair play. “The neighboring country continues to violate the Indus Waters Treaty. Threats have been made to use water as a weapon,” he added.

Reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Prime Minister said the government had integrated them into national development planning, focusing on human development, education, healthcare, food security and social protection, especially for women and youth.

He noted that Pakistan’s large youth population was both a challenge and an opportunity, stressing the need for investment in skills, digital transformation and institutional strengthening to realize their potential.

Prime Minister Shehbaz reiterated Pakistan’s consistent advocacy of dialogue, diplomacy and multilateralism as the only viable means of resolving disputes and preventing conflicts despite aggression and violations of international obligations.

Highlighting Vienna’s unique role in the UN system, he said the city hosted key institutions dealing with counter-terrorism, crime prevention, industrial development and the peaceful use of nuclear technology and outer space.

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Pakistan, he said, greatly appreciated its constructive engagement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and other Vienna-based entities and remained committed to supporting their mandates.

Prime Minister Shehbaz further stated that the UN must be strengthened and made more effective to meet the demands of a multipolar world. He highlighted the benefits of modern technology, but urged that “artificial intelligence should not be limited to select groups – they must reach all of humanity.”

He also emphasized the importance of capacity building, knowledge sharing and technology transfer to ensure that new technologies such as artificial intelligence and biotechnology benefit all of humanity rather than a privileged few.

“Unaddressed digital divides will soon become entrenched development divides,” he warned, calling on the international community to address the root causes of global challenges rather than simply deal with their consequences.

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The prime minister also emphasized the potential of Pakistan’s youth, calling them the country’s “greatest asset and an unparalleled opportunity for development.”

Shehbaz said the world was at a crossroads where geopolitical hostility, climate stress and technological disruption converged into a single destabilizing force.

“The defining danger of our time is not a single threat but the combination of many,” he said, warning that poverty, debt distress, mass displacement and unresolved political conflicts were fueling global instability.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, who also addressed the event, said Pakistan remained steadfast in its commitment to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, recognizing the indispensable role of the UN in global peace, security, sustainable development and the promotion of human rights.

“The mandates of the UN organizations in Vienna are closely linked to the nexus of peace and development and Pakistan is proud of its constructive engagement with these pillars of global governance,” he added.

Dar said that Pakistan greatly appreciated the role of the IAEA in promoting peaceful applications of nuclear technology for global peace and development.

He further said that Pakistan was also committed to further strengthening its partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime to strengthen the rule of law and combat crimes that drain development resources.

“As a driver of inclusive and sustainable industrialization, UNIDO is central to Pakistan’s efforts to eradicate poverty, increase sources of employment and transition to cleaner and more resilient industries,” he added.

Furthermore, UNIDO Deputy Director-General Yuko Yasunaga also said that although Pakistan contributes minimally to global greenhouse gas emissions, Pakistan remains highly vulnerable to climate impacts. “The devastating floods of 2022 stand as a stark reminder of the scale of this global challenge,” he added.

He pointed out that climate resilience and economic resilience were inseparable, and the development of low-carbon technologies and industries was essential to secure livelihoods, promote growth and strengthen social cohesion.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz also met IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi at the Vienna International Center, according to a statement released by the Prime Minister’s Office.

“Pakistan supports the IAEA’s role in promoting the responsible use of nuclear technology in areas such as cancer diagnosis and treatment, agriculture, nuclear power generation and industrial applications,” the statement quoted him as saying.

He highlighted Pakistan’s partnership with the agency, noting that the country “is not only a beneficiary of the IAEA’s technical cooperation program, but also contributes to the IAEA’s work by providing its experts and conducting international training for IAEA Member States.”

Grossi recognized Pakistan’s expertise in peaceful nuclear technology and the high caliber of its engineers, scientists and technicians. He “appreciated Pakistan’s contribution to the IAEA’s work in nuclear safety and security” and stated that Pakistan “was well equipped to assist other member states of the IAEA in peaceful uses of nuclear technology,” the statement said.

He said he had visited various nuclear facilities in Pakistan, including the last unit under construction, Chashma, which he said was quite impressive. He also expressed anticipation for Pakistan’s participation in the Nuclear Energy Summit to be hosted by France in March 2026 and pledged to continue cooperation with Pakistan, the statement added.

Later, the Prime Minister attended a ceremony for the signing of the UNIDO Country Partnership Program Pakistan 2025-2030, the UNODC Country Program Pakistan and a cooperation agreement between the Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Oncology Lahore and the IAEA.