Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif addressed the COP29 Climate Action Summit in Baku, calling for urgent global action and support for countries most impacted by climate change.
Starting his speech, Shehbaz congratulated Azerbaijan’s president for hosting the summit and emphasized the dire consequences faced by Pakistan and several other vulnerable nations due to climate change. "If timely measures are not taken, there will be more damage in the future," he warned.
Prime Minister Sharif highlighted Pakistan's ongoing recovery from the devastating 2022 floods due to environmental changes, which caused more than $30 billion in damages, destroyed thousands of acres of crops, left numerous buildings, including schools, in ruins, and displaced thousands of people.
He stressed that Pakistan, despite contributing only minimally to global emissions, ranks among the top 10 countries most affected by climate change. "The world promised to help Pakistan following the damage caused by the environmental disaster," he recalled.
Shehbaz urged global leaders to honour commitments made during COP28, noting that the pledges of financial assistance for climate-induced damages have not yet been fully implemented. "If timely measures are not taken, we risk further catastrophic damage. We don't want other countries to face the same situation as Pakistan did," he warned.
He outlined Pakistan's climate resilience efforts, including the development of a National Carbon Market Framework and an ambitious target to transition 30% of the country’s vehicles to alternative energy by the end of the decade. "The world must help developing countries like Pakistan," the PM declared.
Additionally, Shehbaz reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to investing in alternative energy sources, underlining the need for environmental protection on an emergency basis to ensure a safe future.
PM Sharif further emphasized that Pakistan will transfer 30% of vehicles to alternative energy by the end of the decade, adding that developing countries required $6.8 trillion to implement Vision 2030. He also stressed the importance of grants rather than loans in climate finance for developing nations, arguing that such countries cannot bear additional debt.
Sharif acknowledged the contributions of PPP leader Sherry Rehman in taking strong measures related to climate change. He warned that heavy losses may have to be borne if no measures are taken for the future, recalling that he had said two years ago that the future requires comprehensive measures.
He concluded with a call for the international community’s support, stating, "We cannot alone take measures against environmental pollution. The support and help of the international community will be needed."
