Islamabad seeks predictable climate financing

Pakistan has called for rapid, grant-based, and predictable financing for climate-vulnerable developing countries, warning that recurring climate disasters are worsening debt distress and undermining development gains in nations that have contributed least to global emissions.

The appeal came at a high-level side event titled "Operationalising Loss and Damage: Financing Resilience and Recovery in Vulnerable Countries", jointly organised by Pakistan's Ministry of Climate Change and UNICEF at the Pakistan Pavilion during the COP30 summit in Belem, Brazil.

Climate Change Secretary Aisha Humera Moriani, in her keynote address, said that Pakistan is investing heavily in strengthening national resilience despite contributing less than 1% to global greenhouse gas emissions.

She recalled the catastrophic floods of 2022 and 2025 that displaced millions, damaged infrastructure, and caused multi-billion-dollar economic losses. "The scale and frequency of such disasters in developing countries underscore the disproportionate climate burden placed on nations that played almost no role in heating the planet," Moriani said.

Representatives of the newly-established Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD), government officials, development partners, and experts attended the event to discuss ways of operationalising the global Loss and Damage mechanism.

Panelists noted that repeated climate shocks have pushed several vulnerable economies into what they described as a "debt emergency," forcing countries to borrow for reconstruction in the absence of adequate grant-based support.

They stressed that new, additional, and concessional financing is essential for assistance to be transformative rather than short-lived. They highlighted that children are bearing the greatest burden of climate stress, with nearly half of Pakistan's population under 18.

Recurring disasters are severely affecting nutrition, health, education, and mental wellbeing, they said. "Climate disasters are not only destroying infrastructure, they are also robbing a generation of its right to safety and opportunity," Moriani added.

The discussion further underscored the need to prioritise the Barbados Implementation Modalities (BIM), which call for simplified application procedures, faster disbursement, and flexible financial windows to support countries with constrained fiscal space.

The participants emphasised the importance of financing mechanisms that address slow-onset events such as glacial melt, desertification, and sea level rise. Moriani reaffirmed Pakistan's commitment to working with the UN, international partners to shape an equitable framework for climate recovery.

Climate Change ministry spokesperson Muhammad Saleem Shaikh told APP in Islamabad that a significant part of the dialogue focused on support for vulnerable groups, particularly children and young people.

He added that Pakistan has announced its readiness to submit two proposals under the FRLD's initial funding cycle, aimed at rebuilding critical social infrastructure and strengthening resilience in key sectors, including agriculture, community systems, and water resources.

Calling Loss and Damage financing a matter of national survival, the ministry reiterated Pakistan's position that climate justice and the principles of Common but Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities (CBDR-RC) must guide international action.

"Climate justice demands immediate access. Our people cannot wait," the spokesperson stated, urging the developed countries and multilateral institutions to translate commitments into tangible financial delivery.