'Climate finance a fundamental right'

The Second Asia Energy Transition Summit opened on Saturday at the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) with extensive regional and international participation.

Jointly organised by the LUMS Energy Institute (LEI), the Alliance for Climate Justice and Clean Energy (ACJCE) and the Pakistan Renewable Energy Coalition (PREC), the summit brought together senior government representatives, foreign diplomats, global climate leaders, development institutions, researchers and civil society networks from across Asia, Europe and the Pacific to examine the shifting political, financial and technological landscape of Asia's clean-energy transition.

Delivering the inaugural address, Ahsan Iqbal, Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, highlighted the strategic reforms underway to secure Pakistan's energy future. He stressed the centrality of a resilient, forward-looking grid and the efficient use of energy resources in meeting national and regional ambitions.

He stated that the government is strengthening its power infrastructure to integrate large-scale renewables, describing modern infrastructure as indispensable to a green, competitive economy. He also reaffirmed the importance of energy efficiency: "The most reliable source of clean energy is the energy conserved."

He reiterated that no country can undertake this transition alone and called for deeper multilateral engagement, partnership-driven financing and wider regional cooperation. The day's discussions built on priority areas repeatedly highlighted by Federal Minister for Energy (Power Division) Awais Ahmad Leghari, whose policy vision for a flexible, modernised and technologically advanced grid guided the summit proceedings.

Speaking at the event, he said, "Pakistan recognises the critical importance of moving towards renewable energy; our energy strategy is deeply rooted in sustainability. To fully unlock the potential of renewable energy, Pakistan is focused on modernising its energy infrastructure. A smart, modernised grid will enable us to effectively integrate renewable energy. "The energy transition requires significant investment. Pakistan is open to partnerships with international organisations, governments, and private-sector players. By working together, we can achieve a future where clean, renewable energy drives economic growth, improves quality of life and protects our planet for future generations."

In the plenary dialogue, former federal minister of finance Dr Shamshad Akhtar stressed that Asia must steer global transition debates with clarity and confidence, calling for integrated planning frameworks that balance financial prudence, technological readiness and social equity.

Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, former judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, highlighted the legal and institutional dimensions of the transition, underscoring that climate and energy governance must be rights-based, transparent and adaptive to emerging risks. Moreover, he shared "climate finance never matched the scale of the climate challenge and if it ever materialised, it arrived late mostly as loans." "The Supreme Court, however, made a landmark ruling that climate finance is a fundamental right since no climate adaptation is possible without climate finance."

International delegates shared insights on financing landscapes, renewable-energy market reforms, community resilience and cross-border cooperation, reflecting broad global interest in Asia's emerging leadership role.