ISLAMABAD: Amid growing climate challenges, Pakistan has secured over $1.5 billion in climate finance to address environmental degradation and enhance national resilience, according to the Pakistan Economic Survey 2024-25.
The funding includes $1.4 billion under the IMF’s Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF) and $82 million from the Green Climate Fund, along with the launch of a PKR 30 billion Green Sukuk and the National Climate Finance Strategy.
These investments support a broad range of initiatives, including the National Adaptation Plan—approved by the federal cabinet—which outlines 117 adaptation actions across six climate-vulnerable sectors.
Key projects such as Recharge Pakistan, a $77 million initiative focused on ecosystem-based flood management, and the Pakistan Glacier Protection Strategy form the backbone of the country’s climate resilience efforts.
Although Pakistan generates less than 1% of global greenhouse gas emissions, it stands in the first rank among the top ten countries affected by climate change based on the Climate Risk Index2 (CRI) 2022.
The report conducted a 30-year assessment (1993-2022), which positions Pakistan among countries frequently encountering extreme weather events.
In the ‘continuous threats’ category, Pakistan is experiencing increasingly frequent and severe extreme weather events that are becoming the new normal.
According to The State of the Pakistan Climate 2024 report, the country experienced a 31% increase in average rainfall and a rise in national temperature to 23.52°C.
Provinces like Sindh and Balochistan were hit particularly hard, enduring extreme heat, cyclones, and increasingly erratic weather patterns.
To address urban vulnerability and reduce emissions, the government has launched several key initiatives, including the Pakistan Green Building Code and an Urban Resilience Policy Framework.
It is also advancing a low-carbon transport strategy through the CPEC-II Green Corridor. In a major step toward climate action, Pakistan has introduced its first-ever Carbon Market Policy to attract clean-tech investments and encourage decarbonisation across sectors.
Punjab unveiled its Climate Resilient Vision 2024 and implemented anti-smog measures, while Sindh finalised its Provincial Climate Action Plan.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa expanded its large-scale reforestation efforts, planting an additional 121.5 million trees under the 10 Billion Tree Tsunami initiative.
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In Balochistan, authorities enforced an anti-plastic regulation and established a Climate Finance Cell to support climate initiatives.
At COP29, Pakistan showcased these efforts at its national pavilion, reaffirming its commitment to climate action on the global stage.
However, the Pakistan Economic Survey cautions that international support and climate justice are essential, as the country’s vulnerability to intensifying climate shocks far exceeds its minimal emissions contribution.
As climate volatility increases, Pakistan’s ability to sustain progress will depend on translating climate finance into tangible outcomes, scaling up provincial actions, and forging durable international partnerships.
The survey said that by aligning global support with efforts made at the national level, Pakistan can not only mitigate the climate crisis but also ensure a safer and more sustainable future.
