ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, Musadik Malik, has stressed the need for greater global and domestic investment in green skills development to secure a just, climate-resilient, and economically competitive future.
He made the remarks at a high-level side event titled “Building Green Skills for a Sustainable Pakistan” via video link at the Pakistan Pavilion during the UN Climate Summit (COP30) in Belém city of Brazil, according to a press release issued on Friday.
The minister noted that sweeping economic and industrial changes — fueled by major global investments in renewable energy, climate-smart infrastructure, battery storage, green mobility, and circular economies — are reshaping jobs, market competitiveness, and global trade.
“Developing green skills is no longer optional. It is essential for strengthening climate resilience, enabling our clean-energy transition, enhancing resource efficiency, and unlocking access to global green investment,” he said.
He warned that emerging trade tools like the European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) are intensifying pressure on countries to decarbonise their supply chains and build a workforce equipped to meet new compliance demands. Without timely investments in reskilling, he warned, developing economies risk falling behind as global markets strengthen environmental standards and move toward carbon-priced exports.
The minister also underscored that the shift to a low-carbon economy must be fair and inclusive, ensuring that communities and workers whose livelihoods are tied to traditional, fossil fuel–based industries are supported through the transition rather than left vulnerable or excluded.
“For countries like Pakistan, the green transition must protect workers while also opening new pathways for economic mobility. Climate action must go hand in hand with the development of human capital,” Dr Malik said.
While Pakistan has embedded climate action into national frameworks, policies, and sectoral plans, the minsiter said that policies alone cannot deliver the transformation needed without a workforce capable of implementation — including technicians who can operate solar and wind systems, engineers who can build resilient infrastructure, farmers who understand climate-smart techniques, and innovators able to develop home-grown climate technologies.
“Investing in people is central to achieving long-term climate ambition and economic modernization,” he said.
Pakistan has recently taken steps to close the green-skills gap. Notable initiatives include the UNICEF–Muslim World League Green Skills Training Programme launched in 2025, which aims to train thousands of disadvantaged youth, particularly girls, in climate and digital skills aligned with future job markets.
