Pakistan has warned that its ambitious climate action plan, requiring US$565 billion by 2035, is at risk due to a significant shortfall in international financial support, a gap that obstructs global progress towards the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C average warming limit above pre-industrial era.
According to an official report today, the message was delivered during a high-level bilateral meeting between Pakistan’s Head of Delegation, Secretary of the Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination (MoCC and EC) Aisha Humera Chaudhry, and UNFCCC Secretariat Chief Executive Simon Stiell at the UN Climate Summit (COP30).
During the discussion, Ms. Chaudhry confirmed Pakistan had submitted its updated Third Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC 3.0) in September 2025, outlining an enhanced carbon emission reduction pathway up to 2035 based on new data.
She highlighted that Pakistan has increased its domestically financed mitigation contribution from 15% to 17%, reflecting a continued commitment to global climate goals.
However, the Secretary stressed that the nation”s ability to achieve its full 50% emissions-reduction target is entirely contingent on receiving the estimated US$565 billion in international climate finance, noting that previous pledges of support have not materialized at the required scale.
“Pakistan is submitting its NDCs and Biennial Transparency Reports in line with its obligations, but we are not seeing commensurate delivery on commitments from the other side,” Ms. Chaudhry stated, identifying financing and technology deployment as critical enablers for climate action.
In response to an inquiry from Mr. Stiell about Pakistan’s expectations from the summit, the Secretary emphasized that adaptation must be treated as an equal pillar to mitigation, particularly for climate-vulnerable developing nations.
Pakistan is seeking a clear Global Goal on Adaptation, she added, cautioning that even a tripling of adaptation finance “would not be sufficient given the very low existing baseline.”
The MoCC and EC Secretary underscored the need for additional, grant-based finance for the effective implementation of national adaptation plans and resilience programmes. She also called for UNFCCC financial mechanisms, including the Loss and Damage Fund, to be more responsive and to honour existing commitments.
Highlighting Pakistan”s unique vulnerabilities, Ms. Chaudhry briefed the UNFCCC head on the nation”s fragile mountain ecosystem, which includes the Hindukush, Karakoram, and Himalaya ranges and over 13,000 glaciers. She detailed Pakistan”s efforts to draw global attention to accelerating glacier melt and other cryosphere-related threats.
The devastating 2025 floods and repeated Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) events were cited as recent examples of the severe climate impacts confronting Pakistan and other developing countries.
Informing Mr. Stiell of the Cross-Regional Glacier Resilience Initiative, intended to share best practices, Ms. Chaudhry extended an invitation to the UNFCCC leadership to participate in a related summit to be hosted in Pakistan next year. The officials also discussed Pakistan’s country platform and its collaboration with the NDC Partnership.