Pakistan’s construction sector is critically fueling the nation’s climate crisis, with the cement industry alone responsible for 49 per cent of national emissions, a top government official warned on Wednesday.
Senator Sherry Rehman, addressing a sustainability summit today, highlighted that despite Pakistan being ranked as the world’s most climate-impacted country, the implementation of its existing Green Building Codes remains “extremely low.”
The statements were made at the inaugural session of the 2nd Pakistan Sustainability Summit and Awards, themed ‘Sustainable Housing for Economic Resilience and Climate Smart Living.’ The conference was organized by the Development Communications Network (Devcom-Pakistan) as part of its National Climate Action Advocacy Programme.
Senator Rehman, who chairs the Senate Standing Committee on Climate Change, stated that the industrial sector accounts for 38 per cent of Pakistan”s total energy-related CO2 emissions, underscoring the urgency for a national shift toward sustainable building practices.
The Senator also pointed to the country”s rapid and often unregulated growth, noting that while 39 percent of the population is urban, this figure escalates to 88 percent when density is considered. She explained that expanding peri-urban settlements, which now resemble towns, often lack essential services like proper waste disposal systems, demanding a radical rethink of planning models.
Recalling the catastrophic floods of 2022 and 2025, Rehman criticized the lack of institutional learning, where fragile structures were wiped out in moments. “A hotel collapsed in seconds during the 2022 floods. The question is: Why was construction allowed there? Shockingly, we saw the same failures again during the 2025 floods. This shows the private sector still isn’t alarmed.”
She called for the adoption of circular construction models, integrating principles of reduction, reuse, and recycling into building codes. According to World Bank data cited by the senator, a circular economy approach could save Pakistan $1.5 to $2 billion annually by 2030, and recycling half the nation”s waste could cut 4 to 5 million tons of CO2 emissions per year.
Syed Munir Ahmed, founder of Devcom-Pakistan, contextualized the summit”s purpose by highlighting the country”s annual housing shortfall of over 400,000 units and the fact that nearly 40 per cent of the urban population resides in informal settlements.
Representing the business community, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Sardar Tahir Mahmood proposed three strategic directions: institutionalized public-private partnerships, modernized regulatory frameworks with digital compliance, and climate-responsive development models. He pledged that the ICCI would facilitate dialogue and promote sustainable innovation, positioning Islamabad as a potential regional model.
Waseem Hayat Bajwa of the Pakistan Infrastructure Development Company Ltd (PIDCL) affirmed the government’s “renewed commitment” to mainstreaming sustainable housing. He stated the Ministry of Housing and Works is steering a coordinated national effort to promote climate-resilient construction and affordable green housing models.
Hamid Mumtaz Khan, Deputy Programme Manager at UN-Habitat Pakistan, reinforced the urgent need for action, noting that over 4.5 million houses have been damaged since 2005, resulting in losses exceeding USD 9 billion. He urged for the adoption of the National Housing Policy 2025 and the integration of nature-based solutions to build a resilient urban future.