CHICAGO — Federal Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives, Prof. Ahsan Iqbal, met with Mr. Sam Ori, Executive Director of the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Growth (ICSG), to advance Pakistan’s climate resilience and adaptation strategies.
During the high-level meeting, the Minister emphasized that despite contributing a negligible share to global greenhouse gas emissions, Pakistan consistently ranks among the world’s most climate-vulnerable nations. Pointing to the catastrophic floods of 2022, Prof. Ahsan Iqbal reiterated that climate adaptation can no longer be delayed and requires immediate, strategic global intervention.
Key Strategic Outcomes
The dialogue concluded with a mutual agreement to strengthen bilateral cooperation across several critical areas:
- Emissions Trading Systems: Deepening collaboration on carbon emissions trading, scaling up the frameworks and foundational work already initiated in partnership with the Punjab Government.
- Energy Inclusion: Advancing a comprehensive federal electricity tariff study aimed at expanding energy access, equity, and inclusion across the country.
- Institutional Frameworks: Developing a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE) to widen the scope of academic and policy research under this partnership.
- Disaster Preparedness: Strengthening early warning systems through enhanced weather forecasting cooperation, technological integration, and targeted capacity building for local institutions.
Through these strategic international partnerships, Pakistan aims to accelerate its ongoing transition toward a climate-resilient, economically inclusive, and sustainable future.
