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Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is calling for urgent global action and increased climate finance at the COP31 summit in Türkiye. He said melting glaciers, devastating floods and extreme heat are threatening the lives and livelihoods of millions, AnewZ reported.
Sharif arrived in Antalya on Tuesday, November 10. He is due to address the COP31 Leaders’ Summit on Wednesday. The prime minister is also expected to speak at a high-level dialogue on the clean energy transition and electrification titled “35 by 35: Powering the Future.”
Pakistan is calling for stronger international cooperation, reliable climate finance and access to technology. The country says developing states that contribute relatively little to emissions are suffering disproportionately from the effects of the climate crisis.
Melting glaciers put communities at risk
Rapid changes in Pakistan’s mountainous ecosystems are among the country’s most urgent climate challenges.
Climate Change Minister Musadik Malik said rapidly melting glaciers and floods caused by glacial lake outbursts threaten communities, homes and livelihoods.
Speaking at the UN Climate Change Pavilion, he called for greater international scientific cooperation to strengthen glacier monitoring and advance research on mountain ecosystems.
Malik said Pakistan is among the countries most affected by climate change, despite being responsible for less than 1% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
2025 floods highlight scale of climate threat
Devastating monsoon floods in 2025 exposed Pakistan’s vulnerability to climate risks. According to Pakistan’s Economic Survey 2025-26, the floods caused an estimated 822 billion Pakistani rupees in economic losses.
More than 1,000 people died, over four million were displaced and about 6.5 million people across 70 districts were affected by the disaster.
Agriculture and infrastructure suffered the greatest losses. The damage has raised concerns about food security, rural livelihoods and the country’s economic recovery.
Alongside floods, Pakistan is also grappling with extreme temperatures, shifting rainfall patterns and growing pressure on water resources.
$565.7 billion needed to meet climate targets
Pakistan’s third Nationally Determined Contribution, submitted in September 2025, sets a target of reducing the country’s greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2035 compared with the business-as-usual scenario.
Under the plan, a 17% reduction would be achieved without external assistance. A further 33% reduction depends on international support.
Meeting these targets will require about $565.7 billion in investment by 2035 for climate adaptation, disaster preparedness, renewable energy and other measures.
In a separate COP31 initiative, Communications Minister Abdul Aleem Khan backed the Global Green Shipping Corridors Initiative, which aims to cut emissions from international freight. The initiative promotes cleaner transport technologies, digital connectivity and more efficient route planning.
Pakistan is now seeking to turn its climate commitments into practical protection for millions of people facing floods, glacier-related disasters and extreme heat. As the country seeks greater financial and scientific support, calls are growing for international commitments to translate into concrete action before the next disaster strikes.
