FM urges global climate funds to speed up financing access

September 22, 2026 (MLN): Finance Minister Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb called on international climate funds to simplify procedures and accelerate financing access, stressing that Pakistan needs faster support to address climate-related disasters and convert climate commitments into bankable investment projects.

Speaking at the World Economic Forum’s “Financing Planet and Prosperity” meeting, the finance minister highlighted Pakistan’s vulnerability to climate-related disasters, particularly floods that have damaged infrastructure and affected communities.

He also outlined efforts to strengthen disaster-response mechanisms, early-warning systems and costed climate-investment plans.

Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb made the remarks during a series of high-level engagements in New York on the first day of his visit, held on the sidelines of the UNGA High-Level Week of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly.

He highlighted financing mobilized through the World Bank, Asian Development Bank and international capital markets for relief, adaptation and reconstruction, while stressing that external assistance must be complemented by domestic resources and adequate fiscal buffers.

The finance minister specifically called on the Green Climate Fund and the Loss and Damage Fund to simplify their procedures and accelerate access to financing, cautioning against complacency in addressing climate-related challenges.

Separately, Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb highlighted Pakistan’s transition towards a regulated virtual-assets framework at the “United Nations Digital Cooperation Day 2026 – Blockchain and the Tokenized Future: Sovereign Choices and Safeguards for Next-Gen DPI.”

He said tokenization should focus on real economic needs, including lower remittance costs, SME financing, sovereign debt and wider financial access. He also stressed the need to combine private-sector innovation with strong state safeguards, inclusive digital infrastructure and international cooperation.

The finance minister further participated in the launch of the COP31 Action Agenda, expressing Pakistan’s support for the initiative and highlighting its alignment with the country’s national climate priorities and NDC 3.0.

He identified clean energy and electrification, renewable-energy expansion, energy-efficient buildings, climate-resilient cities, climate education and public awareness, food security and climate-resilient agriculture among the shared priorities.

Welcoming the proposed Climate Implementation Bridge, Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb said the mechanism could help translate NDC commitments into investable and bankable projects.

He stressed that the key challenge is no longer the formulation of climate plans but their effective implementation, while appreciating the agenda’s defined action points and key performance indicators aimed at achieving measurable results.

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