Sustainable Fitch rates Pakistan’s financing framework excellent

September 22, 2025 (MLN): Pakistan’s sustainable financing framework has received an “Excellent” alignment score from Sustainable Fitch, which issued its Second-Party Opinion affirming that the framework is fully aligned with global standards, including the International Capital Market Association’s (ICMA) Green Bond Principles, Social Bond Principles, and Sustainability Bond Guidelines.

It also aligns with the Green and Social Loan Principles set by the Loan Market Association (LMA), Loan Syndications and Trading Association (LSTA), and Asia Pacific Loan Market Association (APLMA).

The framework will govern the country’s sustainability bond and loan issuances, financing or refinancing projects across nine green use-of-proceeds (UoP) categories and six social UoP categories.

Green categories include renewable energy, energy efficiency, clean transportation, and climate change adaptation, while social categories focus on affordable basic infrastructure, housing, and other social benefits.

Sustainable Fitch noted that the green categories describe activities with clear environmental benefits, with several aligned with international taxonomy screening criteria.

Meanwhile, the social categories are linked to Pakistan’s national multidimensional poverty index to ensure benefits reach target populations.

With a population of 236 million at end-2024 and a GDP of $338 billion, Pakistan faces pressing sustainability challenges.

Climate change poses significant risks through extreme weather events that impact agriculture and vulnerable communities.

Sustainable Fitch expects the climate change adaptation category centered on the protection and restoration of the Indus River Basin, which sustains 90% of the population and irrigates 80% of farmland to play a crucial role in strengthening resilience.

The opinion further highlights that renewable energy, energy efficiency, and clean transportation initiatives under the framework will support Pakistan’s nationally determined contribution (NDC) targets, which include a 15% unconditional reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 from the 2015 baseline. An additional 35% reduction is conditional on international financial support.

The recognition from Sustainable Fitch is expected to bolster investor confidence in Pakistan’s upcoming sustainable bond and loan issuances, aligning the country more closely with global climate and development financing trends.

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