Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday called for grant-based climate financing for vulnerable countries and warned against the weaponisation of water during his address to the COP31 summit in Türkiye's southern city of Antalya.
“National effort cannot replace a fair and just global response when climate disaster strikes. Vulnerable countries need timely help and finance that does not deepen their debt,” he said.
Sharif called for grant-based financing, including public-private partnerships, and increased funding for resilience and adaptation, describing them as essential for struggling economies.
He also warned that water “must never be weaponised”, saying no country should be allowed to put the lives and livelihoods of downstream communities at risk.
“Water sharing agreements must be honoured,” he said.
His remarks came after India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty and stopped sharing water data with Pakistan last year following an attack in India-administered Kashmir that killed 26 people.
Pakistan highlights climate toll
Pakistan has suffered several severe floods in recent years, causing loss of life and billions of dollars in damage.
Sharif recalled that devastating flash floods in 2022 submerged one-third of the country and affected 33 million people.
He said he had warned at the United Nations four years ago that “what happens in Pakistan will not stay in Pakistan”, adding that the warning had since become a stark reality.
“The future we feared has become the present we are living. Climate change knows no borders. No nation can face it alone. Solidarity must mean real action,” he said.
Sharif also expressed deep gratitude for Türkiye's support during Pakistan's devastating floods, saying the solidarity and friendship shown by the country would remain in Pakistanis’ hearts and memories.
Clean energy transition
The Pakistani prime minister highlighted his country's efforts to expand clean energy, including investments in nuclear power and solar capacity.
Green energy sources now account for nearly 55 percent of Pakistan's energy mix, he said, adding that the country was also advancing electric mobility.
Pakistan aims to reduce its projected emissions by around 50 percent by 2035, Sharif said.
