US wants to rope in Pakistan in its efforts against climate change

ISLAMABAD: The United States has expressed interest in involving Pakistan in its initiatives to tackle the global challenge of climate change.

“We’re collaborating and innovating with partners around the world to address the global challenge of climate change. We want to have Pakistan as our partner in this effort. It’s important to emphasize that climate-smart initiatives not only mitigate climate change; they offer Pakistan tremendous economic potential. Green industries are increasingly profitable, expand trade and investment, and create new jobs, new industries and new opportunities,” US Ambassador Donald Blome told a function hosted by the Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Tuesday.

The ambassador said beyond the support in the education and health sectors, the US assistance programmes through the US-Pakistan Green Alliance framework focused on helping Pakistan’s economy become more resilient to climate change. He said his country was focusing on supporting Pakistan in expanding climate-smart agriculture, clean energy and effective water management.

“We have supported infrastructure initiatives, including Mangla, Tarbela, Gomal Zam, Satpara, and Golen Gol hydroelectric projects, which provide clean, affordable energy to millions of homes, prevent catastrophic water shortages and mitigate the damaging effects of flooding. We’ve also established four centres for advanced studies in energy, water and agriculture across Pakistan that are generating the applied research and innovation needed to help solve the country’s most pressing development challenges.”

Blome said the US was going to launch a new climate-smart agriculture programme with farming families so they could adapt and prepare for a new era of sustainability and improved water management. He also said the American grants helped construct hundreds of schools and rehabilitate thousands more across Pakistan, providing access to quality education for millions of Pakistani children and training for thousands of teachers.

The ambassador said since the 2022 floods, his country had provided around $100 million in aid to combat malnutrition, supporting more than 317,000 who were at risk. He said the US-Pakistan trade and investment relationship – as well as targeted forms of US assistance to businesses – were benefiting Pakistan’s people and economy.

“The US is Pakistan’s largest export market globally, and Pakistan’s exports to the United States have more than doubled over the last decade -- a testament to the robust economic relationship we share. The successes of Pakistani businesses demonstrate the immense potential of Pakistan’s private sector, but much of that potential remains untapped. We are supporting Pakistan in unlocking its full economic potential – deepening our economic partnership in ways that directly benefit the Pakistani people,” he said. Ambassador Blome said the US-Pakistan relations, which were vital, had stood the test of time. He urged the two countries to work together, build on past accomplishments, and identify new areas of cooperation to create a more prosperous Pakistan.