Former climate change minister says country is caught between coal and climate

KARACHI: Pakistan faces a serious dilemma: it urgently needs cheap energy from indigenous sources like Thar coal, yet it is bound by international commitments to limit the use of fossil fuels, including coal, due to their harmful impact on climate change.

Former Minister for Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam highlighted this challenge during the launch of a study on the government’s plan to convert Thar coal into gas, according to a statement issued on Friday.

“To resolve this dilemma, we must find the best technological solution -- one that can produce cheap energy without harming the climate -- and complement it with the best nature-based solution to mitigate the carbon produced during industrial processes like power generation,” he said.

Aslam further explained that both technological and nature-based solutions require significant financial investment, which Pakistan currently lacks. “This funding can only come from developed economies or international financial institutions, which must understand that without their support, Pakistan will have to rely on its available resources to provide affordable energy, regardless of the climate impact,” he added.

Ali Tauqeer Sheikh, a prominent environmental activist and climate change expert, also spoke at the event. He emphasized, “All energy-related decisions in Pakistan must align with the country’s nationally determined contributions under the Paris Agreement, which aims to curb the rise in global temperatures.” He stressed that energy policies should not only help Pakistan meet its international obligations but also address the concerns of communities negatively affected by these policies.

The study, conducted by the Policy Research Institute for Equitable Development (PRIED), an independent think tank, in collaboration with the National University of Science and Technology (NUST), argued that coal gasification has fewer environmental and climatic impacts compared to direct coal burning for power generation. However, the costs are prohibitively high for Pakistan, and the technology is too complex for smooth implementation.

“That is why several coal gasification projects have either failed or been shelved around the world, including in the US,” said Manzoor Ahmed Alizai, a researcher with PRIED.Dr Majid Ali, a professor at NUST and the lead author of the study, pointed out that “while coal gasification is better than direct coal burning, it cannot compete with solar-based power generation when considering both energy costs and environmental factors.”

Haneea Isaad, an energy finance expert, informed the audience that many coal gasification projects in countries like the United States, India, and Indonesia have failed spectacularly, even when supported by substantial subsidies. She advised, “The government should thoroughly explore alternatives before pursuing any coal gasification projects in Pakistan.”

Representatives from the Sindh Energy Department, Sindh Environment Protection Agency, and Private Power and Infrastructure Development Board also shared their views, along with members of academia and civil society.