Urgency of transition from climate ambition to climate action stressed

Islamabad:Zulfiqar Younas, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination (MoCC&EC), has stressed the urgency of transition from climate ambition into climate action.

Mr Younas was delivering keynote address at a dialogue on “China’s role in advancing green development across the Global South” organised here by Institute of Regional Studies (IRS). IRS and The Climate Vulnerable Forum - V20 Group of Finance Ministers (CVF-V20) also launched a partnership on advancing green development and strengthening South-South cooperation on the occasion.

Mr Younas remarked that Pakistan added over 13,000 MW to its grid, focusing on solar, wind, and hydro energy. He emphasised partnership with China including cooperation on clean air technologies and disaster risk financing. He reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to working with China and Global South partners for inclusive, climate-resilient development.

Wang Shengjie, Political Counsellor, Embassy of China, highlighted China’s commitment to green development through comprehensive policies and ambitious targets like carbon peaking and neutrality. He highlighted China’s role as a leader in clean energy with significant achievements in air and water quality improvement and extensive investments in renewable energy infrastructure. Mr. Wang outlined China’s global climate cooperation efforts, including partnerships under the UN, BRI, and BRICS frameworks and substantial financial support to countries in the Global South.

Erik Solheim, Vice-President, BRI-International Green Development Coalition (BRIGC) emphasised China’s role as the world's leading producer of solar, wind, electric vehicles and next-generation battery technologies. He also commended Pakistan for its rapid progress in transition to solar energy, underscoring the potential for shared learning and collaboration across the Global South. He called on the Global South, to engage with China’s green Belt and Road Initiative to benefit from its investment, innovation and people-centric economic development model. Mustafa Hyder Sayed, Executive Director, Pakistan-China Institute highlighted China-Pakistan’s strong cooperation, citing recent defence and climate partnerships.