‘MRV enables climate investment and finance readiness’

Islamabad:Dr Irfan Yousuf, CEO, Climate Action and Policy Initiative, has described Measurement, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) as an enabler for climate investment and finance readiness.

Dr Yousuf was delivering keynote address at 2-day workshop on "Enhancing carbon market readiness in Pakistan," organised here by Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI). Dr Yousuf emphasised that robust MRV systems form the backbone of transparent climate action financing and are essential for building trust, credibility and investor confidence.

MRV not only tracks greenhouse gas emissions but also supports planning, accountability, and compliance. Countries with strong MRV frameworks can better absorb and mobilise climate finance,” Dr. Irfan remarked. He explained that the MRV process begins with data collection on emissions or mitigation activities, followed by reporting in standardised formats and finally independent verification to ensure accuracy and reliability. He cited the Ghana Integrated MRV System as a model that successfully aligned emissions tracking with decision-making, finance mobilisation, and investor engagement.

Dr Sajid Amin Javed, Deputy Executive Director (Research), SDPI, emphasised that carbon markets are rapidly emerging as a key tool for climate finance, backed by both national ownership and global momentum. Pakistan must embed carbon policy into its broader fiscal strategy, he stressed. We need to adopt a futuristic approach to climate financing, as traditional avenues will shrink over time.