Pakistan urges faster global climate finance as water system under strain
Finance minister tells New York meetings floods damage infrastructure, calls for easier climate fund access.
Pakistan has called for faster global financial assistance to deal with climate threats, with Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb saying in New York that floods are causing severe damage to infrastructure and people and that the country is working to strengthen its disaster-response systems after repeated climate-related losses.
According to Express News, Aurangzeb said Pakistan faces serious risks from climate change and must use both external support and domestic resources to reinforce disaster management, early warning systems and cost-based climate investment projects. He said external assistance alone is not enough, and domestic fiscal capacity must also be used. The minister added that the natural disaster management system is being further strengthened after floods repeatedly damaged infrastructure and affected communities. He stressed that early warning systems and cost-based climate investment plans should be reinforced.
Aurangzeb demanded quicker disbursement from the Green Climate Fund and the Loss and Damage Fund, and said the process for accessing climate funds should be simplified. He said Pakistan would also seek financing from the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank and global markets.
The finance ministry said the minister highlighted Pakistan's climate vulnerabilities and the need for financial assistance during key meetings in New York. He announced full support for the COP31 action agenda, saying it aligns with Pakistan's climate priorities. Aurangzeb also held discussions on regulated frameworks for virtual assets, tokenisation and digital systems.
In a separate statement carried by UrduPoint, Rana Ahmed Atiq Anwar said climate change, rapid population growth, urban expansion, pollution and industrial activity are putting increasing pressure on Pakistan's water system. The report carried no further details.
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