UNITED NATIONS, Jul 17 (APP): Reaffirming its commitment to achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 7), which aims to ensure access to affordable and clean energy for all, Pakistan has underscored the need for fiscal space for developing countries, especially those facing a debt servicing crisis, to respond to the exceptional needs of their population.
“When it comes to Pakistan, we exemplify both the urgency and opportunity of the global energy transition,” Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, permanent representative of Pakistan to the UN, told a panel of the UN High-level Political Forum (HLPF) which reviewed progress on SDG 7 on Wednesday.
Pakistan is a co-chair of the Group of Friends of Sustainable Energy with a strong focus on achieving SDG7 that aligns with their national development priorities and the broader global agenda.
The HLPF, held under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council, provides a platform for countries to report on their progress towards the SDGs, including SDG7.
Noting that that around 40 million people in Pakistan in 2024 remained without electricity access, the Pakistani envoy said, “We are steadfast in our clean energy ambitions; the country has set a goal of achieving 60% renewable electricity by 2030.
“Our energy roadmap envisages adding 13 GW (gigawatts) of new hydropower, while nuclear energy continues to provide reliable, low-carbon baseload power.”
Ambassador Asim Iftikhar added, “A ‘silent solar revolution’ is also underway in my country, driven by low import tariffs, cheap technology and net-metering policies. Estimates show that solar already accounted for roughly 25% of utility electricity in early 2025.”
Like many developing countries, he said, Pakistan faces constrained fiscal space, limiting its ability to meet the growing energy demands. “Our energy transition will require more than $100 billion in investment by 2030.”
The world, the Pakistani envoy said, must invest over $4.3 trillion annually to meet energy and climate goals through 2030. “Yet, in this scenario, public clean energy financing to developing countries amounts to only $21.6 billion, with debt instruments comprising 83% of this finance.
“Moreover, clean energy investment flows overwhelmingly to developed and mature emerging markets. Developing countries are too often left behind.”
In this context, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar said that international cooperation can make a concrete difference: not only enhancing fiscal space for developing countries, but also critical is private capital that currently flows overwhelmingly to lower-risk, higher-return settings. “We need strengthened institutional capacity in developing countries to prepare, structure, and deliver viable bankable projects as well as scaled up innovative mechanisms for de-risking clean energy investments.”
Energy solutions must be designed for co-benefits as in the aftermath of the devastating floods in Pakistan in 2022 when, in partnership with UNDP, solar kits were distributed to over 2,200 affected households — not only helping restore access to electricity, but also supporting mobility and contributing to better health and climate outcomes.