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SEOUL, Oct 31 (APP): Minister of State for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, Shezra Mansab Ali Khan Kharal, has called for stronger international cooperation to advance green growth, renewable energy, and carbon market mechanisms during a major global climate forum in Seoul.
Addressing the 14th Assembly and 18th Council Sessions of the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), Kharal said Pakistan was determined to lead through “innovation, adaptation and green growth,” despite contributing less than one percent to global greenhouse gas emissions.
“Pakistan is among the top ten most climate-vulnerable countries in the world,” she said. “Our glaciers are melting, our monsoon patterns are shifting, and our communities are paying the price of a crisis they did not create.”
She said Pakistan’s National Climate Change Policy and National Adaptation Plan provide the framework for implementing climate resilience across energy, water, and agriculture sectors.
The government, she added, is mobilising climate finance and building partnerships to accelerate low-carbon growth.
Kharal highlighted Pakistan’s efforts to operationalise international carbon markets under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement — a move aimed at attracting investment and monetising emission reduction projects in renewable energy, reforestation, and sustainable agriculture.
She reaffirmed Pakistan’s target of achieving 60 percent renewable energy by 2030, describing it as both a climate and development priority. “This is not just about cutting emissions — it’s about ensuring affordable, reliable, and clean energy for all Pakistanis,” she said.
During the forum, Kharal held bilateral meetings with Norway and other international partners to strengthen cooperation on climate finance and technology transfer, particularly for vulnerable regions such as Gilgit-Baltistan, Swat, and Balochistan.
At a high-level panel on water and renewable energy, she called for integrating both systems into national planning to enhance climate resilience. “By linking renewable energy with smart water management, we can protect both our ecosystems and our economy,” she said.
Kharal also praised the Global Green Growth Institute, chaired by former UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, for supporting Pakistan’s transition to a low-carbon economy.
She said Pakistan’s participation in the Seoul sessions underscored its growing role in global climate diplomacy and its ambition to emerge as a regional leader in renewable energy innovation and sustainable development.