ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, Mosaddiq Malik, has stressed that Pakistan cannot effectively combat climate change without first addressing its underlying economic and social challenges.
Speaking at a conference on Wednesday, the minister highlighted the severe financial impact of natural disasters, noting that floods alone account for an estimated 9.8 percent loss to the country’s gross domestic product. He pointed out that many flood-affected families in Sindh are still without permanent shelter, raising concerns about the pace and effectiveness of recovery efforts.
Malik said that meaningful progress requires more than policy statements, emphasizing that practical and sustained measures are essential to deal with environmental threats. He added that climate change is increasingly disrupting traditional agricultural systems, putting food security and rural livelihoods at risk.
The minister underlined that environmental protection cannot be achieved in isolation from broader socio-economic reforms. According to him, key sectors such as health, education, and population management must be strengthened to build long-term resilience. He also observed that nearly half of the country’s revenue is consumed by debt servicing, leaving limited fiscal space for development and climate-related initiatives.
Highlighting the need for innovative financing, Malik said both public and private funds alone would not be sufficient to address the scale of climate challenges. He called for greater engagement of young people in climate financing and green initiatives, noting that many youth-led solutions for clean water, improved air quality, and environmental sustainability are both practical and cost-effective but require financial backing to scale up.
He reiterated that confronting the climate crisis demands coordinated economic reform, social development, and active participation from all segments of society.
