TFD Monitoring Desk
ANTALYA, TURKIYE: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday urged world leaders to move beyond declarations of solidarity and take meaningful action against climate change, warning that vulnerable countries such as Pakistan cannot continue bearing the devastating consequences of environmental disasters without adequate international financial assistance.
Addressing the COP31 Leaders' Summit in Antalya, the prime minister emphasised the urgent need for grant-based climate financing, increased adaptation resources and stronger international cooperation to protect countries facing severe environmental challenges despite contributing relatively little to global greenhouse gas emissions.
He stressed that financial assistance for climate-vulnerable nations must be timely, accessible and structured in a manner that does not further increase their debt burdens.
The premier called for greater involvement of public-private partnerships and a substantial expansion of international resilience and adaptation funds, describing such financial support as essential for the survival and economic stability of vulnerable nations.
He maintained that expressions of international solidarity during climate emergencies would remain insufficient unless accompanied by practical commitments, sustainable financing arrangements and effective implementation mechanisms.
Referring to his earlier warnings about the consequences of climate change, Shehbaz Sharif recalled that Pakistan had alerted the international community four years ago that climate disasters would eventually threaten countries far beyond its own borders.
He said subsequent environmental developments had demonstrated that climate change was a global challenge requiring a coordinated international response.
The prime minister underscored that no country, regardless of its economic strength or geographical location, could effectively confront the climate crisis in isolation.
Highlighting Pakistan's experience, he recalled the catastrophic floods of 2022, when approximately one-third of the country was submerged, affecting nearly 33 million people and causing extensive damage to homes, infrastructure, agriculture and economic activity.
The disaster claimed more than 1,700 lives and resulted in economic losses exceeding $30 billion, placing enormous pressure on Pakistan's already constrained financial resources.
The prime minister said such disasters illustrated the unequal burden of climate change, with developing nations frequently suffering the most severe consequences despite having made relatively limited contributions to the emissions responsible for global warming.
Pakistan, he pointed out, accounts for less than one percent of global carbon emissions, yet continues to experience devastating floods, extreme temperatures, unpredictable weather patterns and other climate-related emergencies.
He emphasised that the growing frequency and intensity of natural disasters had made climate resilience and adaptation an urgent development priority for Pakistan.
The premier also expressed appreciation for Turkiye's assistance during Pakistan's devastating floods, acknowledging the solidarity extended by the Turkish government and people when the country faced one of the worst humanitarian emergencies in its history.
He said cooperation between friendly countries during such crises demonstrated the importance of international partnerships and collective responsibility.
Shehbaz Sharif further highlighted Pakistan's commitment to environmentally sustainable development and cleaner energy solutions, reaffirming the country's determination to pursue climate-friendly policies despite serious financial and structural challenges.
His remarks came as world leaders gathered in Antalya for the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference, against the backdrop of mounting concerns over the international community's ability to achieve its climate commitments.
The two-week conference, scheduled to continue until November 20, is taking place following another year marked by extreme weather events, including destructive wildfires and heatwaves in Europe and deadly flooding in parts of Asia.
Environmental experts and international organisations have repeatedly warned that existing climate policies and financial commitments remain insufficient to prevent increasingly dangerous consequences of global warming.
The summit also comes at a difficult moment for international climate diplomacy, with geopolitical tensions, military conflicts and uncertainty in global energy markets complicating efforts to secure stronger commitments from major economies.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, addressing world leaders on Wednesday, delivered a forceful warning that the global response to climate change was failing to keep pace with the accelerating environmental crisis.
He criticised the continued expansion of fossil fuel production and accused powerful commercial interests of obstructing necessary reforms.
Guterres called for a decisive transition away from coal, oil and gas, arguing that the world must reduce its dependence on fossil fuels to avoid increasingly destructive climate consequences.
The UN chief also expressed concern that governments were continuing to approve new fossil fuel projects while simultaneously pledging to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
He warned that delays in implementing climate commitments were placing lives, livelihoods and national economies at growing risk.
The current negotiations are expected to focus heavily on climate finance, energy transition, adaptation measures and the implementation of commitments made at previous international conferences.
However, significant differences remain between developed and developing countries over financial responsibility, emission reduction obligations and the pace of transition towards cleaner energy sources.
For Pakistan and other climate-vulnerable countries, the central concern remains the availability of adequate financial assistance to strengthen infrastructure, protect agriculture, improve disaster preparedness and support communities exposed to extreme weather events.
Developing economies have consistently argued that loans alone cannot provide a sustainable solution to climate emergencies, particularly when repeated disasters increase reconstruction costs and deepen existing debt pressures.
Grant-based assistance and affordable climate financing are therefore increasingly viewed as essential instruments for ensuring that vulnerable nations can implement adaptation programmes without sacrificing other development priorities.
Pakistan has also emphasised the importance of expanding renewable energy, improving environmental governance and strengthening institutional capacity to address future climate challenges.
Nevertheless, experts maintain that meaningful progress will require international financing commitments to be translated into accessible resources and measurable development outcomes.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's intervention at COP31 reflects Pakistan's continuing efforts to place climate justice and financial responsibility at the centre of global environmental negotiations.
His message reinforced the position that countries contributing the least to global emissions should not be left to shoulder the financial and humanitarian consequences of climate disasters without substantial international support.
As negotiations continue in Antalya, attention will remain focused on whether participating governments can move beyond political declarations and agree on practical measures capable of strengthening climate resilience and accelerating the transition towards sustainable development.
For Pakistan, where recurring climate disasters continue to threaten economic stability and public welfare, the outcome of COP31 could carry significant implications for future adaptation financing, international cooperation and long-term environmental security.
Source attribution: This news report has been independently rewritten and expanded for The Financial Daily, based on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's address at the COP31 Leaders' Summit on November 12, 2026, and reporting by Dawn, Anadolu Agency and Al Jazeera. Additional context on international climate negotiations and the UN Secretary-General's remarks has been incorporated.
