Pakistan and the United Kingdom on Wednesday formalised a major cooperation agreement aimed at accelerating joint action against climate change, with both sides calling the partnership urgent, modern, and essential for protecting vulnerable communities.

Federal Minister for Climate Change, Musadik Malik, and UK Minister for International Development Jennifer Chapman signed the “UK–Pakistan Green Compact” during a ceremony in Islamabad.

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UK High Commissioner to Pakistan Jane Marriott, along with other Climate Change Ministry representatives and media officials, was also present during the ceremony.

Officials described the pact as a continuation of long-standing environmental cooperation between the two countries.

Musadik Malik said climate disasters were no longer abstract risks but lived realities for millions of Pakistanis.

He noted that 4,700 people died, 17,000 were injured or disabled, and 40 million were displaced in recent floods, losses that wiped out a large portion of Pakistan’s GDP.

He said the 2022 floods, paired with global conflicts and rising temperatures, had shortened life spans and pushed more families into poverty. “One climate disaster is enough to erase our GDP,” he warned.

The minister praised the UK’s support, calling the country “one of Pakistan’s strongest bilateral partners with deep cultural and historical ties.”

Call for urgent, collaborative climate strategy

Musadik Malik said Pakistan and the UK have jointly adopted a new climate strategy, dividing responsibilities into key domains and seeking deeper British collaboration on:

- High public-return climate projects

- Private-sector climate innovation

- Youth-led initiatives and competitions

- Green startups and environmental technology development

He said several banks were already lined up for Pakistan’s upcoming “Climate Change Competition”, which will bring young innovators face-to-face with philanthropists and investors. “We want to hand over the future to the youth,” he said.

The minister added that Pakistan was looking to the UK for ideas that strengthen public-sector resilience, encourage startups, and expand clean energy solutions.

UK Minister Chapman: ‘Urgency is shared across world'

UK Minister for International Development Jennifer Chapman, who is on her first visit to Pakistan, praised the initiative and thanked Pakistan’s climate ministry for what she described as “significant effort.”

She said she was struck by Pakistan’s landscape and the scale of challenges the country faces,from melting glaciers to emptying rivers.

Chapman said thousands of Pakistanis had already lost their lives to climate impacts, and “the cost of inaction is far higher.”

She highlighted several areas where the UK aims to support Pakistan:

- Green, clean energy expansion

- Restoring mangroves and carbon-rich ecosystems

- Boosting solar energy and renewable generation

- Startup challenge funds

- AI- and satellite-based environmental monitoring

- Early warning systems

- Climate budgeting and regulatory support

- Improving international investment flows into Pakistan

Chapman said the UK had already halved its projected emissions for 2035 and no longer uses coal to generate power.

She added that the UK is expanding wind energy, heat pumps, and recently announced a new small nuclear reactor.

“This partnership enables both countries to build resilience and secure a cleaner future,” she said.

Strengthening climate innovation, clean energy

Both sides stressed that the Green Compact is not only about government action but fostering a robust green culture, encouraging environmental technologies, and empowering the next generation.

Musadik Malik referenced global examples, such as China’s dominance in solar exports—to emphasise Pakistan’s need to modernise and scale its clean energy sector.

Chapman said the new agreement would help build capacity for better climate investment, fair energy tariffs, and long-term regulatory reforms. She said these efforts will have a positive impact on both economies.