Pakistan’s prime minister underscores his country’s commitment to expanding clean energy

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday highlighted his country's efforts to expand clean energy, including solar and nuclear power, while calling for increased financing to sustain the transition. "In just two years, Pakistan has added nearly 22 gigawatts of rooftop solar capacity. We are also expanding nuclear power, while clean energy sources now provide nearly 55% of our energy mix. Under our new Auto Policy, we aim for 30% of new vehicles to be electric by 2030," he said in an address at a high-level meeting titled "Clean Energy Transition by 2035: Powering the Future" on the sidelines of the COP31 UN Climate Summit in Antalya, Türkiye.

Sharif underscored the need for more financing to sustain the transition, saying Pakistan needs around $138 billion by 2035 for low-carbon power generation and a further $50 billion to replace coal with solar energy. "Let us resolve to power our economies without impoverishing our people and light up our homes without darkening our planet," he said.