Pakistan bears heavy climate burden despite low carbon footprint, says PM Shehbaz

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Tuesday that although Pakistan contributes less than one per cent to global carbon emissions, it is amongst the most affected by climate change in his address at a United Nations event in Vienna.

Speaking on ‘Sustainable Development as a Path to Global Peace and Prosperity’, the PM emphasised that sustainable development must be inclusive and equitable, leaving no one behind. “Development cannot be called sustainable if it excludes millions from the promise of a better life,” he added.

Highlighting the disproportionate burden borne by developing countries, he said nations contributing least to global emissions were paying the heaviest price in terms of climate change, economic volatility and debt distress.

PM Shehbaz also recalled the devastating floods of 2022 that claimed thousands of lives, destroyed crops and infrastructure, and displaced millions in Pakistan, adding that subsequent floods had compounded the challenges.

“These disasters erode human security at its core,” he said, stressing that sustainable development must be anchored in equity, justice and fair play. “The neighbouring country continues to violate the Indus Waters Treaty. Threats have been made to use water as a weapon,” he added.

Reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the PM said the government had integrated them into national development planning, focusing on human development, education, healthcare, food security and social protection, particularly for women and youth.

He noted that Pakistan’s large youth population presented both a challenge and an opportunity, underscoring the need for investment in skills, digital transformation and institutional strengthening to harness their potential.

PM Shehbaz reiterated Pakistan’s consistent advocacy for dialogue, diplomacy and multilateralism as the only viable means to resolve disputes and prevent conflict, despite facing aggression and violations of international commitments.

Highlighting Vienna’s unique role within the UN system, he said the city hosted key institutions dealing with counter-terrorism, crime prevention, industrial development and the peaceful uses of nuclear technology and outer space.

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Pakistan, he said, greatly valued its constructive engagement with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and other Vienna-based entities and remained committed to supporting their mandates.

PM Shehbaz further stated that the United Nations must be strengthened and made more effective to meet the demands of a multipolar world. He highlighted the benefits of modern technology, but urged that “artificial intelligence should not be limited to select groups—they must reach all of humanity.”

He also underscored the importance of capacity building, knowledge sharing and technology transfer to ensure that emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and biotechnology benefited all humanity rather than a privileged few.

“Unaddressed digital divides will soon become entrenched development divides,” he warned, urging the international community to address root causes of global challenges instead of merely managing their consequences.

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The PM also stressed the potential of Pakistan’s youth, calling them the country’s “greatest asset and an unparalleled opportunity for development.”

Shehbaz said the world stood at a crossroads where geopolitical hostility, climate stress and technological disruption were converging into a single destabilising force.

“The defining danger of our time is not any single threat, but the combination of many,” he said, warning that poverty, debt distress, mass displacement and unresolved political conflicts were intensifying global instability.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, also addressing the event, said Pakistan remained steadfast in its commitment to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, recognising the indispensable role of the United Nations in global peace, security, sustainable development, and the promotion of human rights.

“The mandates of the UN organisations in Vienna are closely linked to the peace-development nexus, and Pakistan takes pride in its constructive engagement with these pillars of global governance,” he added.

Dar said Pakistan deeply appreciated the role of the IAEA in promoting peaceful applications of nuclear technology for global peace and development.

He further said Pakistan was also committed to further strengthening its partnership with the UN Office on Drugs and Crime for strengthening the rule of law and countering crimes that drain development resources.

“As a driver of inclusive and sustainable industrialisation, UNIDO is central to Pakistan’s efforts in poverty eradication, increasing sources of employment, and transitioning towards cleaner and more resilient industries,” he added.

Moreover, UNIDO Deputy Director General Yuko Yasunaga also said despite contributing minimally to global greenhouse gas emissions, Pakistan remained highly vulnerable to climate impacts. “The devastating floods of 2022 stand as a stark reminder of the scale of this global challenge,” he added.

He pointed out that climate resilience and economic resilience were inseparable and the development of low-carbon technologies and industries was essential to safeguarding livelihoods, promoting growth and strengthening social cohesion.

Meanwhile, PM Shehbaz also met IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi at the Vienna International Centre, according to a statement released by the PM’s Office.

“Pakistan supports IAEA’s role in the promotion of responsible use of nuclear technology in areas such as cancer diagnosis and treatment, agriculture, nuclear power generation and industrial applications,” the statement quoted him as saying.

He highlighted Pakistan’s partnership with the agency, noting that the country is “not only a beneficiary of the IAEA’s Technical Cooperation Programme but is also contributing to the work of the IAEA through the provision of its experts and conducting international trainings for IAEA Member States.”

Grossi acknowledged Pakistan’s expertise in peaceful nuclear technology and the high calibre of its engineers, scientists, and technicians. He “appreciated Pakistan’s contribution to the work of the IAEA in the areas of nuclear safety and security” and stated that Pakistan “was well placed to help other member states of the IAEA in the peaceful applications of nuclear technology,” the statement said.

He said he had visited different nuclear facilities in Pakistan, including the last unit under construction, Chashma, which he said was quite impressive. He also expressed anticipation of Pakistan’s participation in the Nuclear Energy Summit to be organised by France in March 2026 and committed to continue collaboration with Pakistan, the statement added.

Later, the prime minister attended a ceremony of signing of the UNIDO Programme for Country Partnership Pakistan 2025–2030, the UNODC Country Programme Pakistan, and a cooperation agreement between the Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Oncology Lahore and the IAEA.