Speakers demand energy justice, accountability

A two-day energy and climate conference in Karachi ended on Wednesday with participants calling for a fairer shift to renewable power, open climate financing and stronger environmental oversight, Business Recorder reported. Speakers cautioned that expanding solar energy should not leave poorer households and workers behind. They also sought community input and a fairer distribution of the gains and costs of energy projects.

At the conference, Dr Omais Abdur Rehman said Pakistan had about 45 gigawatts of generation capacity, alongside nearly 38 gigawatts of solar systems installed independently by consumers. Hussain Rizvi cited a Karachi survey in which 86 percent of people in low-income settlements experienced 13 to 20 hours of daily power cuts. Participants proposed affordable solar financing, training, better grid links and battery storage, while Sindh Mass Transit Authority Managing Director Behram Amir Memon said 84 electric buses were operating, with further buses planned or proposed.

Discussions also covered heat protection, water access, climate-resilient infrastructure and transparent use of climate funds. Participants cited more than USD30 billion in damage and economic losses from the 2022 floods and called for measures including early-warning systems, crop insurance and flood protection.