PM Shehbaz urges debt-free climate financing, greater adaptation funds at COP31

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called for developed countries and international financial institutions to provide more grant-based climate funding and expand adaptation support at the COP31 Leaders’ Summit in Antalya, Türkiye, on Thursday. He argued that adding loans would deepen the pressure on economies facing climate disasters, and urged international cooperation and public-private partnerships. Referring to Pakistan’s 2022 floods, he said they affected about 33 million people, killed more than 1,700 and caused losses above $30 billion.

Shehbaz also urged respect for water-sharing agreements and protection of downstream communities. In talks with Finnish President Alexander Stubb, he discussed trade, investment and cooperation on climate resilience, including flood forecasting and water management, and invited Finnish firms to increase investment and technology transfer. Separately, he and Sudan’s General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan discussed bilateral ties and cooperation on climate challenges.