Islamabad:Pakistan’s drive to confront escalating climate threats received a major boost as the Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination (MoCC&EC) secured Rs2.478 billion under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) for the upcoming fiscal year (2026-27), with the bulk of the funding earmarked for afforestation, green growth and building resilience against floods, droughts and other climate-induced disasters.
Beginning July 1, the allocation will finance four key projects focusing on ecological restoration, youth-oriented green skills, urban resilience and strengthening institutional capacities to support the country's climate action agenda, according to official documents.
The largest share of the allocation, amounting to Rs2.335bn, has been set aside for the flagship Up-scaling of Green Pakistan Programme, aimed at expanding forest cover, conserving biodiversity, enhancing carbon sequestration and restoring degraded ecosystems.
The allocations also reflect Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif's emphasis on making Pakistan more climate-resilient and integrating environmental sustainability into the country’s development priorities.
Officials said the PSDP package is intended to strengthen Pakistan's preparedness against mounting risks arising from glacial melting, glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), water scarcity, deforestation, heatwaves, forest fires and land degradation, whose impacts have intensified in recent years.
The climate ministry’s spokesperson and climate policy advocacy specialist Mohammad Saleem Shaikh said the prime minister had consistently advocated climate action as a national priority and ensured that environmental concerns were embedded in development planning.
"Under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's leadership, climate resilience has become a central pillar of Pakistan's development strategy. These investments are aimed at protecting people, restoring ecosystems and ensuring that the country is better prepared to confront emerging threats posed by glacial retreat, GLOFs, water stress, heat extremes, forest fires and environmental degradation," Mr Saleem Shaikh said.
The senior ministry official remarked that the budget reflected the government's growing commitment to climate resilience and nature-based solutions at a time when Pakistan remained among the countries most vulnerable to climate-induced disasters.
"The PSDP allocation for FY2026-27 demonstrates that climate action is no longer a peripheral issue but a national development priority. These investments are designed to strengthen ecosystems, create green economic opportunities and protect communities against the growing impacts of climate change," Mr Shaikh said.
He said the Green Pakistan Programme would continue to serve as the country's flagship ecological restoration initiative, helping enhance forest cover, conserve biodiversity and unlock opportunities for carbon financing. "Restoring natural capital is an investment in Pakistan's future. Healthy forests and ecosystems not only absorb carbon emissions but also support livelihoods, water security and disaster resilience," Mr. Saleem Shaikh noted.
According to ministry documents, three new components are being incorporated into the Green Pakistan Programme, including the establishment of a Wildlife Rescue Centre and Urban Forestry Unit in Margalla Hills National Park, the creation of a National Botanical Garden at Bani Gala and the development of a Pollution Load Assessment Network to monitor air and water pollution in Islamabad.
An allocation of Rs51.6m has also been made for the "Green Skills for Sustainable Development" initiative aimed at equipping young people with skills needed for a low-carbon economy and promoting green entrepreneurship.
Shaikh said investment in youth and innovation would help transform climate challenges into economic opportunities. "Green jobs and green entrepreneurship represent the future. By empowering young people with climate-relevant skills, Pakistan can simultaneously tackle unemployment and build a resilient, sustainable economy," he said.
