British High Commissioner Jane Marriott launches landmark study to prioritise private sector climate financing in Pakistan

Celina Ali

Islamabad: British High Commissioner, Jane Marriott on Monday launched a landmark study to identify and prioritise critical initiatives to mobilise private sector climate financing in Pakistan. The study’s climate finance analysis includes several ‘roadmaps to action’ to support the Government of Pakistan’s ambitions for climate mitigation, adaptation and resilience. The study will help to inform the next generation of UK support to deliver Pakistan’s climate investment ambition. Today’s event (20 November 2023) on ‘Accelerating Green and Climate Resilient Financing in Pakistan’, was co-chaired with Minister of Climate Change, Mr Ahmed Irfan Aslam. The study, implemented through the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), is part of the UK Government’s ‘Centres of Expertise’ initiative by the Growth Gateway Programme.

At the event, the High Commissioner announced three new UK-supported initiatives:

A new partnership with Government of Pakistan to quantify the cost of inaction under the Growth Gateway programme – an important step for Pakistan to develop a robust adaptation and resilience financing strategy. FCDO’s REMIT programme will support the Government of Pakistan with streamlining institutional governance for climate finance. REMIT will also support the development of a national green taxonomy to classify climate investments, through a partnership between the World Bank Group and the State Bank of Pakistan.

British High Commissioner, Jane Marriott CMG OBE, said: “There is no bigger global challenge than tacking climate change, which Pakistan is suffering the impacts of more than most countries. “This new UK-supported analysis is part of our wider climate finance and governance support in Pakistan. By identifying and prioritising the most critical climate finance initiatives, we are laying the foundations for climate finance mobilisation at scale into some of the most important low-carbon and adaptation projects in Pakistan. “Today’s discussion amongst government, private sector and development finance leaders is an important step for harnessing the potential of the private sector to help Pakistan mitigate, and respond to, future climate shocks..”

Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, Mr. Ahmad Irfan Aslam, said: “The UK Government study which has been launched today fills a critical knowledge gap. It identifies which initiatives are required for Pakistan to mobilise more and better climate finance, especially by the private sector. The Government of Pakistan looks forward to collaborating on new areas of support announced by the UK today to take forward several of the key initiatives identified – putting this report into immediate action.”

Ms Charmian Caines, Senior Partner at Boston Consulting Group (BCG), said:

“We at the Growth Gateway Programme have been delighted to support UK and Pakistan in their partnership to bridge Pakistan’s climate financing gaps as it addresses its pressing vulnerability to extreme climate shocks. Our collaboration has identified key enablers to unlock bankable opportunities, priority adaptation and resilience (A&R) projects as well as initiatives to share the pressure of disaster risk financing on government budgets with the private sector.”

Ms Jalpa Patel, CEO of Adam Smith International (ASI) said: “Climate finance and green investments are critical for Pakistan’s future. Adam Smith International is excited to help deliver on the UK’s climate commitments by providing vital technical support on climate financing to the Government of Pakistan through the FCDO-funded REMIT programme to help the government design policy, regulation, and financial instruments for capital markets to catalyse international climate finance.” In attendance was the Finance Minister, Dr Shamshad Akhtar, Senator Sherry Rehman, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Government Effectiveness / Deputy Chairman Planning Commission, Jehanzeb Khan, and other leading climate finance experts.