The High-Level Climate Finance Forum & COP 29 Preparatory Workshop was organised by Resources Future in collaboration with Sohail & Partners on October 31 and November 2, 2024, at the Institute of Business Administration (IBA) in Karachi and the National Institute of Banking and Finance (NIBAF) in Islamabad. To address the pressing need for strong climate finance solutions to make Pakistan more resilient and sustainable, this event brought together important players from many sectors in a first-of-its-kind gathering targeted at improving Pakistan’s climate finance framework.
In Pakistan, we frequently talk about the problems caused by climate change, but we seldom ever concentrate on practical answers. Our response to that trend was this forum, which provided a venue for talking about specific actions to fulfil Pakistan’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). Our goal was to change the topic from issues to #LetsTalkSolutions. For those looking to turn these conversations into actions to make Pakistan’s business sector more resilient, we, Resources Future, are here to support you in navigating climate finance strategies across Pakistan and internationally..
Leaders from the public and commercial sectors came together at the meeting to address urgent problems and lay the groundwork for Pakistan’s climate objectives. Among the industry pioneers we were delighted to have present was Rabeel Hamza Warraich, founder, and CEO of Sarmayacar. He shared insights on how venture capital can drive sustainable projects in Pakistan, mentioning Sarmayacar’s support for initiatives like Climaventures, which has recently attracted a $50 million backing from the Green Climate Fund (GCF). In his remarks, Rabeel conveyed his excitement for the meeting and emphasised the importance of such initiatives in advancing Pakistan’s climate goals by coming together.
Our Climate Change Consultant, Minha Hanif, also offered insightful commentary on how the forum aligns with SDG 17, fortifying partnerships for sustainable development. She emphasised the vital significance of cross-sector collaboration, which served as the main topic of our conversations. By bringing together these diverse perspectives, we were able to start grassroot level conversations which will help us chart actionable steps toward meeting Pakistan’s climate commitments in the coming years.
Impactful seminars led by professionals such as Mr. Bulent of Sohail & Partners, who addressed the recommendations from Day 1, and Khurram Lalani of Resources Future, who gave a session on creating an efficient climate finance governance structure, were included in the agenda. If you are looking to work in the climate finance space, whether through mobilization of funds through climate investment funds, working on dedicated projects in carbon markets space or formulating policy ideas, please reach out to the Resources Future team as we continue to spearhead cutting edge work in climate and climate finance. Reputable speakers including Dr. Abid Suleri, Executive Director of SDPI, and Mr. Akif Saeed, Chairman of SECP, discussed developing robust financing models and regulatory frameworks to promote climate action.
We had the honour of hearing from Dr. Megan Bowman of King’s College London and Dr. Lydia Omuku-Jung of Climate Focus Germany on the global scale. Their observations provided international perspective and highlighted climate governance best practices that Pakistan might use to further its objectives for climate resilience.
We were motivated by the advancements made and the solid network formed among attendees as the forum came to an end. In Pakistan’s road towards COP 29, this meeting was a significant milestone that reaffirmed our dedication to #LetsTalkSolutions as we collaborate for a sustainable, climate-resilient future. We are grateful to everyone who helped make this event a success as we need to work together to create a future in which climate finance powers Pakistan’s sustainable development.
