Pak must unlock global climate finance to future-proof its power grid against climate shocks

THE Paris Agreement (Article 9) mandates developed nations to provide financial resources to support developing country parties’ mitigation and adaptation efforts. Pakistan’s power sector is at the forefront of the climate catastrophe. The 2022 floods exemplified this catastrophe; the vulnerability is evident in minor, recurring incidents: the inundation of the DHA Karachi, KDA and Korangi grids in 2022, the frequent outages during monsoon cloudbursts and the increasing pressure on transmission due to heatwaves. In addition to the operational failures, these climate-triggered disruptions put national security and economic stability at risk.

The solution requires billions in investment for climate-resilient infrastructure; an impossible sum for the national exchequer alone. To address this issue, we have to strategically engage with the global climate finance framework, notably the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and the Adaptation Fund (AF). This is Pakistan’s right under international climate treaties, which recognizes the disproportionate burden carried by developing countries; it is not charity.

Our existing grid is critically vulnerable. Cloudbursts and urban flooding exceed drainage capacity, resulting in substation inundation, as observed across multiple grids in Karachi in 2022. This causes prolonged outages, equipment corrosion and costly repairs. Other than this, elevated........

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