Pakistan urges low-cost funding to strengthen clean energy security

Islamabad – (Special Correspondent / Web Desk) – Pakistan has called on international partners to increase concessional financing for developing countries, according to the Press Information Department (PID) on Sunday, citing an aide to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

The appeal was made by Romina Khurshid Alam, the Prime Minister’s climate change coordinator, while delivering Pakistan’s national statement at the 16th International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) Assembly in Abu Dhabi.

Pakistan has rapidly become one of the world’s fastest-growing solar markets, with 12 gigawatts (GWs) of off-grid and more than 6 GWs of net-metered solar capacity projected by the end of 2025. Last fiscal year, renewable energy contributed a record 53 percent of the country’s total electricity generation, Alam noted.

She emphasized that affordable financing for developing nations is crucial to accelerating the transition to clean energy and improving energy security amid growing climate and economic pressures.

Alam also reaffirmed Pakistan’s goal of achieving 60 percent renewable energy in the national power mix by 2030. She urged IRENA and its member countries to expand concessional funding, treat technologies like energy storage and green hydrogen as global public goods, and strengthen regional cooperation for shared energy security.

At #IRENA16A, Pakistan highlighted its rapid solar surge: 18 GW of solar capacity by 2025, with renewables now exceeding 53% of power generation. Initiatives like the Punjab Solar Panel Scheme are tackling energy poverty directly. Target: 60% renewables by 2030.

We call for… pic.twitter.com/OUQD0DeuYW

— Pakistan Embassy UAE (@PakinUAE_) January 11, 2026

IRENA, an intergovernmental organization focused on energy transformation, provides a platform for international collaboration, supports countries in their energy transition, and offers cutting-edge data and analysis on technology, policy, finance, and investment. Its membership includes 170 countries and the European Union.

The 16th IRENA Assembly, held from January 10-12 in Abu Dhabi, focused on the theme “Powering Humanity: Renewable Energy for Shared Prosperity,” bringing together global leaders and energy decision-makers to discuss strategies for accelerating renewable energy adoption worldwide and promoting economic inclusion, equity, and human well-being.

Alam shared that Pakistan is taking action against energy poverty through initiatives like the Punjab Solar Panel Scheme 2026, which provides free or subsidized systems to low-income households.

She highlighted how distributed solar kits have restored power and livelihoods in flood-affected communities and offer a replicable model for climate-resilient recovery.

“Pakistan remains fully committed to the Paris Agreement and looks to IRENA for continued technical and financial support in building a resilient, inclusive, and low-carbon future,” Alam said.

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Adopted in 2015 to combat climate change, the Paris Agreement binds nations to hold “the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels” and pursue efforts “to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.”