Islamabad: President Asif Ali Zardari has reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to pursuing low-carbon development while safeguarding economic growth and social well-being, through initiatives such as the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) and the National Climate Change Policy.
Marking the International Day of Clean Energy on January 26, the president highlighted the critical role that clean, affordable, and sustainable energy plays in promoting inclusive development, energy security, and the global fight against climate change.
“Pakistan is among the countries most vulnerable to climate change. Therefore, the government has placed the transition to clean energy at the center of its climate and development agenda. Under its UNFCCC commitments, Pakistan aims to achieve 30 percent electric vehicles by 2030, as outlined in its NDCs for 2025,” he said in a statement released by the President Secretariat Media Wing.
President Zardari also pointed to the growing challenge of air pollution, noting that dense smog and fog each year cause traffic accidents, flight cancellations, train service disruptions, and motorway closures. “Schools close, businesses lose opportunities, and hospitals treat patients struggling to breathe clean air.
While air purifiers are common in affluent households, millions still face hazardous conditions, reflecting the serious social and economic costs of pollution,” he added.
He noted that Pakistan’s current energy mix already includes 35 percent clean and renewable energy and emphasized that advancing Sustainable Development Goals 7 (affordable and clean energy) and 13 (climate action) requires prioritizing energy efficiency, conservation, and sustainable resource management.
The president said this clean energy transition is being supported through policy reforms, modernization of energy infrastructure, deployment of renewable technologies, and enhanced institutional coordination. Beyond environmental benefits, he highlighted that the shift to clean energy offers opportunities for economic growth, job creation, and technological advancement.
By promoting innovation, attracting investment, and strengthening institutions, Pakistan aims to build an energy system that is reliable, affordable, resilient, and sustainable. “Let us reaffirm our commitment not only to a climate-resilient, low-carbon, and energy-secure Pakistan, but also, as a responsible global citizen, to support technologies that sustain our planet and move away from those that endanger it,” he concluded.
