Shehbaz presses world leaders on climate crisis

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif joined world leaders at the COP31 Antalya Leaders’ Summit in Turkiye on Wednesday, where he is expected to highlight Pakistan’s climate challenges and call for stronger international cooperation to tackle global warming.

The summit has brought together representatives from nearly 200 countries as rising greenhouse gas emissions, extreme weather events and geopolitical tensions continue to complicate international climate efforts.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the Pakistani premier at the summit venue. Shehbaz also joined other world leaders for an official group photograph.

According to the Prime Minister’s Office, Shehbaz will stress the urgent need for stronger global action to reduce the harmful effects of climate change. He is also expected to seek greater cooperation to help vulnerable countries deal with environmental threats.

Pakistan will highlight its efforts to accelerate solarisation, expand renewable energy capacity and move towards a cleaner and more climate-resilient economy. The country will also present its initiatives to improve disaster preparedness and strengthen early-warning systems.

The prime minister is expected to urge developed nations and international partners to provide developing countries with adequate, predictable and easily accessible climate financing. Such support, Pakistan believes, is essential for strengthening climate resilience and achieving sustainable development.

Shehbaz is also scheduled to address a high-level dialogue on clean energy transition and electrification titled “35 by 35: Powering the Future”. The session, organised by the COP31 presidency, is scheduled for 3pm local time.

During his visit, the prime minister is expected to hold bilateral meetings with Erdogan and other participating leaders. Discussions will focus on matters of mutual interest and opportunities to expand cooperation.

A dedicated Pakistan Pavilion has also been established at the conference venue. It will host 54 events covering different climate-related issues and initiatives.

Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General Guterres warned world leaders that the global response to climate change was falling dangerously behind the scale of the crisis. He said rising emissions, increasing temperatures and climate-related disasters were pushing the planet towards a destructive path.

Guterres urged governments to intensify their efforts rather than give up, stressing that scientific evidence demanded stronger action. He also called for a faster transition towards clean energy and reduced dependence on fossil fuels.

The conference is taking place amid growing concerns over extreme weather. A recent UN report warned that the world was on course to exceed the 1.5-degree Celsius warming threshold targeted under the Paris Agreement.

The year 2026 has already witnessed severe heatwaves across Western Europe and a devastating glacier collapse in Nepal. The resulting floods killed more than 1,450 people, while thousands remained missing, according to the report.

COP31 discussions are also focused on increasing electricity’s share of global energy consumption to 35 per cent by 2035. The proposal aims to reduce emissions from transport, industry and buildings. However, critics have questioned its effectiveness because it does not require electricity to come from clean energy sources.

Developing countries are also demanding stronger commitments on climate financing. Poorer nations argue that existing financial support from wealthy countries is insufficient to help them adapt to rising temperatures, floods and other environmental threats.

Negotiations have faced difficulties over proposals to expand adaptation financing and establish a platform to discuss financial commitments by developed nations.

With geopolitical conflicts, economic pressures and energy market disruptions competing for attention, expectations for a major breakthrough at COP31 remain limited. However, developing countries are continuing to press for concrete commitments on climate finance and a faster transition towards sustainable energy.