The State Department’s Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs recently announced that the United States is collaborating with Pakistan to increase its renewable energy share from 34% to 60% by 2030.
This involves Pakistan’s plan to set up 10,000 megawatts of solar power, potentially benefiting over a third of Pakistani households.
This announcement coincided with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi’s visit to Pakistan, during which both countries agreed to expedite finalizing a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and emphasized energy cooperation.
When questioned about the proposed deals with Iran, a US State Department spokesperson cautioned about the risk of sanctions. Assistant Secretary of State Donald Lu expressed doubts about Pakistan’s financing for the gas pipeline project with Iran and emphasized US interest in clean energy.
At COP26, Pakistan revised its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) to aim for a 60% reduction in emissions by 2030.
The State Department highlighted US support for clean energy projects in Pakistan, including a grant for electric vehicle research and leveraging funds for climate resilience and smart agriculture.
While some praised the US-Pakistan partnership for promoting renewable energy, others raised concerns about misuse of funds by the Pakistani government and advocated for reforms in energy distribution and contracts.
