Sindh prepares six climate projects worth $62.15m for submission to federal ministry: Faisal Uqaili

Sindh prepares six climate projects worth $62.15m for submission to federal ministry: Faisal Uqaili

Sindh prepares six climate projects worth $62.15m for submission to federal ministry: Faisal Uqaili

Sindh finalises provincial recommendations for Pakistan’s NDC 3.0; 10 firms pitch green projects with $120m investment potential

Karachi (28 October): A two-day investor roadshow organised by the Climate Finance Accelerator (CFA) Pakistan, a programme supported by the British government, was held at a local hotel in Karachi to promote environmental protection, mitigate the impacts of climate change and support a green economy.
The second day of the event featured a high-level policy dialogue that focused on increasing private investment in climate projects, policy and regulatory reforms, carbon finance and creating an enabling environment for reducing carbon emissions.

Ten Pakistani businesses from five sectors — clean energy, agriculture, waste management, construction and electric transport — presented their environmentally friendly projects to potential investors. The projects have an estimated investment potential of $120 million over the next three years.

The dialogue was attended by Sindh Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Coastal Development Faisal Ahmed Uqaili, representatives of the British government, investors, banks, development finance institutions and environmental businesses.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Faisal Ahmed Uqaili outlined the Sindh government's initiatives to mitigate the impacts of climate change, protect the environment and promote renewable energy, green growth and carbon finance. He said the provincial government was working on policymaking, institutional reforms and investment-ready projects to advance these objectives.

He said the Sindh Climate Change Policy 2022 and provincial recommendations relating to Pakistan's Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC 3.0) provided a foundation for these efforts. An institutional framework had also been established to coordinate matters relating to climate change and carbon finance.

Mr Uqaili said the Sindh government had endorsed 13 projects for the development of the carbon market and forwarded them to the federal Ministry of Climate Change. The projects have the potential to reduce carbon emissions by an estimated 330.13 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent.

The portfolio includes 50-megawatt wind power projects, emission-reduction initiatives in the energy sector, gas processing, biochar production from agricultural waste, measures to reduce methane emissions from agricultural activities, and sustainable forestry and land-use initiatives.

The provincial government has also prepared proposals for six priority climate projects worth approximately $62.15 million, he said. These include biogas projects in five districts, floating agriculture in lower Sindh, reducing carbon emissions from brick kilns and capacity-building for climate finance.

The projects aim to encourage environment-friendly technologies, reduce pollution and strengthen the province's capacity to respond to climate change.
According to Mr Uqaili, the government is also working on a comprehensive climate registry, a digital dashboard and a carbon compliance and emissions trading system to improve carbon-market management, monitor emissions and verify project outcomes. Related legal and regulatory reforms are also under way.

Efforts are being made to improve access to financing and investment for climate initiatives through the Sindh Climate Change Fund Board and the Sindh Sustainable Development Fund Board, he added.

Mr Uqaili said Sindh faced climate-related threats, including extreme heat, floods, water scarcity, rising sea levels and saltwater intrusion in coastal areas. Addressing these challenges required resilient infrastructure, reliable environmental data, effective planning and stronger coordination among government departments.

He said the provincial government's objective was to promote viable climate projects in collaboration with national and international partners and the private sector, mobilise investment and create opportunities for sustainable, low-carbon development.

Experts and participants at the dialogue stressed that effective cooperation among the government, private sector and international partners was essential to addressing the challenges posed by climate change.

They noted that Sindh's policy and institutional measures to promote carbon finance, environment-friendly technologies, renewable energy and climate projects could open up new opportunities for private investment and sustainable development. The initiatives could also help reduce pollution and carbon emissions while strengthening the province's resilience to climate-related risks.