Latest news with #MAbdulAleem
Express Tribune
8 hours ago
- Business
- Express Tribune
OICCI proposes more climate finance, business role
The Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OICCI) has underscored the urgency of mobilising climate finance at scale as the private sector is positioned to act as a central partner in building resilience. The assertion came at the launch of OICCI's 3rd Pakistan Climate Conference Report titled "Creating an Enabling Environment for Private Sector Participation in Climate Resilience." Ranked first on the Climate Risk Index 2025 despite contributing less than 0.9% to the global greenhouse gas emissions, Pakistan is bearing disproportionate losses. In 2022 alone, climate-induced disasters inflicted over $30 billion in damages, with recovery needs exceeding $16.3 billion. Air pollution alone causes over 128,000 premature deaths annually, while productivity in agriculture has declined by 10-20% due to climate variability, further straining livelihoods and the economy. Experts warn Pakistan now requires $40-50 billion annually to effectively mitigate and adapt to climate risks. Speaking at the launch of the report, Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Secretary Aisha Humera Chaudhry said: "Pakistan's climate vulnerability is a globally acknowledged reality. But to respond effectively, we must channel substantial and timely climate finance towards local solutions. The role of the private sector, as showcased by the OICCI and its member companies, is central to our national climate strategy. We call on international partners to match Pakistan's climate ambition with significant funding support." The economic argument for climate finance is clear. Without urgent decarbonisation, Pakistan's exports face mounting risks under new global trade frameworks, such as the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism. OICCI Secretary General M Abdul Aleem stressed "Pakistan's reliance on fossil fuels and carbon-intensive practices puts our exports at risk, especially under frameworks like the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism. Decarbonisation and green finance are no longer optional; they are essential to sustain economic growth and global competitiveness."
Business Recorder
8 hours ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
‘Pakistan needs $50bn annually to mitigate to climate risks'
ISLAMABAD: Ranked first on the Climate Risk Index 2025 despite contributing less than 0.9 percent to global greenhouse gas emissions, Pakistan is bearing disproportionate losses. In 2022 alone, climate-induced disasters inflicted over USD 30 billion in damages, with recovery needs exceeding $16.3 billion. Air pollution alone causes over 128,000 premature deaths annually, while productivity in agriculture has declined by 10–20 percent due to climate variability, further straining livelihoods and the economy. Experts warn that Pakistan now requires $40–50 billion annually to effectively mitigate and adapt to climate risks. Speaking at the report launch, Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination (MoCC&E) Secretary Aisha Humera Chaudhry said: 'Pakistan's climate vulnerability is a globally acknowledged reality. But to respond effectively, we must channel substantial and timely climate finance towards local solutions. The role of the private sector, as showcased by OICCI and its member companies, is central to our national climate strategy. We call on international partners to match Pakistan's climate ambition with significant funding support.' The economic argument for climate finance is clear. Without urgent decarbonisation, Pakistan's exports face mounting risks under new global trade frameworks, such as the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism. OICCI Secretary General M Abdul Aleem stressed: 'Pakistan's reliance on fossil fuels and carbon-intensive practices puts our exports at risk, especially under frameworks like the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism. Decarbonization and green finance are no longer optional, they are essential to sustaining economic growth and global competitiveness.' Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) Executive Director Dr Abid Suleri reinforced the need for collaborative policy and financing mechanisms: 'In the context of eroding public and grant based climate finance, market-based solutions and private sector is not part of problem but an amicable solution to climate crises. Climate catastrophes are not a future concern; it is today's socioeconomic reality. Pakistan must now move beyond pledges and create an ecosystem where private investment in climate resilience is not only encouraged but enabled through consistent policy, data transparency, and accessible financing instruments.' ACCA President Ayla Majid emphasised the role of skills and financial expertise in climate action: 'Mobilising climate finance is not just about securing funds, it is about ensuring they are deployed effectively, with transparency and measurable impact. Building the financial, technical, and governance capacities to manage these resources is key to turning commitments into real resilience for Pakistan.' The 3rd PCC Report outlines actionable pathways in regenerative agriculture, industrial decarbonisation, plastic circularity, and carbon market development. It emphasises that climate funding must be paired with enabling policies and capacity-building to close Pakistan's climate financing gap. The OICCI, as the only private sector representative from Pakistan at COP28 and COP29, continues to champion public-private partnerships for climate action. The organisation has engaged with regulators, including the State Bank of Pakistan and the SECP, to advance green taxonomies and ESG reporting frameworks. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
9 hours ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
Country needs $50bn annually to mitigate to climate risks
ISLAMABAD: Ranked first on the Climate Risk Index 2025 despite contributing less than 0.9 percent to global greenhouse gas emissions, Pakistan is bearing disproportionate losses. In 2022 alone, climate-induced disasters inflicted over USD 30 billion in damages, with recovery needs exceeding $16.3 billion. Air pollution alone causes over 128,000 premature deaths annually, while productivity in agriculture has declined by 10–20 percent due to climate variability, further straining livelihoods and the economy. Experts warn that Pakistan now requires $40–50 billion annually to effectively mitigate and adapt to climate risks. Speaking at the report launch, Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination (MoCC&E) Secretary Aisha Humera Chaudhry said: 'Pakistan's climate vulnerability is a globally acknowledged reality. But to respond effectively, we must channel substantial and timely climate finance towards local solutions. The role of the private sector, as showcased by OICCI and its member companies, is central to our national climate strategy. We call on international partners to match Pakistan's climate ambition with significant funding support.' The economic argument for climate finance is clear. Without urgent decarbonisation, Pakistan's exports face mounting risks under new global trade frameworks, such as the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism. OICCI Secretary General M Abdul Aleem stressed: 'Pakistan's reliance on fossil fuels and carbon-intensive practices puts our exports at risk, especially under frameworks like the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism. Decarbonization and green finance are no longer optional, they are essential to sustaining economic growth and global competitiveness.' Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) Executive Director Dr Abid Suleri reinforced the need for collaborative policy and financing mechanisms: 'In the context of eroding public and grant based climate finance, market-based solutions and private sector is not part of problem but an amicable solution to climate crises. Climate catastrophes are not a future concern; it is today's socioeconomic reality. Pakistan must now move beyond pledges and create an ecosystem where private investment in climate resilience is not only encouraged but enabled through consistent policy, data transparency, and accessible financing instruments.' ACCA President Ayla Majid emphasised the role of skills and financial expertise in climate action: 'Mobilising climate finance is not just about securing funds, it is about ensuring they are deployed effectively, with transparency and measurable impact. Building the financial, technical, and governance capacities to manage these resources is key to turning commitments into real resilience for Pakistan.' The 3rd PCC Report outlines actionable pathways in regenerative agriculture, industrial decarbonisation, plastic circularity, and carbon market development. It emphasises that climate funding must be paired with enabling policies and capacity-building to close Pakistan's climate financing gap. The OICCI, as the only private sector representative from Pakistan at COP28 and COP29, continues to champion public-private partnerships for climate action. The organisation has engaged with regulators, including the State Bank of Pakistan and the SECP, to advance green taxonomies and ESG reporting frameworks. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
25-07-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
Overall security environment: OICCI survey reveals measurable improvement
KARACHI: The Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OICCI) has released the results of its Annual Security Survey 2025, reflecting feedback from leading foreign investors operating across Pakistan. Covering the period from June 2024 to May 2025, the survey revealed a measurable improvement in the overall security environment, particularly in key business hubs of Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad. According to the survey, over 70 percent of respondents reported a notable decline in serious crimes in Karachi, Lahore, and across Punjab, with street crimes also reducing significantly in Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad. Additionally, employee perceptions of personal safety during daily commutes improved for two-thirds of the respondents, especially in the aforementioned cities. However, the findings also highlight that security challenges persist in certain sensitive regions. While street crimes moderately declined in Quetta and Peshawar, these cities continue to be perceived as the least secure for personal safety. OICCI shows concern over climate change impacts on Pakistan Most notably, Balochistan witnessed deterioration in serious crimes compared to the previous year, impacting the positive trend seen in other provinces. This divergence reinforces concerns that while perception has improved in major cities, the fragile security situation in regions like Balochistan continues to impact Pakistan's global image and undermines long-term investor confidence. Importantly, despite visible progress in key urban centers, security remains one of the top three concerns for Chief Executives, signaling that continued and inclusive improvement is essential for sustaining business confidence. Commenting on the findings, Secretary General OICCI M Abdul Aleem stated: 'The OICCI Security Survey 2025 reflects a cautiously optimistic outlook, with clear gains in major cities like Karachi and Lahore, a positive signal for investor confidence. However, sustaining and expanding these improvements across all regions is essential to maintain momentum and reassure both local and foreign stakeholders about Pakistan's overall security trajectory.' While the number of overseas business visits to Pakistan remained similar to 2024, the decline in meetings held abroad indicates growing confidence in Pakistan's internal security environment. The few instances of postponed travel were primarily due to geopolitical tensions, particularly India-Pakistan escalations, rather than domestic security concerns. The OICCI reiterates its commitment to partnering with government and law enforcement institutions to promote a more secure and enabling business climate throughout Pakistan. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Express Tribune
25-07-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Better security to build investor trust
Listen to article A measurable improvement has been observed in the overall security environment in Pakistan, particularly in key business hubs of Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad, according to a survey released on Thursday. The Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OICCI) released results of its Annual Security Survey 2025, which reflects feedback from leading foreign investors operating across Pakistan. According to the survey that covered the period from June 2024 to May 2025, over 70% of respondents reported a notable decline in serious crimes in Karachi, Lahore and across Punjab, with street crimes also reducing significantly in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad. Additionally, employee perceptions of personal safety during daily commutes improved for two-thirds of respondents. While street crimes declined moderately in Quetta and Peshawar, these cities continue to be perceived as least secure for personal safety. Most notably, there was deterioration in serious crimes in Balochistan compared to the previous year, impacting the positive trend seen in other provinces. "This divergence reinforces concerns that while perception has improved in major cities, the fragile security situation in regions like Balochistan continues to impact Pakistan's global image and undermines long-term investor confidence," the OICCI said. Despite visible progress in key urban centres, security remains one of the top three concerns for chief executives. Commenting on the survey findings, OICCI Secretary General M Abdul Aleem stated: "The OICCI Security Survey 2025 reflects a cautiously optimistic outlook, with clear gains in major cities like Karachi and Lahore, a positive signal for investor confidence. However, sustaining and expanding these improvements across all regions is essential to maintain the momentum and reassure both local and foreign stakeholders about Pakistan's overall security trajectory."
