Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the UN, has called for urgent action to support developing countries in the clean energy transition. He was speaking at a high-level UN event on the 2025 SDG7 Energy Progress Report.
In his statement, the ambassador said that while progress has been made globally, energy access remains unequal. Over 675 million people still lack electricity, and countries like Pakistan face major financial roadblocks.
Ambassador urges support for Pakistan’s clean energy goals
Ambassador Ahmad said Pakistan aims to get 60% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030. The country plans to add 13,000 megawatts of new hydropower. Nuclear energy will also remain part of the clean energy mix.
He highlighted a quiet solar revolution taking place in Pakistan. In early 2025, solar power was already providing about 25% of utility electricity, thanks to cheap imports, easy technology, and net metering.
But he warned that Pakistan needs more than $100 billion in investment to meet its goals by 2030. Limited fiscal space and rising debt make this difficult.
He pointed out that globally, clean energy finance to developing countries is very low; just $21.6 billion. Worse, 83% of it comes as debt. “We need fairer access to funds and better tools to attract private capital,” he said.
The ambassador also said that clean energy must bring social benefits. He shared an example of solar kits given to flood hit families in 2022. These not only restored power but improved mobility, health, and safety.
Ambassador Ahmad ended by warning that the global energy shift could become unjust without proper planning and international support. “This transition risks being unequal and fragmented,” he said.
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