Islamabad: A national meeting for the Community of Practice for Article 6 Implementing Countries (CoP-AISC) held at at a local hotel here, in which Pakistan’s leading voices discussed academia’s potential in supporting the country’s carbon market.
The meeting brought together Pakistan’s CoP-AISAC steering committee, with representatives from academia, government, and development sectors, to refine strategies for building Pakistan’s carbon market infrastructure and capacity.
Under Article 6 of the 2015 Paris Agreement, countries can work together to cut greenhouse gas emissions, with carbon trading as a key tool. Through this mechanism, nations with reduced emissions can sell credits to others, generating funds for further climate initiatives and fostering sustainable growth in the countries selling credits.
Pakistan’s efforts in this field are still developing, but experts and government officials see carbon markets as crucial to strengthening climate resilience.
Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Cl
imate Change and Environmental Coordination, Zulfiqar Younas, started the meeting by addressing the importance of Pakistan’s climate adaptation. ‘We recognize the vulnerable position of Pakistan in the face of climate change impacts,’ Younas said. ‘Carbon markets are one of the keys to unlocking mitigation potential, and international collaborations like SPAR6C are vital.’
Funded by Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) through the International Climate Initiative (IKI), SPAR6C is a five-year project led by the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) with support from Carbon Limits, UNEP Copenhagen Climate Centre (UNEP-CCC), Kommunalkredit Public Consulting, and GFA Consulting. Now in its third year, SPAR6C is supporting Pakistan by developing policies and strengthening capabilities for carbon markets, focusing on nurturing local talent for future climate initiatives.
Allison Jay Sterling, Senior Advisor at UNEP-CCC and lead for SPAR6C’s Research Mentorship Program (RMP), ex
plained the program’s vision of cultivating skilled researchers. The RMP offers graduate students in four partner countries, including Pakistan, a chance to steer their studies towards careers in climate and carbon markets.
Applications for Pakistani students are open until November 10, 2024, and the Ministry of Climate Change sees programs like RMP as a way to build expertise among young people.
Saif Shah, a master’s student from IBA Karachi and an RMP participant, presented his findings on the impact of carbon markets in Pakistan’s cement industry, South Asia’s second-largest emitter. Shah credited the RMP with inspiring him to shift his focus from economics to carbon markets, describing the program as transformative for his career.
Faseeh Ahmed from FC College shared similar experiences. His research on carbon trading potential in Pakistan’s textile industry involved outreach to hundreds of companies, giving him practical insights into sustainability. ‘The internship opportunity has been invaluable,’ Ah
med said, explaining how it enabled him to apply research in real-world settings and develop his career in climate action.
Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed, Chairman of Pakistan’s Higher Education Commission (HEC), stressed the significance of such programs for the six million university students across the country. He emphasized the need to prepare youth not just to understand climate challenges, but also to develop and adopt solutions. ‘You have my full support in advancing these efforts,’ Dr. Ahmed stated, urging more collaboration with the Ministry of Climate Change.
Hafsah Rizwan, National Coordinator of CoP-ASIC, echoed this sentiment, stressing the need to sustain programs like RMP beyond the SPAR6C timeline. She encouraged government agencies and academic institutions to work together to ensure that the knowledge and momentum built through RMP continues.
Concluding the meeting, Joint Secretary for Climate Finance, Khalida Bashir, highlighted the Ministry’s interest in expanding partnerships with universities. ‘We
aim to provide platforms for knowledge sharing and experiential learning for students,’ she said, encouraging universities to leverage government resources.
The meeting ended with a review of the recommendations discussed, which were shared with SPAR6C, HEC, and the Ministry of Climate Change for further action.