Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday called for grant-based finance and improved resilience and adaptation funds for climate-vulnerable countries at COP31, being held in Turkiye’s Antalya.

This year’s summit focuses on transitioning toward a low-carbon future.

Delegates from nearly 200 countries are meeting in the Mediterranean resort city of Antalya as global greenhouse gas emissions show little sign of falling, while wars, inflation and other crises compete for political attention.

Addressing the summit, PM Shehbaz highlighted Pakistan’s efforts to promote clean energy but warned that “national effort cannot replace a fair and just global response”.

“When climate disasters strike, vulnerable countries need timely help and finance that does not deepen their debt,” he said, adding that Pakistan called for “grant-based finance, including public-private partnerships, alongside a significant increase in resilience and adaptation funds, which amount to survival funds, especially for struggling economies”.

He said clean energy sources accounted for nearly 55pc of Pakistan’s energy needs, adding that the country was advancing electric mobility and had set a target of reducing projected emissions by about 50pc by 2035.

Recalling the 2025 floods in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Buner district, the prime minister said: “In August 2025, a young man in Buner was just two days away from his wedding when flash floods swept through his village. A home preparing for celebrations became a house of mourning.”

“Their grief was personal, yet the warning signs were global,” the prime minister said, noting that this was the story of “millions of people in Pakistan and across the developing world”.

“People who have contributed the least to climate change bear its heaviest consequences,” he added.

Addressing the summit, PM Shehbaz also recalled the 2022 floods in Pakistan, noting the economic damage and mass displacement the catastrophe caused.

More than 1,700 people lost their lives, and economic losses exceeded $30bn, the prime minister said.

PM Shehbaz recalled his speech at the UN General Assembly in 2022. “I had warned that what is happening in Pakistan will not stay in Pakistan, and unfortunately, that warning has become a stark reality.

“The future we feared has become the present we are living,” he said.

Underscoring the need for global solidarity, the premier remarked, “Climate change knows no borders and no nation can face it alone. Solidarity must mean real action.”

He then expressed gratitude to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for his country’s support for Pakistan during the 2010 and 2022 floods.

Addressing the summit, PM Shehbaz also warned against the weaponisation of water.

“No nation should be allowed to put the lives and livelihoods of people downstream at risk. Water-sharing agreements must be honoured in letter and spirit,” the premier said.

Concluding his address, PM Shehbaz said world leaders had gathered at the summit to “shoulder a shared responsibility to protect life on this earth”.

“Let our success be measured not by promises we make here but by the families we protect, the resources we deliver, and the meaningful action we sustain,” he said.

Later, upon his departure from Antalya, the premier expressed his “deep appreciation for the warmth and affection of my dear brother, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan”.

He praised Erdogan’s “powerful” address, particularly his words regarding the situation in Gaza, which he called one of “the most poignant moments” of the summit.

“His graciousness in hosting a luncheon meeting with me today, despite an exceptionally busy schedule […] is yet another reflection of his friendship and generosity,” he added.

“Pakistan and Turkiye are bound by an enduring brotherhood. We will stand together, always.”

Meetings on the sidelines of the summit

Separately, PM Shehbaz held another series of meetings on the sidelines of the COP31 summit, including with the Turkish president. The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), said that PM Shehbaz and Erdogan reaffirmed the deep-rooted, historic, and brotherly ties between Pakistan and Turkiye, and expressed satisfaction at the positive trajectory of bilateral relations.

“The prime minister and the president held wide-ranging discussions on avenues to further enhance bilateral cooperation, with particular focus on trade and investment, defence collaboration, energy cooperation and connectivity,” it said.

“Both leaders emphasised the importance of expediting the implementation of ongoing initiatives and exploring new opportunities to further deepen economic engagement. They also exchanged views on the evolving regional situation and broader global developments,” it said.

It said that the premier highlighted the ongoing efforts by regional countries, particularly members of the Makkah Accord, to promote de-escalation and dialogue.

It said that the Turkish president appreciated Pakistan’s constructive role and mediation efforts which led to the signing of the Islamabad memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Iran and the US.

“The prime minister thanked President Erdogan for his steadfast support and close coordination throughout Pakistan’s entire diplomatic effort. Both leaders underscored the importance of adherence by all parties to their commitments under the Islamabad MoU to ensure durable and lasting peace in the wider region,” it said.

“Both leaders reaffirmed their steadfast support for each other on issues of core national interest, reflecting the enduring tradition of mutual trust and solidarity between Pakistan and Turkiye. They also reaffirmed their resolve to further strengthen the strategic partnership between Pakistan and Turkiye, building on fraternal ties, and a shared vision for peace and prosperity,” it said.

The prime minister also met the president of Sudan’s Transitional Sovereignty Council, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan.

A PMO statement said Shehbaz reaffirmed Pakistan’s longstanding ties with Sudan and reiterated Islamabad’s support for the country’s sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity.

He also expressed solidarity with the Sudanese people amid the prevailing challenges.

The two leaders had a productive exchange on ways to further strengthen bilateral relations in various areas of mutual interest, it added.

They also exchanged views on the challenges posed by climate change and emphasised the importance of enhanced international cooperation to address its impact, particularly on developing countries.

Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining close coordination at multilateral forums, it said.

The premier also held a meeting with the president of Finland, Alexander Stubb. According to the PMO, the meeting provided an opportunity to review Pakistan–Finland relations and strengthen cooperation in areas of mutual interest.

It said PM Shehbaz reaffirmed Pakistan’s desire to “translate the longstanding and friendly relations into a forward-looking partnership encompassing trade and investment, education and skills development, technology, climate resilience and people-to-people contacts”.

He also noted the considerable potential to increase bilateral trade and welcomed the presence of Finnish companies in Pakistan, it added. The statement said PM Shehbaz also encouraged greater business-to-business engagement, technology transfer and investment in telecommunications, advanced manufacturing, clean technologies and mining.

“The two leaders exchanged views on climate change, disaster risk reduction and environmental cooperation. The prime minister expressed interest in Finnish technical expertise in flood forecasting, water management, climate-resilient agriculture, glacier monitoring and early-warning systems,” the statement said.

“Underlining the importance of dialogue, mediation and peaceful settlement, the two leaders exchanged views on ongoing diplomatic efforts for peaceful and durable solutions to the conflicts in Ukraine and West Asia,” it added.

The statement further said that President Stubb appreciated Pakistan’s role in facilitating dialogue and mediation between the US and Iran.

“The two leaders reaffirmed the importance of maintaining regular engagement and exploring practical avenues to deepen bilateral cooperation. The prime minister reiterated the invitation to President Stubb to undertake an official visit to Pakistan at a mutually convenient time,” it said.

Further, the prime minister also met the president of Iraq, Nizar Mohammed Saeed Amidi. The PMO said PM Shehbaz congratulated President Amidi and the people of Iraq on the successful conduct of parliamentary elections and formation of the new government.

“He reaffirmed Pakistan’s steadfast support for Iraq’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, national unity and stability,” it said.

“The two leaders reaffirmed the longstanding brotherly relations between Pakistan and Iraq, rooted in shared faith, historical bonds and strong people-to-people contacts. Expressing satisfaction over the positive momentum in bilateral relations, they underscored the importance of sustained high-level exchanges and institutional engagement,” the statement said.

The statement said that the premier also extended an invitation to President Amidi to visit Pakistan at a mutually convenient time.

“The two sides reviewed the entire spectrum of bilateral cooperation, with particular focus on trade, investment, manpower, reconstruction, agriculture, and defence,” the statement said.

“The prime minister appreciated Iraq’s facilitation for Pakistani zaireen (pilgrims). The two leaders also exchanged views on regional and international developments and reaffirmed their commitment for close coordination at multilateral fora,” it said.

Pakistan stresses clean energy

On Tuesday, PM Shehbaz addressed a high-level dialogue on clean energy transition, titled ‘35 by 35: Powering the Future’, where he highlighted Pakistan’s solar power boom.

“In just two years, Pakistan has added nearly 22 gigawatts of rooftop solar capacity — a quiet revolution by ordinary citizens seeking affordable power and a cleaner, more predictable future.”

He had affirmed that Pakistan fully supports the ‘35-by-35 Global Electrification Pledge’, wherein countries agree to aim to increase electricity’s share of total final energy consumption to around 35 per cent by 2035 in line with global climate objectives. The prime minister also held several bilateral conversations with world leaders and international organisations on the sidelines of the summit on Wednesday.

Dozens of leaders are speaking during the “high-level segment” taking place on Wednesday and Thursday, including Erdogan, Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, whose country hosted last year’s climate talks.

“Nature — no less than people — is also paying a heavy price for armed conflicts. The starkest example of this is Gaza… what has taken place in Gaza is not only a genocide, but it is also an ecocide,” Erdogan said to applause on Wednesday.

The United States, the world’s largest historical emitter, has skipped the talks for the second year in a row after President Donald Trump — who has called global warming a hoax — withdrew the US from climate cooperation following his return to office in 2025.

Negotiators from nearly 200 countries are seeking agreement on a plan to increase the share of electricity in global energy use and revive stalled efforts to move away from fossil fuels.

On Wednesday, the UN chief told world leaders at the summit that the slow international response to climate change so far had placed the world on a path to destruction.

Governments must fight harder to preserve the planet for future generations, he said, in comments that set the tone for two days of rapid-fire speeches by world leaders.

“The brutal truth is that the climate crisis is outrunning us. This is the path to mutually assured destruction,” Guterres said, pointing to rising emissions, global temperatures and worsening climate-driven disasters.

“But science is not telling us to surrender. It is telling us to fight harder.”