Breathe Pakistan: Business leaders, experts stress need to tackle climate change's impact on agri-economy

The second Breathe Pakistan International Climate Change Conference kicked off in Islamabad on Wednesday, with business leaders and experts highlighting the impact on the country’s agricultural sector and vulnerable communities, and the need for determined implementation of legal and policy frameworks, as well as climate finance. Despite contributing minimally to global emissions, Pakistan remains among the most climate-vulnerable nations, underscoring the critical need for coordinated, locally grounded, and globally informed responses. The two-day conference, organised by DawnMedia,* brings together policymakers, experts, and stakeholders from across sectors to examine intersecting challenges and chart a path forward. Federal ministers, government officials, business leaders, and agriculture and water experts were among the various speakers who presented their perspectives on tackling the climate crisis. Key takeaways: Pakistan must be disciplined in management of energy transition: Dawn CEO Nazafreen Saigol Lakhani Pakistan can be a test case for solutions: UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Mohamed Yahya Pakistan must build resilience in the entire shock cycle with layered system, better risk data: WFP Country Representative Coco Ushiyama Pakistan’s plan to slash greenhouse gas emissions by 50pc requires more than $550m in financing: SBP Deputy Governor Saleemullah Think of nature as infrastructure, create alternatives to grey infrastructure: AIIB’s Dr Murtaza Syed Food security lost in outdated supply chain: PBC Chairperson Dr Zeelaf Munir The first edition of Breathe Pakistan sparked national dialogue and global collaboration around vital climate challenges — from climate justice and finance to renewable energy transitions, disaster risk reduction, and inclusive public-private partnerships. View the full agenda here. 5:31pm — Day 1 of conference ends 5:28pm — MPA Fakhar Zaman says Sindh ‘living in reality many debate’ Sindh MPA Makhdoom Fakhar Zaman speak