Pakistan at COP31: Climate Finance Gaps, Loss and Damage, and the $565 Billion Question

Pakistan's climate position is stark: it contributes less than 1% of global emissions but ranks among the ten most climate-vulnerable countries. The 2022 super-floods submerged a third of the country, affected 33 million people, and caused over $30 billion in damage. Now Islamabad says meeting its climate commitments will require $565 billion by 2035, a figure that seems impossible without major international support. At COP31 in Antalya, Pakistan is pushing for accessible adaptation finance, grant-based loss and damage support, and recognition of mountain climate risks. The Loss and Damage Fund currently has only $342 million available against $2.8 billion in requests, and Pakistan's own $58 million in proposals received no allocation. The editorial argues for a mountain coalition with Nepal, Bhutan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan, plus stronger lobbying through China and G77 for grants that do not push vulnerable countries deeper into debt.