COP30: Pakistan Highlights Cryosphere Crisis, Climate Inequity at Global Climate Summit
Independent Report
Islamabad, 15 November 2025:
Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, Dr. Musadik Malik, delivered a keynote video address at Pakistan’s side event titled “Cryosphere Adaptation & Disaster Risk Reduction” on the sidelines of the 30th UN Climate Change Conference (COP30) held in Belém, Brazil.
The session was jointly organized by the Ministry of Climate Change & Environmental Coordination and the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD).
Dr. Malik termed the Hindukush–Karakoram–Himalaya (HKH) cryosphere the “white rooftops of the world”, stressing its role as a lifeline for millions across South Asia. He said Pakistan is home to 13,000 glaciers that feed the Indus River system and support the country’s agricultural, ecological, and economic stability.
The Minister warned that glacier melt driven by climate change is accelerating at an unprecedented rate, triggering Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) and large-scale climate-induced losses.
Highlighting global climate injustice, Dr. Malik stated:
“Ten countries produce 70% of global carbon emissions, yet they receive 85% of global green financing. The cryosphere crisis is fundamentally an issue of justice and rights.”
He urged historically high-emitting nations to contribute their fair share toward adaptation and resilience in vulnerable mountain regions and emphasized elevating the cryosphere agenda at COP30.
Dr. Malik reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to climate action, noting that the country has demonstrated leadership through its updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC 3.0).
The event also featured interventions from deputy ministers of Türkiye and Azerbaijan, as well as senior representatives from Nepal, Bhutan, UNESCO, UNDP, and the Asian Development Bank.
