Abstract:
This research explores the importance of climate finance in addressing the challenges posed by
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from Pakistan’s transport sector, a significant contributor to the
country’s air pollution and public health crises. Despite the country’s minimal contributions to
global carbon emissions, Pakistan remains one of the most vulnerable nations to climate change.
This qualitative study, grounded in the theory of sustainability, explores how green transport
infrastructure (such as public transportation systems and electric vehicles) can not only help in
mitigating environmental damage but also yield economic, social, and health benefits. This study
focuses on metropolitan cities like Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad, which are most affected by
road transport emissions. This research also aims to demonstrate how climate finance can catalyze
the transformation of Pakistan’s transportation sector. However, this transition to sustainable
transport is subjected to financial constraints, inadequate infrastructure, and governance
challenges. Furthermore, climate finance, particularly through mechanisms like blended finance
and public-private partnerships (PPPs), offers a more practical solution to bridging these gaps. Not
only these solutions yield positive results but they also have the capacity of changing the trajectory
of the climate finance landscape in the country. Through a detailed analysis of climate finance
mechanisms, the research highlights how these resources can bridge the gap between high
infrastructure costs and the limited financial capacity of developing nations. This study also sheds
light on the institutional, technical, and cultural barriers to effective climate finance mobilization
in Pakistan. It suggests policy frameworks to overcome these obstacles. The findings of the study
also focus on the importance of transparent governance, institutional capacity-building, and public
engagement in facilitating the country’s transition to a low-carbon, resilient transport system.
Seven distinctive themes emerged from the analysis, offering deeper insights into the potential of
climate finance to promote sustainable urban transport, reduced emissions, and improved public
health outcomes in Pakistan’s most affected urban centers. The study aligns with Pakistan’s
Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement, which prioritize
reducing greenhouse gas emissions and enhancing climate resilience through sustainable
development initiatives.
