Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has told world leaders at the COP31 climate summit in Antalya that Pakistan needs about $188 billion by 2035 to complete its clean-energy transition. He said the money would fund low-carbon electricity generation and replace coal-fired power with solar energy, and he urged rich countries to provide it on affordable terms.

Speaking at the United Nations climate conference in Türkiye on Wednesday, 11 November 2026, the prime minister said Pakistan required around $138 billion for low-carbon power generation by 2035, along with a further $50 billion to switch coal-based electricity to solar. He was addressing a high-level dialogue titled “Clean Energy Transition by 2035: Powering the Future”, and also addressed the COP31 leaders’ summit, according to the Prime Minister’s Office and the Associated Press of Pakistan.

What the 35 by 35 target means

Mr Sharif reaffirmed Pakistan’s support for the “35 by 35” Global Electrification Pledge, under which participating countries aim to raise electricity’s share of total final energy consumption to about 35 per cent by 2035. He argued that the goal could only be reached if financial support kept pace with ambition.

“35×35 will be achieved only if finance flows at the speed of ambition through concessional capital and transfer of affordable technology,” he said. He called for greater concessional financing and affordable technology transfers for developing countries, many of which, he said, were already carrying heavy debts.

Pakistan’s solar boom

The prime minister pointed to Pakistan’s rapid uptake of solar power as evidence that the transition was already under way. He said the country had added nearly 22 gigawatts of rooftop solar capacity in just two years, describing it as a grassroots revolution driven by households and businesses seeking cheaper and more reliable electricity.

Clean energy sources now account for nearly 55 per cent of Pakistan’s energy mix, he said. He also referred to the recent dome placement at Chashma-5, Pakistan’s seventh nuclear power plant, which he said would add 1,200 megawatts of clean electricity to the national grid.

Electric vehicles and the road ahead

Mr Sharif said Pakistan’s recently drafted automobile policy supported a national target of making electric vehicles account for 30 per cent of new vehicle sales by 2030. All future government buses and motorcycles will be electric, he said, adding that for the first time this year more than one in every ten motorcycles sold in Pakistan was electric.

He thanked Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, whose country holds the COP31 presidency, for organising the dialogue. On arrival at the conference, he was welcomed by President Erdoğan and United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, and he met leaders including Saudi Arabia’s energy minister, Bangladesh’s prime minister, the secretary-general of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and the president of the World Bank.

Why Pakistan is pressing its case

Pakistan says it contributes less than one per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, yet it is among the countries most exposed to climate change, after the devastating floods of 2022. Its delegation in Antalya is pressing for climate finance that is predictable, adequate and accessible, rather than new debt. A dedicated Pakistan Pavilion at the summit is hosting 54 events on climate themes.

The $138 billion and $50 billion figures are the prime minister’s own estimates, as reported by the Associated Press of Pakistan. No detailed breakdown of how they were calculated, or any funding pledge, has been published.

Frequently asked questions

How much does Pakistan say it needs for clean energy? About $188 billion by 2035: around $138 billion for low-carbon power generation and a further $50 billion to replace coal-fired power with solar.

What is the 35 by 35 pledge? It is a global electrification pledge to raise electricity’s share of total final energy consumption to about 35 per cent by 2035. Pakistan has backed the pledge.

Sources: Pakistan TV, reporting the Prime Minister’s Office statement and BeNewz.