Can Investments in Climate-Resilient Infrastructure Deliver Fourfold Returns?
News Desk
Islamabad: Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, Professor Ahsan Iqbal, on Tuesday launched the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank’s (AIIB) flagship report, “Asian Infrastructure Finance 2025: Infrastructure for Planetary Health,” calling it timely and highly relevant to Pakistan’s national and global development goals.
The event was jointly organized by AIIB and the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE), and attended by experts from PIDE, AIIB representatives, development partners, and sector leaders.
Addressing the audience, Ahsan Iqbal emphasized that Pakistan stands at a crucial juncture where infrastructure must not only drive economic growth but also protect public health and the planet’s wellbeing.
He expanded the traditional view of infrastructure beyond roads and power plants to include critical factors such as air quality, drinking water, and healthcare systems.
Highlighting the concept of planetary health, the minister noted the intrinsic link between human health and the environment. He stressed that the government will not approve any infrastructure project without ensuring climate resilience, public health safety, and environmental protection.
“The era of working in silos is over,” he said, underscoring the need for integrated and climate-ready systems across hospitals, schools, transport, sewage, and electricity grids to ensure functionality and safety during natural disasters.
Ahsan Iqbal also pointed to Pakistan’s active shift towards cleaner energy sources, including solar, wind, and green hydrogen technologies, as part of its fossil fuel reduction strategy.
The minister lauded nature-based solutions already underway, such as mangrove planting along coastal areas and urban green parks, describing them as smart, cost-effective, and equitable resilience measures.
Referring to the AIIB report’s data, he highlighted worsening health challenges in Pakistan linked to climate impacts: rising disease incidence from floods and poor water quality, food insecurity due to irregular rainfall, increased infant mortality, and lead pollution harming children’s health.
“These are not abstract issues but realities experienced daily across Pakistan—from floods and heatwaves to smog and water shortages,” he stated.
Ahsan Iqbal affirmed that Pakistan’s government is aligning its national plans with planetary health principles through initiatives like “Uraan Pakistan” and the Five Es Framework, aimed at fostering climate-smart, health-responsive, and inclusive infrastructure.
Under Uraan Pakistan, the government has launched zero-emission electric buses, restored riverbanks and wetlands to reduce flood risk and promote green tourism, and upgraded healthcare centers to be energy-efficient and disaster-resilient.
He underlined that these initiatives resonate with AIIB’s call for transformative infrastructure linking sustainability, biodiversity conservation, public health, and climate resilience.
Citing the Global Commission on Adaptation, Ahsan Iqbal said every dollar invested in climate-resilient infrastructure could yield a fourfold return by preventing future losses.
The minister added that urban green infrastructure solutions—such as green belts, permeable surfaces, and climate-sensitive zoning—are helping reduce urban temperatures by up to 4°C in cities like Jacobabad and Lahore.
He also noted the ongoing restoration of mangroves along Pakistan’s coastlines, which decreases storm damage by 30 to 50 percent while enhancing fish habitats.
Acknowledging that Pakistan’s historical infrastructure planning prioritized quantity over quality and expansion over resilience, Ahsan Iqbal pledged a decisive shift towards planning grounded in climate-smart, health-protective, inclusive, and sustainable development principles.
