The National Institute of Banking and Finance (NIBAF) Pakistan has recently conducted a specialized training program titled “Climate Financing in Pakistan: Challenges & Opportunities” at its Karachi campus. Held in a hybrid format—combining both face-to-face and online participation—the training brought together commercial bankers and representatives from the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) to engage in a deep dive into the emerging landscape of climate financing within the country.
This forward-looking program was facilitated by a distinguished panel of experts including Ms. Uzma Mansoor, Mr. Rashid Azeem, Mr. Sajjad Ali, and Mr. Najm us Saqib. Together, these professionals guided participants through the intricacies of climate finance, covering both domestic and international dimensions of the field. Their sessions highlighted the increasing importance of sustainable finance strategies and the urgent need for financial institutions to integrate environmental considerations into their decision-making processes.
As Pakistan grapples with the growing impacts of climate change, the financial sector is being called upon to play a more proactive role in supporting green initiatives and sustainable development. This training program was designed to help participants understand how climate-related financial risks and opportunities can be managed through effective policies, investment strategies, and regulatory frameworks.
The sessions covered a broad range of critical topics, including the role of commercial banks in supporting green projects, SECP’s regulatory stance on sustainability disclosures, international climate finance mechanisms, and the need for cross-sector collaboration to address funding gaps. Participants were also introduced to case studies and global best practices in climate financing, with a focus on how these can be adapted to Pakistan’s unique context.
Through its hybrid format, the program successfully reached a broader audience beyond Karachi, allowing professionals from other regions to join the conversation remotely. This flexible delivery model enabled wider participation without compromising on the depth and interactivity of the training content.
The facilitators emphasized the urgency of aligning Pakistan’s financial sector with global sustainability standards. With climate finance increasingly becoming a core part of international economic strategies, institutions in Pakistan must build the necessary capacity to develop, evaluate, and implement projects that meet both environmental and financial objectives.
Participants expressed strong appreciation for the initiative, noting that it was both timely and essential. For many, the program provided a much-needed platform to discuss the practical implications of climate risks, while also exploring viable financial instruments such as green bonds, climate risk insurance, and blended finance models.
The training also underscored the collaborative role of regulators like SECP and financial institutions in shaping a sustainable financial future. As Pakistan continues to face climate-related economic challenges, equipping professionals with the right knowledge and tools will be crucial in mobilizing the necessary investments and driving climate resilience at scale.
With this program, NIBAF reinforces its role as a key institution in capacity building for Pakistan’s financial ecosystem. By hosting programs on climate finance and sustainability, it is not only responding to current global trends but also actively contributing to national development objectives aligned with environmental sustainability and green growth.