ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Climate Change Minister Musadik Malik urged greater cooperation to protect the Himalayan glacier system and address the growing impacts of climate change, proposing joint scientific research and initiatives at the 5th China Xizang Trans-Himalaya Forum for International Cooperation this week, the Pakistani information ministry said on Sunday.
The forum brought together policymakers, experts, and stakeholders from across the region on July 16-18 to discuss cooperation on sustainable development, ecological conservation, and the shared challenges facing mountain ecosystems.
Pakistan is among the countries most vulnerable to climate change despite contributing less than 1 percent to global greenhouse gas emissions. In recent years, the country has faced increasingly frequent floods, heatwaves, droughts and rapid glacier melt that have disrupted livelihoods and weakened economic growth.
Speaking at the Xizang Trans-Himalaya Forum, Malik warned that rising emissions and increasing global temperatures were accelerating glacier melt, resulting in devastating floods followed by prolonged droughts.
“Over the past 15 years, approximately 6,000 people have lost their lives in flood-related disasters in Pakistan, while nearly 20,000 people have been injured or disabled,” he was quoted as saying by the information ministry.
“Glaciers are not merely environmental assets but the foundation of civilizations and regional prosperity,” he said. “Protecting these fragile ecosystems requires collective action, scientific cooperation, and responsible stewardship rather than competition over natural resources.”
Pakistan is home to approximately 13,500 glaciers, making it one of the countries most vulnerable to the impacts of glacial melt and climate change, according to Malik.
While individual countries are conducting research on glaciers and climate change, there remains a significant gap in coordinated transboundary scientific collaboration. Countries sharing the Himalayan ecosystem must jointly generate knowledge and solutions to address common environmental challenges.
To strengthen regional cooperation, he proposed the establishment of a regional platform to connect young entrepreneurs with financial support and investment opportunities to develop innovative climate solutions in renewable energy, climate-resilient infrastructure, safe drinking water, and other green technologies.
The Pakistan minister called upon over 20 participating nations to work collectively to protect glaciers, preserve shared ecosystems, and safeguard future generations, stressing that “climate action requires shared responsibility, scientific cooperation, and a common commitment to ensuring that development and environmental protection progress hand in hand.”
