Muhammad Faisal Kaleem

Minister for Climate Change and Environment Coordination Musadik Masood Malik said that the ministry has undertaken concrete measures to integrate sustainable cooling policies across the country. While talking to Wealth Pakistan exclusively, Mr Malik said that essential elements of cooling requirements and directions for sustainable cooling have been incorporated into multiple national policies and frameworks.

He said Pakistan’s National Climate Change Policy provides policy directions on adopting energy-efficient appliances and technologies. It also encourages enforcement of building energy codes and promotion of passive and green building design to reduce cooling demand. He explained that the green building code introduces mandatory provisions on site sustainability, passive solar design, natural ventilation, green roofs, indoor air quality and energy-efficient building envelopes, directly reducing cooling loads.

He said it encourages renewable energy integration, water-efficient technologies and use of sustainable materials, thereby ensuring climate-smart building practices. Heat stress is included in the National Action Plan (NAP) as one of the key climate-sensitive health risks, with provisions to mainstream climate adaptation into public health planning, he said. Mr Malik said that 146 forest fire incidents throughout the country were recorded in 2025, which affected 7,502 acres of forest land.

He said 317 incidents in 2024 harmed 6,708 acres of forest land and 16 such incidents affected 1,287 acres in 2023. He said that Pakistan’s increasing vulnerability to forest fires is exacerbated by climate change. He said that in response to the climate-induced forest fires of 2022 and in accordance with the directives of the Prime Minister, a High-Level Stakeholder Coordination Mechanism was established to enhance national preparedness and response.

He said Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for forest fire prevention and response were developed by the Climate Change Ministry in consultation with all relevant stakeholders, including provincial and territorial governments. To ensure regular monitoring and timely action, he said a fortnightly reporting format was also designed and circulated to all concerned entities. All stakeholders have been directed to make appropriate arrangements for forest fire preparedness.

He said the Climate Change Ministry has developed the Pakistan Cooling Action Plan (PCAP) with the aim to define the country’s cooling ambitions and serve as a national strategy to prioritize and coordinate activities in the cooling sector. He said the cooling sectors and appliances covered in the PCAP include domestic and commercial refrigeration, domestic air conditioning and on- and off-grid fans.

He said PCAP includes introducing MEPS and labeling for cooling products such as air conditioners, refrigerators and fans. Under PCAP, the bulk replacement of inefficient fans in government buildings and low-income households with 5-star/DC fans is planned. Expansion of access to cooling for off-grid populations by deploying efficient DC fans will be ensured. Mr Malik said that other green initiatives include avoiding 22 MtCO₂e indirect emissions and saving 46 TWh of electricity, and reduction of direct emissions by 5 MtCO₂e via refrigerant transition.

He said provision of improved cooling access to 3 million people in off-grid and weak-grid communities is under plan. He said the National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Policy mandates minimum energy performance standards (MEPS) and mandatory labeling for air conditioners and refrigerators. It also promotes energy audits and the adoption of efficient cooling systems in industry and buildings.

Credit: INP-WealthPk