Pakistan Among First 5 COP31 BRIDGE Pilot Countries
Pakistan is one of five pilot countries for the COP31 BRIDGE climate finance initiative, announced at New York Climate Week ahead of Antalya in November.
Pakistan Among First Five Countries Picked for COP31 Climate Finance Pilot
The COP31 Presidency has named Pakistan one of the first five pilot countries for its Climate Implementation Bridge (BRIDGE), a programme to help developing countries turn climate plans into projects that can attract funding. The announcement came on 24 September 2026 at New York Climate Week. Ethiopia, Fiji, Indonesia and Uzbekistan make up the rest of the group.
What Is the COP31 BRIDGE Initiative?
BRIDGE is delivered with UNDP as the delivery partner. It supports country-led efforts to turn climate and development priorities into “finance-ready” portfolios of projects. It also aims to:
- Link national climate goals with development priorities and financing sources
- Identify bottlenecks that slow implementation
- Strengthen countries’ investment readiness
- Help countries use existing international support more effectively
The Presidency says feedback from the five pilots will shape how BRIDGE is scaled to other countries. It adds that developing countries, especially Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and Least Developed Countries (LDCs), have shown strong interest.
SURFF Launched to Fund Resilient Cities
At a separate event, the Presidency launched the Sustainable Urban Resilience Financing Facility (SURFF). It was developed by Türkiye’s ILBANK with UN-Habitat and the World Bank. SURFF targets the gap between national climate policy and delivery at city level in low- and middle-income countries. It rests on three pillars:
- Resilient Cities Country Platform: country-led platforms linking urban resilience priorities to project preparation, financing and implementation.
- Resilient Cities Centre of Excellence: turns implementation experience into tools other countries can use.
- International Resilient Cities Dialogue: brings member states and partners together to share practice on accessing climate finance.
“Ambition Without Finance” Message
COP31 President-Designate Murat Kurum, Türkiye’s Minister of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change, said climate ambition without finance “is like an EV without a battery”. He said the initiatives aim to turn plans into investable projects and match them with funding.
What It Means for Pakistan
Pakistan’s inclusion puts it at the front of a new finance-focused track before the Antalya summit. The Presidency’s announcement does not state funding amounts, timelines or specific Pakistani projects. The practical impact will depend on the pipelines developed with UNDP and on whether financing follows.
The Water Link: Groundwater and the UN Water Conference
Climate finance and water security are closely tied, and IWMI’s recent work shows why. On 23 September, EDF, IUCN and IWMI launched a Joint Statement on Global Groundwater Resilience at Climate Week NYC. They invited governments to endorse it before the UN Water Conference, scheduled for 8–10 December 2026 in Abu Dhabi.
Their statement warns that about 70% of the world’s major aquifers show long-term decline. It cites the World Bank’s 2025 Continental Drying Report, which attributes 68% of freshwater storage loss in non-glacier drying regions to groundwater depletion. Groundwater supplies roughly half of global domestic water use and over 40% of irrigation water.
Background: Road to COP31
COP31 will be held in Antalya, Türkiye, from 9 to 20 November 2026, the first time Türkiye has hosted a COP. Türkiye holds the presidency, while Australia’s Chris Bowen leads the negotiations as President of Negotiations. The New York announcements followed the Presidency’s 21 September launch of the “35-by-35 Global Electrification Pledge”, which aims to raise electricity’s share of global final energy consumption to 35% by 2035, along with a pledge on climate-responsible AI.
Conclusion
Pakistan’s selection as a BRIDGE pilot is a notable step, but its value will be measured by projects funded rather than announcements made. With COP31 in Antalya in November and the UN Water Conference in December, Pakistan has two near-term platforms to show bankable, climate- and water-resilient projects. Watch for details of Pakistan’s BRIDGE portfolio, UNDP’s role, and whether finance commitments come out of Antalya.
