The National Disaster Risk Management Fund (NDRMF) of Pakistan is preparing to transform Islamabad International Airport (IIA) into the country’s first emissions-free electric vehicle-based airport. This pioneering initiative aligns with Pakistan’s commitment to achieve global sustainability goals and its promise to convert 30 percent of its transportation system to electric vehicles by 2030.
The NDRMF, a financial entity dedicated to disaster risk reduction and climate change investments, sees the IIA as an opportunity to establish a replicable model for electric vehicle adoption throughout Pakistan. By converting the airport into an electric mobility hub, stakeholders can explore and promote better options for introducing electric vehicles into the market.
Although the task is challenging, the NDRMF is determined to achieve its goal. Furthermore, the fund is working on the country’s first risk financing strategy, which will be scrutinized at the highest level of the federal cabinet for approval.
The NDRMF has redefined its role as a financial intermediary, striving to strengthen Pakistan’s fiscal space and promote carbon markets and sustainable initiatives such as saffron and olive oil cultivation. It is also venturing into updating the country’s oceanographic data, a task that has not been carried out since 1986.
Pakistan recognizes the need to address knowledge gaps in disaster risk and climate change modeling. To tackle this problem, the NDRMF has collaborated with Pakistan’s Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) to establish a state-of-the-art data center. This center, set to launch in January 2024, will provide informed and real-time accessible data for all.
With its focus on sustainability and innovation, Pakistan’s ambitious plans for Islamabad International Airport pave the way for a greener and more sustainable future of transportation in the country.