Renowned mountaineer Samina Baig has been appointed as the national goodwill ambassador for Pakistan by the United Nations Development Programme.

Samina Baig is the first Pakistani woman to have climbed Mount Everest will lead efforts to build national awareness and partnerships around the sustainable development goals, particularly those related to climate change, environmental protection and women's empowerment.

The United Nations resident coordinator in Pakistan, Neil Buhne said Pakistan is amongst the most vulnerable countries in the world to climate change.

Preparing for its effects, and instituting environmental protections, will safeguard economic development for future generations.

Moreover, half of Pakistan's population, its women, are under-represented in education, the workforce and in decision-making.

Empowering women to play their full role in society is not only an ethical imperative, it is essential for sustainable development.