For years, communities in Pakistan’s villages have been grappling with the severe impact of climate change. Devastating floods, coupled with widespread rains, and intense heat waves, continue to threaten lives, the economy, and critical infrastructure, creating a cycle of unending suffering.
Earlier this year, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) warned of a 30 per cent increase in monsoon rains across Punjab, exacerbating the potential for flood damage. In April, Pakistan experienced its wettest month in 60 years, with above-average rainfall and lightning strikes causing significant loss of life and land. On the other hand, on May 26, many cities in Sindh recorded an almost record-breaking temperature of 52.5°C. The Mohenjo-Daro weather station recorded a blistering 52.5°C, marking the highest temperature of the summer season. Jacobabad reached 52 degrees Celsius. In Karachi, humidity made the weather feel as hot as 49°C. This intense heat sent hundreds to hospitals, suffering from heat-related ailments such as vomiting, diarrhoea, and fever. The rising temperatures have accelerated the melting of Pakistan’s iconic glaciers.
The Punjab Cabinet approved the province’s first-ever comprehensive climate change policy and action plan to combat climate change issues in September 2024.
The Economic Survey of Pakistan 2024-25 highlighted erratic weather patterns, including flash floods, glacial lake outbursts, droughts, and heat waves, as among the most destructive consequences of climate change. The floods of 2022 submerged a third of Pakistan, killing over 1,700 people, displacing more than eight million, and causing $15 billion in economic losses. The damage left many families homeless, without education, livelihoods, or loved ones, and most have yet to recover fully.
The Sixth Assessment Report of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) highlights that developing countries, like Pakistan, bear the brunt of climate-related disasters. From 2010 to 2020, people in developing nations were 15 times more likely to die from droughts, floods, and storms than those in wealthier countries.
According to the Global Climate Risk Index, Pakistan is the 5th most vulnerable country to climate change, despite emitting less than 1 per cent of the planet’s greenhouse gases, one of the smallest contributions to global warming.
Climate vulnerability and initiatives
Many Pakistani leaders and global scientists attribute the unusually early and heavy monsoon rains to climate change, with the poorest communities taking the brunt.
Air and water pollution is another area that aggravates human health especially those living in vulnerable areas.
The government plans to launch a TV channel tailored to support farmers in combating the impacts of climate change.
Pakistan’s National Climate Change Policy (NCCP), approved in 2012, is a landmark in the country’s climate change response and addresses all possible challenges of climate change adaptation and mitigation.
Punjab’s first Climate Change Policy
The Punjab Cabinet approved the province’s first-ever comprehensive climate change policy and action plan to combat climate change issues in September 2024. Resources have also been allocated for implementing the plan, one developed through consultation with relevant stakeholders and experts in Pakistan and abroad.
The policy focuses on improving water resources, biodiversity, disaster management, health, and climate justice. The plan includes increasing afforestation, promoting agriculture and livestock, and integrating environmental considerations into planning processes.
The policy sets goals for 2030 and 2035. The goals include regulating underground water, collecting rainwater for farming, a 15 per cent increase in forested areas, transitioning 60 per cent of Punjab’s energy needs to alternative sources such as biomass, wind and solar and reducing energy consumption by 10 per cent.
Moreover, the government is taking measures to mitigate climate-related risks and build resilience against the adverse effects of climate change. The government is implementing early warning systems and strengthening embankments along major rivers.
TV channel for farmers
The floods of 2010 were the worst disaster in the country’s history as it faced a loss of $10 billion and its food insecurity increased by 10 per cent. The agricultural sector is one of the most affected by such disasters.
The Economic Survey of Pakistan 2023-24 points out that climate change will lower agriculture performance with annual mean wheat yield declining by at least one percent by 2050.
As per the Global Change Impact Study Centre, crop seasons are shrinking and shifting due to climate change. This will have a severe impact on crop productivity in future.
In July this year, Coordinator to the Prime Minster on Climate Change Romina Khurshid Alam said that the government plans to launch a TV channel tailored to support farmers in combating the impacts of climate change. The channel will educate farmers on climate change strategies, disaster management techniques, and sustainable practices to mitigate environmental degradation. The channel will provide farmers with timely information and guidance on adapting to climate-related challenges, including weather alerts.
Mountaineering school in Gilgit-Baltistan
The picturesque region of Gilgit-Baltistan is affected by several environmental issues. The prime minister is committed to promoting environmentally sustainable mountaineering in the region, safeguarding GB’s globally significant natural heritage, as well as waste management problems.
The government also recently announced that a world-class mountaineering school will be established in Gilgit-Baltistan to promote sustainable and environmentally friendly climbing.
A world-class mountaineering school will be established in Gilgit-Baltistan to promote sustainable and environmentally friendly climbing.
Addressing the meeting in June this year, Romina Khurshid Alam said the project’s success lies in working together and suggestions of all participants will be considered in establishing the mountaineering school.
Recharge Pakistan project
The Recharge Pakistan project marks the largest investment in Pakistan’s history for nature-based climate adaptation solutions, with a total investment of $77.8 million.
The project was launched recently to improve the resilience of some of the country’s most vulnerable communities affected by the impacts of climate change. The Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination (MoCC), the Federal Flood Commission (FFC) under the Ministry of Water Resources, the Green Climate Fund (GCF), the US Agency for International Development (USAID), and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) launched Recharge Pakistan project at the Pakistan Institute of Parliamentary Services, Islamabad.
WWF-Pakistan will implement this project, in close collaboration with government departments and local communities at select sites in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Sindh, and Balochistan provinces. The project aims to address the country’s imminent and emerging environmental challenges, such as super floods, widespread rains, heat waves, and droughts.
Federal Minister for Water Resources Musadik Masood Malik said: “While there are many proposed solutions to climate change, too often they overlook the essential human element. Recharge Pakistan is a different project, built on the principle that true resilience comes from working directly with communities. By placing people at the centre of our efforts, we are not just addressing flood risks and climate impacts, but also ensuring that the most vulnerable are empowered and actively involved in shaping their futures. Our commitment to climate justice means that every solution we implement is grounded in the needs and voices of those who will be most affected.”
The project is estimated to directly benefit over 680,000 people and indirectly support over 7 million. Hammad Naqi Khan, Director General WWF-Pakistan said: “Recharge Pakistan is the need of the hour for our country, a blueprint for Climate Action. Recharge Pakistan prioritises nature-based solutions and goes beyond protection from immediate threats like floods. Through these interventions, we aim to reduce flood extent by 50,800 hectares and capture an estimated 20 million cubic metres of water.”
International collaboration and investment
Pakistan is also collaborating with governments and stakeholders to integrate climate foreign direct investment (FDI) provisions into international investment agreements. In 2023, Pakistan attracted USD 200 million worth of mitigation and adaptation projects for the Green Climate Fund (GCF).
The GCF also gave $66 million in funding to support Recharge Pakistan, a project to enhance Pakistan’s resilience to climate change by improving water systems and investing in green infrastructure.
