Ali Nawaz Rahimoo
Wind energy along the Sindh coast can further diversify energy sources, reducing reliance on vulnerable grid infrastructure. Renewable energy systems are more resilient to climate extremes, reducing the risk of widespread outages during floods or heatwaves, and decentralized systems can support livelihoods when central grids fail.
Pakistan is already water‑scarce and facing intensifying pressures. The country’s per capita renewable water supply is declining sharply, with projections suggesting levels could fall below 860 cubic meters per person per year, well below thresholds for water scarcity. This trend endangers agricultural productivity, industrial use, and access to drinking water. Water scarcity affects labour productivity, health, and education. Women and children often bear the burden of fetching water for households, reducing time available for school and income‑earning activities. Heatwaves and water shortages increase the risk of dehydration, heat stress, and vector‑borne diseases, particularly in densely populated urban slums and flood‑affected rural zones.
Economically, climate shocks are a growing drag on national development. United Nations assessments show that climate‑linked disasters already cost Pakistan a significant portion of GDP annually, with projections suggesting the figure could rise without urgent action. Disasters disrupt markets, destroy infrastructure, and divert scarce public resources toward emergency response and reconstruction instead of long‑term development.
In recognition of these risks, Pakistan has engaged actively in international climate policy through the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Its updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) submitted under the Paris Agreement outlines both mitigation and adaptation commitments through 2035. Pakistan has pledged to reduce projected greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030, contingent on international finance, technology transfer, and capacity support. Yet the priority acknowledged in Pakistan’s Third National Communication to the UNFCCC is adaptation. The climate crisis is already disrupting lives and key economic sectors, and building resilience is essential. Pakistan’s climate strategy highlights climate‑smart agriculture, water resource management (including improved irrigation and storage), disaster risk reduction, early warning systems, and expansion of renewable energy.
Pakistan’s climate challenges extend beyond its borders. The scale of adaptation needed including resilient infrastructure, disaster‑proof housing, and water security systems is beyond what domestic resources alone can fund. This is why Pakistan continues to advocate for enhanced international climate finance, technology transfer, and capacity building. Developed countries have committed to scaling climate finance, but implementation remains slow, and vulnerable nations like Pakistan continue to emphasize the urgency of fulfilling these pledges.
Among potential mechanisms is climate financing through multilateral institutions; for example, Pakistan has engaged in discussions for a $1 billion climate resilience financing arrangement with the International Monetary Fund under its Resilience and Sustainability Trust a step toward more predictable adaptation funding.
Pakistan’s climate narrative from the top spot on the Climate Risk Index to persistent water scarcity, changing livelihood patterns, and infrastructure weakness illustrates a harsh truth: vulnerability is not equally distributed across the world. Countries like Pakistan, which contribute little to global emissions, are among those feeling the earliest and most severe impacts of climate change. Yet Pakistan’s current circumstances also provide an opportunity. With a comprehensive climate strategy that balances mitigation and adaptation, with international partnerships for climate finance and technology, and with investments in resilient infrastructure and renewable energy, the nation can navigate the unfolding climate reality with strength and purpose.
The road ahead demands urgency, inclusive planning, and sustained commitment not only from policymakers and scientists, but from communities, civil society, and global partners. Pakistan’s ability to transform vulnerability into resilience will not only determine its own future but will also offer lessons for other vulnerable nations confronting the defining challenge of our era.
The writer is a social development professional and freelance writer. He can be reached at anrahimoo@gmail.com
