Saroosh Eman
\nPakistan contributes less than one percent to global greenhouse gases emissions, yet it stands among the top ten most climate vulnerable countries in the world. This imbalance has created a painful reality, those who contribute the least to global warming often suffer the most from its consequences while the countries that produce the most emissions often face fewer climate impacts because of their strong economies, advanced infrastructure and effective policies that help them to adapt. In contrast vulnerable countries like Pakistan lack resources and protection so even small climate shifts can cause severe disasters. Over the years Pakistan has faced heatwaves, flash floods, glacial lakes outburst, drought and cyclones -each leaving behind a trail of destruction.
\nClimate change simply refers to the long term changes in the earth temperature and weather patterns. But for Pakistan, it is no longer a scientific term instead it is a daily lived experience. Rising temperatures, unpredictable monsoon season, melting glaciers in the north and the changing wind patterns have reshaped the country\u2019s landscape, economy and human lives. What makes the situation worse is that Pakistan lacks the financial and technological capacity to fully adapt, making even small climate shifts catastrophic.
\nThe 1950 mega floods were among Pakistan\u2019s first major climate related disasters after independence in 1947. Nearly 2000-3000 people lost their lives and 1000 villages were washed away. Roads, bridges and communication systems collapsed, causing severe economic strain on a newly born state already struggling with limited resources.
\nIn November 1970, the Bhola cyclone struck East Pakistan (nowadays Bangladesh). With 3000 to 5000 deaths it remains one of the deadliest cyclones ever recorded. Entire coastal communities were uprooted, reminding the region of its extreme vulnerability to tropical storms.
\nThe floods of 1973 and 1976 in Punjab and Sindh and Balochistan was a biggest problem for a country who lost its part in 1971. These floods caused widespread destruction of crops. Pakistan being an agricultural country suffered from heavy losses, pushing thousands of farmers towards poverty.
\nBetween 1998 to 2002, there was a prolonged drought in Sindh and Balochistan. Water reservoirs dried up, livestock perished and crop failures resulted in nearly $2.5 billion in economic losses. Many rural families migrated to urban centers in desperate search of food and livelihood.
\nThen came \u2018super floods\u2019, one of the worst disasters in the country\u2019s history. It was triggered by unprecedented monsoon rains combined with glacial melt, about one fifth of Pakistan was submerged. Nearly 20 million people were affected , 1985 lives were lost, 2 million homes were damaged and 17 million acres of crops were destroyed. The economic impact was estimated at $43 billion. Schools, bridges, dams, health centers and entire road networks were swept away.
\nMore recently, 2023-2024 brought extreme heat waves with temperatures soaring above 50 Celsius in part of Sindh and Punjab. Such deadly heat levels are directly linked to global warming and have become far more frequent.
\nIn 2025, severe cloudbursts hit Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) killing around 200 people. Districts including Burner, Shangla, Swat, Swabi and Battagram faced massive destruction. Over 31596 acres of farmland were damaged and dozens of homes, bridges, roads and railways collapsed. A Pakistan Army MI-17 rescue helicopter crashed in Bajaur due to extreme weather conditions, killing five personnel. This shows how dangerous the conditions had become.
\nPunjab also faced devastating floods in August 2025, when rising water levels in Sutlej, Ravi and Chenab rivers displaced 1.1 millions people and caused 190 deaths. Massive crop losses worsened food insecurity across the region.
\nClimate change is no longer just an environmental concern but it has become Pakistan\u2019s biggest national security challenge. It affects water availability, food protection, public health, migration patterns and economic stability. If this is ignored, it can destabilize entire regions. Governments should make proper policies and work on proper implementation of those policies to reduce the impacts of climate change. Proper dams should be built for water reservation. Dams can store water for irrigation during droughts, control floods during heavy rains and generate renewable hydropower for energy security. Government should strengthen the early warning system to save people\u2019s lives. Villages must be trained in emergency evacuation and disaster drills should be regularly conducted. Government needs to promote large scale plantation drives but with native, climate resistant tree species, not just fast growing commercial species because healthy forests reduce floods, stabilize soil and regulate temperature. Government must strictly enforce anti-deforestation laws and protect existing forests. Pakistan stands at the crossroads. Either actionable steps are taken today, or nature will continue to write its own ruthless script, one disaster after another.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Saroosh Eman Pakistan contributes less than one percent to global greenhouse gases emissions, yet it stands among the top ten most climate vulnerable countries in the world. This imbalance has created a painful reality, those who contribute the least to global warming often suffer the most from its consequences while the countries that produce the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[13771],"class_list":{"0":"post-519512","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-article","7":"tag-saroosh-eman"},"yoast_head":"\n