Pakistan is a nation caught in the crossfire of a climate crisis it did not create. Its contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions is minuscule less than one percent yet it ranks among the most vulnerable countries on the planet. This is a profound injustice a cruel irony where the innocent bear the brunt of others actions. The effects are not some distant future threat they are here and now devastating lives and livelihoods. The country’s geography makes it a perfect storm for climate disaster. From the melting glaciers in the north to the rising sea levels in the south Pakistan is facing a two pronged assault.
The most visible and destructive consequence has been the catastrophic flooding. In recent years Pakistan has experienced floods of unprecedented scale and intensity like the super floods of 2010 and the historic floods of 2022. These events are not just heavy rain they are a complete washing away of life. Millions of people are displaced losing their homes livestock and crops. The floods submerge vast areas of land destroying critical infrastructure like roads bridges and hospitals. This isn’t just an inconvenience it’s an economic and social catastrophe. The water brings with it disease and despair leading to outbreaks of malaria dengue fever and other waterborne illnesses. The recovery is slow and painful often leaving communities in a state of perpetual crisis.
Beyond the floods Pakistan is grappling with extreme heatwaves. Temperatures regularly soar to over 50 degrees Celsius making outdoor work and daily life nearly impossible. These heatwaves are silent killers causing heatstroke and dehydration especially among the elderly and young children. The intense heat also puts immense pressure on the country’s already strained power grid leading to blackouts and further suffering. This vicious cycle of heat and power outages traps people in unbearable conditions especially those who cannot afford air conditioning. The heat also exacerbates droughts particularly in the southern regions of Sindh and Balochistan threatening food security and forcing rural populations to migrate in search of water and survival.
The agriculture sector the backbone of Pakistan’s economy is particularly fragile in the face of these changes. Erratic monsoon patterns and unpredictable rainfall make farming a gamble. Farmers who rely on traditional weather patterns find their crops either washed away by floods or scorched by drought. The melting of glaciers in the Himalayas also known as the world’s third pole initially causes more water in the rivers but this is a temporary and dangerous boon. It is followed by a long term reduction in water supply threatening the Indus River Basin which is the lifeblood of the nation’s agriculture. This affects everything from wheat and cotton to rice production potentially leading to widespread food shortages and a complete collapse of rural economies.
The coastal areas are also under threat. The rising sea level is causing saline water to intrude into freshwater sources contaminating drinking water and rendering agricultural land unusable. This is a direct threat to the Indus Delta a unique and vital ecosystem that supports a rich diversity of life including mangroves and fish. The communities living in these areas are at risk of displacement and their traditional livelihoods are disappearing. The combination of all these factors from floods and heatwaves to droughts and rising sea levels creates a humanitarian crisis on a massive scale. Pakistan’s limited resources and institutional capacity are constantly overwhelmed by these relentless climate shocks. It is a nation that is perpetually in a state of emergency trying to manage one disaster after another while also trying to develop and uplift its people. The world’s failure to curb emissions has put Pakistan on the front lines of a war it did not start a war for which it is paying the highest price in lives in property and in its very future.
