Climate change in Pakistan

Climate change may have been a contributing factor to the severity of the 2010 Pakistan floods.

Climate change in Pakistan is a major issue for the country. Pakistan is highly vulnerable to climate change. As with the changing climate in South Asia as a whole, the climate of Pakistan has changed over the past several decades, with significant impacts on the environment and people.[1] In addition to increased heat, drought and extreme weather in parts of the country, the melting of glaciers in the Himalayas has impacted some of the important rivers of Pakistan. Between 1999 and 2018, Pakistan ranked 5th in the countries affected by extreme weather caused by climate change.[2]

Punjab, the biggest province of Pakistan, has shown commitment to tackle challenges related to Climate Change under the Climate Change Activity Plan and Punjab Climate Change Strategy. [3]

Pakistan is prone to a range of natural disasters, including cyclones, floods, drought, intense rainfall, and earthquakes. According to scientific research, climate change played a substantial role in the devastating floods of 2022, which had a direct impact on over 30 million people in Pakistan, resulting in the loss of lives, damage to public infrastructure, and displacement from homes.[4] Climate change poses a significant menace to Pakistan's economy and security. [5]

  1. ^ "World Bank Climate Change Knowledge Portal". climateknowledgeportal.worldbank.org. Retrieved 29 October 2023.
  2. ^ Eckstein, David, et al. "Global climate risk index 2020." (PDF) Germanwatch (2019).
  3. ^ Khan, Fawad (1 August 2024). "Punjab forms first Climate Change Strategy". Voice of Water (VOW). Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  4. ^ Hansberry, Cate (15 September 2023). "Empowering Pakistan's youth to address climate change risks". Atlantic Council. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  5. ^ Hansberry, Cate (15 September 2023). "Empowering Pakistan's youth to address climate change risks". Atlantic Council. Retrieved 30 October 2023.