ISLAMABAD, Jun 3 : Deadly heat waves, catastrophic floods and vanishing glaciers threaten millions of lives and livelihoods, resting Pakistan among the top vulnerable nation to climatic disasters and making it fight against climate change as a battle for survival.
\nThe country faces a climate emergency and the government is struggling to respond this challenge even being an emitter of less than one percent of global greenhouse emissions \u2013 paying for follies, it had never committed.
\n\u201cWe are in a fight for survival,\u201d said Saleem Shaikh, a Spokesperson for Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut we are not to surrender to despair.<\/p>\n
Our initiatives aim to protect our people and set an example for the world.\u201d
\n\u201cWe suffered massive losses in recent years but still stand firm to fight out this calamity,\u201d he said mentioning to year 2022 monsoon rains and glacial melting that had submerged one thirds of Pakistan, killing 1,760 people, displacing 33 million and destroying two million homes.<\/p>\n
Economic losses had hit US$40 billion.<\/p>\n
Just two years later, in June 2024, temperature in Southern Pakistan spiked to 49\u00b0C (120\u00b0F), killing 568 peoples, 7,900 were hospitalized while power failures crippled cooling systems, deepening the crisis.
\n\u201cFamilies saw their homes demolishing.<\/p>\n
Farmers watched their crops and livestock withering,\u201d Saleem said. \u201cThese aren\u2019t just statistics\u2014they\u2019re stories of human suffering. These are our realities.\u201d
\nOver 7,000 glaciers in northern Pakistan are retreating threatening water security for 90% population relying on Indus River.<\/p>\n
Temperature is rising, heat waves, cloud bursts and hail storms are rampant but climate managers of the country are on their toes to fight this challenge.
\n\u201cWe have launched aggressive climate initiatives,\u201d Saleem said and mentioned to planting 3.5 billion trees, restoring 1.36 million hectares of land and creating 84,000 jobs. \u201cThis is Pakistan\u2019s green wall against climate chaos.\u201d
\nIn partnership with the UN, US$500 million Living Indus Initiative would revive the Indus Basin through wetland restoration, sustainable farming and flood management.
\n\u201cIndus is our lifeline and we protect it as we do for our motherland,\u201d Saleem said. \u201cWe\u2019re also reviving ancient irrigation systems and building \u2018sponge cities\u2019 to absorb floodwaters.\u201d
\nPakistan is also pivoting to renewable energy through its projects in different parts of country. \u201cRenewables mean cheaper energy and cleaner air.<\/p>\n
We\u2019re also targeting a reasonable number of electric vehicles by 2030 to cut emissions.\u201d
\nThe country\u2019s updated climate targets pledge to slash emissions 50% by 2030 under the Paris Agreement.<\/p>\n
However, 35% of this goal depends on international funding.
\n\u201cWe\u2019re doing our part with a 15% domestic cut,\u201d Saleem said.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut climate justice demands wealthy nations to step up as we need grants, not loans, to avoid debt traps.\u201d
\nIn December 2024, Pakistan launched a Carbon Market Policy to attract green investment. A $77 million project, Recharge Pakistan, will bolster water security by restoring wetlands and managing floods.
\nGrassroots efforts are equally critical. The Clean Green School Program, active at 423 Islamabad schools, teaches climate literacy, waste management and tree planting.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey are becoming climate ambassadors and driving change in their families,\u201d Saleem said.
\nNational Tree Plantation Day, observed every August 18, honors Pakistan\u2019s 2009 world record of planting 541,176 mangroves in one day.
\nThe Climate Ministry also runs media campaigns to promote eco-friendly habits and shifting from doom-scrolling to solution-sharing.
\nReferring to challenges, Saleem Sheikh said, \u201cchallenges remain stark. Pakistan needs $348 billion by 2030 to meet climate goals, but less than 10% has been pledged.\u201d
\n\u201cCOP28 promises must turn into real cash. Delay is denial for vulnerable nations as climate action needs consistency,\u201d he said.
\nOther environmental experts have also called for brisk actions to fight climate challenges urging holistic approach and measures by all stakeholders.
\nSardar Khan Zimri, Director General, Water Management at Capital Development Authority, warned of worsening urban water scarcity.
\n\u201cIslamabad\u2019s groundwater is depleting at 3.5 feet per year,\u201d he said. \u201cOur \u2018sponge city\u2019 projects\u2014absorbing floodwater into aquifers\u2014are critical, but rapid urbanization is outpacing efforts.\u201d
\nDr. Syeda Maria Ali, Associate Professor of Urban Ecology and Climate Change, International Islamic University Islamabad, highlighted the urban heat island effect.
\n\u201cCities like Karachi and Lahore are 5-7\u00b0C hotter than rural areas due to concrete sprawl and deforestation,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need climate-responsive urban planning\u2014green roofs, permeable pavements and strict tree cover laws.\u201d
\nSimilarly, Dr. Sawaira Safeer, Environmental Health Specialist, emphasized the growing public health crisis linked to climate change.
\n\u201cRising temperatures and flooding are increasing cases of dengue, heatstroke, and waterborne diseases,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur healthcare system is already strained\u2014without stronger preventive measures. We risk a full-blown epidemic.\u201d
\nLooking ahead, Pakistan aims to expand Clean Green School Program to 30,000 institutions by 2025, complete the first phase of the Living Indus Initiative by 2026, and hit its renewable energy target by 2030.
\nThe road is hard, but we\u2019re marching. Every tree planted, every solar panel installed, is a blow against climate injustice. Pakistan\u2019s struggle is a warning. If a low-emitter like us can plant billions of trees and bet on renewables, bigger polluters must act faster.
\nTherefore, the world nations must fulfill their commitments to developing nations as they were paying for the follies committed by developed nations.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ISLAMABAD, Jun 3 : Deadly heat waves, catastrophic floods and vanishing glaciers threaten millions of lives and livelihoods, resting Pakistan among the top vulnerable nation to climatic disasters and making it fight against climate change as a battle for survival. The country faces a climate […]<\/p>\n
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