Why Pakistan Remains Dangerously Vulnerable to Climate Disasters
Pakistan remains dangerously vulnerable to climate disasters, with deadly floods and extreme heat threatening lives and infrastructure. Learn why climate change hits Pakistan so hard.
Pakistan climate disasters continue to devastate the country as it battles deadly floods, extreme heat, and glacial melt. Over the past three weeks alone, more than 170 people — including 63 children — have died due to climate-related events. With over 250 million citizens, Pakistan faces a grim reality: it is one of the most climate-vulnerable countries in the world.
From urban flooding in Lahore to glacial lake outburst floods in Gilgit-Baltistan, the nation is buckling under environmental pressures it played little role in creating.
Flash Floods and House Collapses Kill Hundreds
According to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), nearly two-thirds of recent deaths have been caused by house collapses and flash floods. Drownings account for an additional 10% of fatalities.
“We’re monitoring the evolving situation using satellite systems, meteorological models, and real-time ground reports,” said an NDMA official in an interview with Al Jazeera. “Flash floods and urban flooding remain major threats.”
The provinces of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have suffered the most, with 49 and 38 deaths reported respectively since June 24. In Lahore, downpours caused widespread waterlogging, leaving large swaths of the city submerged and without power.
Why Pakistan Is So Vulnerable to Climate Disasters
The Pakistan climate disasters crisis is not new. The 2022 super floods killed nearly 1,700 people and displaced more than 30 million. What makes Pakistan so vulnerable?
Key Factors:
- Geographic Diversity: Pakistan’s topography ranges from coastal zones to high mountain ranges, exposing it to multiple climate threats.
- Urban Planning Failures: Poor drainage systems and unplanned urbanization increase flood risk in cities like Karachi and Lahore.
- Extreme Poverty: Millions live in poorly constructed homes that are susceptible to collapse in heavy rain.
- Low Emissions, High Impact: Despite contributing only 0.5% to global carbon emissions, Pakistan bears disproportionate climate damage.
Focus Keyword Used: Pakistan climate disasters
Glacial Melting in the North: The Silent Killer
The mountainous north of Pakistan, particularly Gilgit-Baltistan, is home to over 13,000 glaciers, the highest number outside the polar regions. Due to extreme heat, with temperatures surpassing 48°C, glacial melt has increased significantly.
Zakir Hussein, head of Gilgit-Baltistan’s Disaster Management Authority, warned that the region faces an immediate threat from Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) — sudden and deadly floods caused by glacial lake breaches.
These floods not only threaten local communities but also endanger national water, food, and energy security.
Chronic Underfunding for Climate Resilience
Following the catastrophic 2022 floods, Pakistan co-hosted a donor conference in January 2023 alongside the United Nations. While $10 billion was pledged, only $2.8 billion has been disbursed, and most of it in the form of loans, not grants.
According to a former central bank official, Pakistan will need $40–50 billion annually until 2050 to manage its climate risks effectively.
Yet funding remains scarce. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) estimates that climate change already costs Pakistan around $38 billion every year.
This financial strain severely limits the country’s ability to build climate-resilient infrastructure or implement large-scale disaster management systems.
A Call for Global Climate Justice
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stressed the injustice of the situation: while Pakistan emits less than 1% of global greenhouse gases, its people are 15 times more likely to die from climate disasters than those in industrialized nations.
Dr. Edward Maibach of George Mason University emphasized the need for both mitigation and adaptation strategies.
“The most effective way to slow climate change is to transition away from fossil fuels. The most effective way to protect people is to increase their climate resilience.”
Pakistan’s case demonstrates the urgent need for climate justice and global solidarity — especially for developing nations facing the worst of a crisis they did not cause.
Conclusion: The Urgent Need for Resilience
The death toll from recent Pakistan climate disasters underscores the harsh reality of a climate-vulnerable nation grappling with repeated catastrophes. With extreme heat melting glaciers, flash floods destroying homes, and underfunded infrastructure failing under pressure, Pakistan urgently needs a global response to support its adaptation and mitigation strategies.
It is not enough to sound alarms. The world must act — with grants, not loans, and with a long-term commitment to helping nations like Pakistan adapt, recover, and thrive in a changing climate.
Additional Resources
- National Disaster Management Authority Pakistan
- UNDP Pakistan Climate Reports
- Al Jazeera’s Full Report on Pakistan Floods
- UN Secretary-General’s Statement on Climate Justice
