Pakistan Tops Climate Risk Index: Sherry Rehman Demands Urgent Climate Action

Pakistan tops the Climate Risk Index (CRI), officially becoming the most climate-vulnerable country in the world, according to the latest report by Germanwatch. This devastating development has alarmed environmentalists and policymakers alike. Senator Sherry Rehman, Vice President of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), called the new ranking a “huge wake-up call” for the country and the international community.

Germanwatch Report and CRI Rankings

The Climate Risk Index (CRI), published annually by the German environmental think tank Germanwatch, evaluates countries based on the human and economic toll of extreme weather events. The 2022 report ranked Pakistan first, followed by Belize and Italy. The ranking reflects both immediate impacts—such as floods and heatwaves—and long-term climate stressors like glacier melt and changing rainfall patterns.

Read the full Germanwatch CRI Report here .

Sherry Rehman’s Climate Wake-Up Call

Senator Sherry Rehman took to social media to express deep concern over the new CRI ranking. “This is a huge wake-up call,” she wrote. “It is time to prepare the public for increasingly dangerous weather patterns.”

She emphasized that Pakistan is being punished for a climate crisis it did not cause, echoing growing calls for environmental justice. “We are suffering deadly floods, glacier melts, and violent rainstorms that are increasing every year. The global community must act now,” she urged.

A Nation Paying the Price for Others’ Pollution

Rehman pointed out that Pakistan contributes less than 1% to global greenhouse gas emissions but faces some of the worst climate consequences. She raised a powerful question: “Why should a low-emission country like Pakistan pay such a high price?”

She continued:

“The world must take real responsibility for global warming. Environmental justice is not optional—it’s necessary.”

Rehman also underlined the need for climate education, safety training, and policy reform, especially in disaster-prone areas.

2022 Floods: A Devastating Climate Warning

The year 2022 offered a harsh preview of what lies ahead. Pakistan faced record-breaking monsoon rains and floods that impacted over 33 million people, killing more than 1,700 and displacing over 8 million.

The Germanwatch report confirms that climate change increased rainfall intensity by nearly 50%, turning seasonal flooding into a catastrophic disaster.
Waterborne diseases such as cholera and dengue spread quickly, adding a public health crisis to an already unbearable situation.

Internal link: Pakistan Floods 2022: Causes, Impacts, and Recovery

Call for National and Global Climate Reforms

In her urgent plea, Sherry Rehman demanded climate reforms at both national and international levels. She urged Pakistani leaders to prioritize environmental resilience in policymaking and called on the global community to offer financial and technical support.

Some of her key recommendations include:

• Declaring a national environmental emergency
• Launching a public climate training initiative
• Creating early warning systems in flood-prone areas
• Advocating for loss and damage financing at international climate forums

Rehman stressed that without climate-proof infrastructure and inclusive policies, both lives and the economy will remain at serious risk.

Pakistan’s Environmental Emergency: The Next Step

Sherry Rehman also suggested that Pakistan should formally declare an environmental emergency. She believes such a step would:

• Unlock emergency aid from global partners
• Mobilize national disaster agencies
• Raise global awareness about the severity of Pakistan’s climate vulnerability
• Strengthen Pakistan’s case for climate finance and debt relief under international conventions

This move, she argued, could mark a turning point in Pakistan’s environmental policy, shifting from reactive to proactive climate governance.

Conclusion: No Time Left for Delay

Pakistan topping the Climate Risk Index is more than a symbolic ranking—it’s a powerful indicator of the growing existential threat climate change poses to the country. As Senator Sherry Rehman has clearly stated, the situation demands urgent reforms, immediate international support, and a united national response.

The time for debates is over.
The time for climate action is now.

Additional Resources

• UN Climate Change
• Germanwatch Official Website
• NDMA Pakistan – Climate Risk Maps