Devastating Warning: Sherry Rehman ‘Seriously Concerned’ Over Pakistan Topping Global Climate Risk Index

Pakistan Climate Risk has become an urgent global issue as the country now ranks first on the Climate Risk Index (CRI) by Germanwatch. In a stark warning, PPP Vice President Senator Sherry Rehman expressed serious concern over Pakistan’s placement, calling it a “huge wake-up call” for the international community.

This alarming status highlights the country’s increasing vulnerability to extreme weather, economic disruptions, and humanitarian crises driven by climate change — despite Pakistan’s minimal contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions.

Pakistan Tops the Climate Risk Index 2022

In February 2025, Germanwatch released the latest Climate Risk Index (CRI), which measures the human and economic toll of extreme weather events across the globe. The report revealed that Pakistan was the most affected country by climate change in 2022, followed by Belize and Italy.

This ranking reflects a combination of record-breaking monsoon rains, glacial lake outburst floods, and rapidly escalating climate impacts. The CRI also serves as a clear indicator of the widening gap between climate action and climate consequences.

“CRI ranks countries by the human and economic toll of extreme weather, measuring realised risk,” Rehman stated, warning that this must prompt urgent action.

Read the full CRI report here

Sherry Rehman Calls for Urgent Climate Resilience

Sherry Rehman, in a strongly worded statement shared via her official X (formerly Twitter) account and the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), said that training citizens to cope with extreme weather is now a national priority.

“Now it would be wrong to say that Pakistan is in the top 10. Unfortunately, we are number one,” she said.

She emphasized that the risks from stormy rains, hailstorms, and glacier melting are intensifying, making climate preparedness and resilience a matter of national survival.

Environmental Justice for Developing Nations

A key point in Rehman’s statement was the injustice faced by countries like Pakistan. Although contributing less than 1% to global emissions, Pakistan is among the most affected nations. Rehman asked a poignant question:

“Why should countries like us be punished for the world’s massive use of carbon? The time for environmental justice has come.”

She argued that sustainable development cannot be achieved without environmental justice, and called for the global community to take a real account of global warming, redistribute climate finance, and provide urgent assistance to vulnerable countries.

The 2022 Floods: A Wake-Up Call

The CRI report places special emphasis on the catastrophic floods that struck Pakistan in 2022. Caused by a combination of record monsoon rainfall and glacial melt, the floods:

• Affected over 33 million people
• Resulted in more than 1,700 deaths
• Displaced over 8 million individuals
• Destroyed or damaged 1.3 million homes
• Contaminated water supplies
• Caused disease outbreaks including diarrhoea, malaria, cholera, dengue, and skin infections

According to international climate scientists, climate change increased the severity of the monsoon rainfall by 50%.

World Weather Attribution’s report on Pakistan Floods 

This event served as a grim preview of what unchecked global warming will bring to vulnerable countries.

Policy Reforms and the Need for Global Action

Rehman reiterated that Pakistan can no longer delay implementing climate reforms. She called for:

• Declaration of an environmental emergency
• Comprehensive policy reforms in agriculture, urban planning, and water management
• Stronger international partnerships for climate resilience
• Immediate global climate finance support for adaptation and recovery

“The imposition of an environmental emergency, policy reforms and global aid have become imperative for Pakistan,” she stressed.

Internal link: Explore Pakistan’s new climate adaptation policy here

She also noted that climate education, forecasting systems, and community preparedness should be national priorities going forward.

Conclusion: Time to Act is Now

The Pakistan Climate Risk ranking in the Climate Risk Index is not just a warning; it’s a devastating indictment of the global failure to address climate injustice. As Senator Sherry Rehman pointed out, Pakistan’s people and economy are suffering due to the excesses of industrial nations.

There is no longer any margin for delay. The world must step up with climate justice, adaptation funding, and technology transfers to prevent future disasters of this scale.

In Rehman’s words:

“Only when the world takes a real account of global warming will countries like Pakistan be able to survive and escape its devastating effects.”