On January 10, 2024, at the Global Health Security Summit, Pakistan urged countries to unite in the fight against diseases and emergencies caused by climate change. Pakistan contributes less than 1% of global emissions, but its inhabitants face a 15 times higher risk of dying from climate impact.
In 2022, tragedy struck in Pakistan, when about 10-12% of the country was flooded. The floods were caused by heavy monsoon rains and melting glaciers, which followed a climate change-linked heat wave. The flooding had killed more than 1,700 people, and affected more than 33 million people, many millions of which continue to be displaced until today. Climate refugees continue to live in tents around the country, making them incredibly vulnerable to the climate as well as a multitude of other hazards, including disease.
Al Jazeera reported that 20.6 million displaced people continue to require humanitarian assistance. Through food and water aid, their basic needs are largely being addressed. However, the approximately 1.5 million people that are still displaced are experiencing high levels of ‘climate anxiety’.
This distress experienced by many Pakistani communities is due to Pakistan being a constant threat of worsening climate disaster. According to the Global Climate Risk Index 2021, Pakistan is ranked the eighth most vulnerable country to be impacted by climate change events. More up-to-date forecasts suggest that “climate-related events, environmental degradation, and air pollution may cause Pakistan’s GDP to shrink by 18-20% by 2050”.
At an international conference in Geneva in January 2023, countries across the world had pledged more than $9 billion to help Pakistan recover from climate disasters. However, the UK-based charity ‘Islamic Relief’ recently reported that most of these funds have not reached people who are in dire need of it. Moreover, about 90% of pledges were in the form of loans, which trapped Pakistan in a difficult economic situation.
As United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres said, “Pakistan is a double victim – of climate chaos, and of our outdated and unjust global financial system that prevents middle-income countries from accessing much needed resources to invest in adaptation and resilience”. According to estimations, Pakistan would need $340 billion to address climate challenges in the country between 2023 and 2030.
Pakistan’s Climate Policy and Regulation
Even though external help is needed, Pakistan is developing policy in order to address climate change from the inside out.
Pakistan formulated its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) in the form of the Climate Action Plan (2021). The NDCs are a Paris Agreement requirement that need to be submitted every 5 years. With its Climate Action Plan, Pakistan is targeting a 50% emissions reduction by 2030. Also, by 2030, Pakistan intends to use 60% renewable energy with a complete ban on imported coal.
In July 2023, Pakistan unveiled its National Adaptation Plan (NAP), which details how Pakistan deals with climate change. It focuses on the income inequality and social disparities of the country. However, the NAP also heavily relies on the availability of foreign funds. The plan has been criticised for lacking a concrete action framework and capacity-building strategies.
To assist with the implementation of these policies, Pakistan enacted the Climate Change Act 2017. This is a federal law, which Pakistani states have to comply with by implementing their respective environmental laws. Since June 2022, the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan has encouraged companies to engage in Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) practices.
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