By Malik Bilal
PESHAWAR: As the global climate crisis deepens, Pakistan finds itself at a critical crossroads. Despite contributing less than one percent to global greenhouse gas emissions, it remains among the ten most climate-vulnerable countries in the world. The 2024–25 Economic Survey of Pakistan underscores that climate change is not a peripheral policy concern but a central threat to the country’s economic stability, public health, and national security. For donors, UN agencies and policymakers worldwide, Pakistan’s challenge represents a test case for the credibility of global climate finance commitments.
According to the World Meteorological Organization’s State of the Global Climate 2024, this year has been the warmest in 175 years of recorded observations. Global temperatures have reached 1.55 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, while atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations have risen to 420 parts per million, an increase of 151 percent over historical averages. Pakistan’s geography, encompassing glaciated mountains, monsoon belts and fragile deltaic ecosystems, makes it especially vulnerable to both sudden disasters and long-term climate stresses. In 2024 alone, the country experienced an average temperature rise of 0.71 degrees Celsius and a 31 percent increase in national rainfall.
The regional impacts have been stark. Sindh experienced a 94 percent surge in rainfall, with Mohenjo-Daro recording a scorching 52.5 degrees Celsius, among the highest temperatures on Earth. Jacobabad’s monthly average in May reached 46.3 degrees Celsius. Punjab recorded its wettest month on record, with 603 millimeters of rainfall in Lahore. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Malam Jabba experienced temperatures as low as minus two degrees Celsius. Balochistan suffered the paradox of both flooding and prolonged droughts, while Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir faced unpredictable snowmelt and precipitation patterns, threatening fragile glacial systems.
Between 1980 and 2024, Pakistan endured 224 major natural disasters. Floods were the most frequent and devastating, affecting over 100 million people and causing economic losses exceeding US$36.4 billion. The catastrophic floods of 2022 alone displaced eight million people, caused US$14.9 billion in damages and resulted in GDP losses of US$15.2 billion. Heat-waves over recent decades have claimed at least 2,741 lives across thirteen major events, while prolonged droughts have affected nearly seven million people.
In response, the government has accelerated institutional and policy measures in the 2024–25 fiscal year. It approved the National Adaptation Plan, which includes 117 targeted actions across six critical sectors. The Pakistan Green Building Code was introduced to ensure climate-resilient construction standards. An Urban Resilience Policy Framework was developed to integrate climate risk into city planning. The Recharge Pakistan Project, valued at US$77 million, demonstrates an ecosystem-based approach to flood management through nature restoration.
At COP29, Pakistan emerged as a vocal advocate for climate justice. Its national pavilion called for a global climate finance target of US$1.3 trillion by 2030, contributing to a final consensus of US$300 billion annually by 2035. Pakistan played a central role in negotiations under Article 6 to secure national control over carbon credit authorizations, co-developed the Baku Adaptation Road Map and supported the operationalization of the Loss and Damage Fund, which secured US$730 million in initial pledges.
On the financing front, Pakistan secured US$1.4 billion through the IMF’s Resilience and Sustainability Facility to support clean energy transitions, green mobility and disaster risk financing. The Green Climate Fund provided US$82 million for four major adaptation projects benefiting over 13 million smallholder farmers. To diversify funding sources, Pakistan issued a Green Sukuk worth Rs 30 billion through the Pakistan Stock Exchange to finance environmentally friendly infrastructure.
Despite these achievements, serious gaps remain. The National Adaptation Plan is estimated to cost US$17.8 billion. Current climate finance inflows are only a fraction of this need, leaving a multi-billion-dollar gap that demands predictable, sustained and concessional support from international partners.
The National Climate Finance Strategy, launched at COP29, envisions a comprehensive whole-of-government approach. Its objectives include integrating climate priorities into public finance, strengthening governance coordination and leveraging private investment through innovative policies. Climate Budget Tagging has been implemented across more than 5,000 federal cost centers, with plans to maintain climate-related allocations above eight percent of recurrent expenditures and sixteen percent of development spending in the medium term.
Provincial governments have also demonstrated important leadership. Punjab unveiled its Climate Resilient Vision 2024, established Pakistan’s first Environmental Protection Force, introduced the Air Safe initiative with 30 air monitoring stations and enforced a plastic waste tracking system. Sindh implemented its own Carbon Market Policy, carried out over 500 industrial inspections, expanded environmental laboratories and collaborated on national carbon market regulations. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa planted over 121 million trees under the 10 Billion Tree Tsunami and closed 58 wildlife hunting zones. Balochistan confiscated 87,000 kilograms of plastic bags, installed air and water quality monitoring units and improved industrial wastewater treatment with newly installed effluent plants.
While these provincial initiatives demonstrate growing institutional capacity, they also highlight the need for better coordination, enforcement and sustainable financing. Implementation lags, limited local adaptation capacity and governance challenges continue to hinder the realization of national climate goals.
To shift from vulnerability to resilience, Pakistan must finalize a National Climate Resilience Framework with measurable targets and accountability mechanisms. Public-private partnerships should be strengthened to finance climate-smart infrastructure and encourage technological innovation. A robust carbon pricing system is essential to incentivize emissions reductions. Establishing a national innovation hub focused on climate-smart solutions for agriculture, water, health and disaster preparedness can help address local challenges more effectively. Above all, Pakistan must maintain its leadership role in global climate diplomacy, advocating for fair, just and predictable climate finance mechanisms.
The 2024–25 Economic Survey makes one fact unmistakably clear: climate change is not an isolated environmental issue but a defining challenge for Pakistan’s future development, stability and dignity on the world stage. For the international community, supporting Pakistan’s climate adaptation is not merely charity but a moral and strategic imperative. The time for decisive, collective action is now.
About the Author: Malik Bilal is a development professional with extensive experience in emergency response, recovery and governance across Pakistan. He has worked with UN agencies and international organizations to strengthen community resilience and support strategic program implementation. He can be reached at malikbilal1983@gmail.com.
