SINCE the first monsoon spell began less than a month ago, weather-related incidents have already claimed around 90 lives across the country and caused significant damage to property, crops and livestock.
Punjab is the worst-hit region where more than 50 people died in rain-related events, followed by at least 20 deaths in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa due to flash floods and landslides.
National disaster agencies have warned of more rains, thunderstorms, landslides and high-level flooding in the rivers including the Sutlej, Ravi, Chenab and Jhelum in the coming weeks.
The rains are aggravating the already tough conditions faced by communities affected by the 2022 floods, at a time when the government is scrambling for funds for rehabilitation and reconstruction.
Last summer’s floods killed over 1,700 people and washed away homes, crops, livestock, roads and bridges worth more than $30bn. The world promised to provide Pakistan $10bn, mostly in the shape of loans, at a conference in Geneva back in January to help the government’s efforts, but only a fraction of these pledges has been disbursed since ‘assistance’ for the flood-affected people was tied to the approval of the IMF bailout.
It still remains unclear if and when the pledged amount will materialise even after the IMF agreed to provide the $3bn funding facility. The heavy rains expected could slow down recovery in the areas where a large number of people displaced by last year’s deluge still live — without shelter, food, healthcare and jobs.
The International Rescue Committee has warned that the floods could affect 9.1m people this year, spreading disease and triggering more food shortages in a country where food insecurity is becoming an overriding concern.
Ranked among the top 10 most vulnerable countries on the Global Climate Risk Index even though it is responsible for less than 1pc of global greenhouse gas emissions, Pakistan has suffered economic losses of $29bn in the last three decades due to climate-related disasters (excluding last year’s floods) that have affected 75m people. These estimates by the World Bank do not include the damages caused to biodiversity, ecosystems and coastlines.
Each new disaster forces thousands of children out of school, causes epidemics, and leads to severe food shortages. With the impact of climate change increasing in intensity, as evident from last year’s deluge, policymakers need to invest heavily in dealing with the scale of these disasters, with or without international help.
That said, the richer nations must realise that what is happening in Pakistan — or other countries on the front line of climate change — will not be limited to vulnerable states. They must not only pay for their contribution to global warming but also radically cut GHG emissions as agreed to at various international forums.
Published in Dawn, July 18th, 2023
