Pakistan, despite contributing minimally to global greenhouse gas emissions, is one of the most climate-vulnerable nations in the world. The country is facing increasing climate-related challenges, including extreme weather events like floods, heatwaves, and droughts. To mitigate the adverse impacts of climate change, Pakistan is seeking global partnerships to enhance its climate resilience. A significant step towards this goal was made during a meeting between the World Bank Country Director for Pakistan, Najy Benhassine, and Romina Khurshid Alam, the Coordinator to the Prime Minister on Climate Change. Both sides discussed strategies for enhancing Pakistan’s climate resilience through collaborative efforts focused on key sectors such as agriculture, water, energy, floodwater management, and disaster risk reduction.

Pakistan’s Vulnerability to Climate Change

Pakistan is experiencing the devastating consequences of climate change, such as unpredictable rainfall patterns, glacier melting, and increasing desertification. The country is already feeling the impact of rising temperatures, particularly in the southern and eastern regions, where extreme heat is causing a loss of life, health risks, and disrupting daily life. Furthermore, the country’s agricultural sector, which is a key component of its economy, is suffering from crop failures due to irregular rainfall and rising temperatures. With water supply largely dependent on glaciers and rivers, the water scarcity issue has become more severe, exacerbating the challenges faced by Pakistan.

Key Climate Challenges Facing Pakistan

• Floods: Pakistan has been severely impacted by devastating floods, such as the 2022 floods, which displaced millions of people and caused widespread damage to infrastructure, homes, and agriculture.
• Droughts: Prolonged droughts are reducing water availability, further stressing the country’s agricultural output.
• Desertification: Expanding desert regions are turning fertile lands into arid wastelands, diminishing agricultural productivity.
• Heatwaves: Extreme heatwaves are threatening human health and the well-being of communities.
• Water Scarcity: The melting of glaciers in the Himalayas is reducing the country’s water reserves, creating acute shortages for drinking, irrigation, and hydropower generation.

These challenges have not only significant environmental consequences but also severe social and economic impacts, affecting millions of people, particularly those in rural areas dependent on agriculture for their livelihoods.

World Bank’s Commitment to Climate Resilience

During the meeting, the World Bank expressed its full commitment to supporting Pakistan in building resilience against climate change. Najy Benhassine, the World Bank Country Director, acknowledged the country’s escalating vulnerability to climate-related risks and emphasized the bank’s readiness to offer both technical expertise and financial support to address these challenges.

Collaborative Focus Areas

1. Agriculture: Agriculture is a major contributor to Pakistan’s economy, and the sector is highly vulnerable to climate change. The World Bank intends to work with Pakistan to develop climate-resilient agricultural practices, such as drought-resistant crops, efficient irrigation systems, and innovative farming technologies that can withstand the changing climate.
2. Water Management: With water shortages becoming increasingly severe, Pakistan is focusing on sustainable water management practices. The World Bank’s technical support will help in improving water use efficiency, expanding irrigation systems, and managing water resources to address the growing demand and scarcity issues.
3. Energy: Pakistan is working on transitioning to renewable energy sources, as the reliance on traditional energy sources like fossil fuels exacerbates pollution and climate vulnerability. The World Bank will collaborate with Pakistan to increase energy efficiency and implement clean energy solutions.
4. Floodwater Management: Flooding is a recurring disaster in Pakistan, and effective flood management strategies are critical for the protection of life and property. The World Bank will support Pakistan in enhancing floodwater management infrastructure to prevent future calamities.
5. Disaster Risk Reduction: Pakistan needs to improve its disaster preparedness and response systems. The World Bank is committed to strengthening Pakistan’s climate risk management and disaster preparedness mechanisms to minimize the impact of extreme events.

Key Strategies for Climate Risk Management

One of the core focuses of the meeting was to enhance Pakistan’s climate risk management systems. The World Bank proposed a comprehensive approach, which involves implementing strategies at multiple levels – national, provincial, and district. This approach will help Pakistan build its resilience across various sectors and ensure that climate-related risks are managed effectively.

National, Provincial, and District-Level Plans

The World Bank emphasized the need for integrated climate risk management strategies that work across different administrative levels. This includes:

• National Strategies: Developing a broad framework that aligns with Pakistan’s climate goals and priorities, supported by policies and regulations to enable climate adaptation across sectors.
• Provincial Plans: Recognizing the diverse climate challenges faced by different provinces, tailored provincial plans will be essential for addressing local issues, such as flood risks in the north and water scarcity in the south.
• District-Level Measures: Local-level plans will address community-specific risks and promote bottom-up approaches to enhance resilience.

By incorporating strategies at every level, Pakistan will be better equipped to address both immediate and long-term climate risks.

Financial Support for Climate Resilience

Financial investment plays a key role in enabling climate adaptation and resilience. The World Bank pledged to support Pakistan’s climate finance needs, which could involve facilitating access to international climate funds, such as the Green Climate Fund (GCF). These funds would support various climate resilience projects across the country, such as infrastructure development, flood management, and climate-smart agricultural practices.

Mobilizing Climate Finance

Pakistan’s climate resilience efforts require substantial funding to implement necessary infrastructure projects, disaster preparedness plans, and the promotion of climate-resilient agricultural practices. The World Bank, in collaboration with the Pakistani government, is working to secure funding for such projects. Furthermore, Pakistan has committed to improving its climate finance management mechanisms to ensure efficient allocation of resources to priority sectors.

Conclusion

The collaboration between the World Bank and Pakistan represents a crucial step in addressing the country’s climate vulnerabilities. With support from the World Bank, Pakistan aims to strengthen its climate resilience through sustainable investment in key sectors like agriculture, water, energy, and disaster management. By implementing a comprehensive climate risk management strategy, Pakistan will not only be able to cope with the current impacts of climate change but also safeguard its future against further climate-related disasters.

The meeting between Romina Khurshid Alam and Najy Benhassine underscores the urgent need for international cooperation to tackle the global climate crisis. Through continued collaboration, Pakistan can enhance its climate resilience and reduce the negative impact of climate change on its people and economy.

FAQs

1. What is the main objective of Pakistan’s collaboration with the World Bank on climate resilience?
The collaboration aims to build Pakistan’s climate resilience by investing in sectors vulnerable to climate change, such as agriculture, water, energy, flood management, and disaster risk reduction.

2. How is climate change affecting Pakistan?
Pakistan is facing extreme weather events such as floods, heatwaves, droughts, desertification, and water scarcity, all of which significantly impact its agricultural sector and overall economy.

3. What is the role of the World Bank in Pakistan’s climate resilience efforts?
The World Bank is offering technical and financial support to Pakistan to implement climate-resilient practices in agriculture, water management, energy, and disaster preparedness.

4. How will the World Bank support Pakistan in managing climate risks?
The World Bank will help Pakistan by developing climate risk management strategies at national, provincial, and district levels, providing funding for infrastructure projects, and facilitating access to international climate funds.

5. Why is Pakistan so vulnerable to climate change despite contributing minimally to global emissions?
Pakistan’s vulnerability stems from its geographic location, dependence on glaciers and rivers for water, and its reliance on agriculture, which is highly sensitive to climate-induced weather changes.

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