RANKED among the countries most vulnerable to the adverse effects of a changing climate, Pakistan’s journey towards sustainable development is directly linked to its ability to success-fully execute climate adaptation and mitigation strategies. Ranked first on the Climate Risk Index 2025 despite contributing less than 0.9 percent to global greenhouse gas emissions, Pakistan is bearing disproportionate losses. In 2022 alone, climate-induced disasters inflicted over USD 30 billion in damages, with recovery needs exceeding $16.3 billion. From the melting glaciers in the north to the rising sea levels in the south, climate change is a clear and present threat that is reversing hard-won development gains and threatening the livelihoods of millions.
The devastating floods of 2010, 2022 and earlier this year, along with recurring heatwaves, droughts and altered monsoon patterns, highlight Pakistan’s acute climate vulnerability. These extreme events undermine food security, strain an already fragile economy and push millions further into poverty, jeopardizing the country’s Sustainable Development Goals. Climate justice gained renewed urgency in October, when 43 farmers from Sindh, one of the hardest-hit regions, formally sought compensation from German Carbon Majors RWE and Heidelberg Materials for climate-related losses. This follows a landmark May ruling in the Saul vs RWE case, where a German court established that major emitters can be held liable for climate damages abroad.
For a country that contributes a minimal amount to global greenhouse gas emissions, adaptation is fundamental. It involves making adjustments in ecological, social or economic systems in response to actual or expected climatic stimuli and their effects. It is about learning to live with the climate we now have and the one that is coming. The country has made a strong commitment to global mitigation efforts too. Mitigation involves reducing the flow of heat-trapping greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, mainly by cutting emissions and improving carbon sinks like forests. This is where the long-term sustainable development goals meet international responsibility.
The power sector is the largest source of emissions. Achieving sustainable development re-quires a decisive shift away from fossil fuels. Government policies are actively promoting a goal of achieving a majority share of renewable energy (solar, wind and hydro) in the power sectors. Large-scale solar and wind projects are fundamental, but small-scale, decentralized solutions, like rooftop solar, will also empower communities and reduce dependence on a centralized, vulnerable grid. Plans to introduce electric vehicles (EVs) and develop the necessary charging infrastructure aim to reduce the country’s dependence on imported fuel and clean up the air in its choked cities. Pakistan has put to use its unique ecological assets to contribute to global mitigation. The flagship Ten Billion Tree Tsunami Programme, Recharge Pakistan and the Protected Areas Initiative are great examples of large-scale nature-based solutions. These efforts absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and prevent soil erosion, reducing the risk of landslides and protecting important biodiversity. Expanding forest cover is one of the most cost-effective forms of mitigation available to the nation.
For these strategies to succeed, strong governance and consistent policy implementation are essential. The updated National Climate Change Policy and the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) provide the necessary blueprints, but the real challenge lies in effective execution at the provincial and district levels and securing the capital required to fund these initiatives. At COP 30 in Belem, Pakistan reiterated its long-standing call for climate justice, focusing on obtaining debt-free, predictable climate finance for highly vulnerable nations. The country advocated for a credible and accountable system for the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG), ensuring pledged funds — particularly for Loss and Damage — translate into actual, accessible resources for provinces and local communities.
Pakistan’s narrative combines recognition of its immense climate vulnerabilities, such as floods, heatwaves and glacier melt, with a vision for domestic delivery on its ambitious Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). This includes a conditional commitment to reduce projected emissions by 50% by 2030, along with provincial action on green finance, clean mobility and institutional reforms to strengthen climate resilience. Pakistan is also promoting regional cooperation on shared challenges, including river basin management and clean air diplomacy, positioning itself as a leader in the Global South in demanding parity between adaptation and mitigation finance. Climate action is expensive, requiring both domestic and international funding, with the principle of equity central to all projects — prioritizing women, the rural poor and coastal communities in climate-resilient development initiatives.
The path to sustainable development for Pakistan, though challenging, is clearly defined. By aggressively investing in smart adaptation to protect its most vulnerable and committing to ambitious mitigation to secure its long-term future, Pakistan can transform its climate vulnerability into a national opportunity. This effort is contingent on a whole-of-society approach: the government, private sector and every citizen must converge to safeguard the country’s natural capital and forge the stable, prosperous climate crucible for all.
— The writer occasionally contributes to the national press.
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