The Ministry of Planning, Development & Special Initiatives has taken proactive measures to oversee the implementation progress on climate-resilient projects. Talking to WealthPK, Secretary of Planning Zafar Ali Shah said that the economy was already walking a tightrope prior to the 2022 floods. “The floods disproportionately affected the poorest households in the poorest districts, as well as segments of the country where human development results were already low,” he added. “The government is keenly working on strategic recovery objectives and strengthening state governance and capacity to restore the lives and livelihoods of affected people, particularly those in the most vulnerable areas,” he said. “It is imperative that we invest in building human capital and resilience, particularly in rural Sindh and Balochistan, where much of the flood devastation has occurred,” he added.

Zafar further said that the government formulated the 4RF framework in response to unprecedented devastation caused by torrential rains and subsequent flooding, which affected 33 million people and inflicted economic losses worth $30 billion last year. “Under this framework, development projects aimed at enhancing infrastructure resilience are being implemented across the country,” he added. The planning secretary said, “The cabinet had recently approved the 2023 National Adaptation Plan (NAP) with primary focus on safeguarding climate-vulnerable communities. This strategic initiative involves collaborative efforts by the government and other stakeholders to implement protective measures, encompassing early warning systems and effective responses to emergency situations.”

Meanwhile, Sohail Malik, an expert at the Climate Resourcing Coordination Centre, told WealthPK that Pakistan had experienced a growing number of climate-induced disasters over the past four decades, including droughts from 1993 to 2002, floods in 2010 and 2022, intermittent extreme heat waves, glacier outbursts, and sea intrusion. “These events have had severe implications for Pakistan's economic and social fabric.” He highlighted the devastating impact of the 2010 super floods, which resulted in the displacement of 20 million people and caused economic losses of $10 billion. “Similarly, the 2022 floods led to the displacement of 21 million individuals and incurred economic losses amounting to $30 billion.” He underscored that joint efforts were needed at the provincial and federal levels to combat the far-reaching impacts of climate change. “In order to build resilience to future natural disasters, Pakistan must focus on longer-term technical assistance and build its own internal capacity.”

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)