PAKISTAN ON FRONT LINES OF A WARMING PLANET

It ranks among the top 10 most climate-vulnerable nations, but contributes less than 1% of global emissions

- BY SAJJAD ASHRAF | Special to Gulf News

Pakistan is barely recovering from one of the worst flooding to have hit the country in decades. Conservative estimates put 1,500 dead and more than two million displaced. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) reports that more than 8,400 houses, 239 bridges and nearly 700 kilometres of roads have been damaged or destroyed. Reports indicate 6,500 livestock lost — a huge blow to the rural poor. Over 2.2 million hectares of cropland is affected, wiping out harvests and pushing food prices higher. Prices for wheat flour — the staple — rose 25 per cent in the first week of September.

Recurrent floods in Pakistan do not just wash away homes; they erode the foundations of the economy. Agriculture the backbone of Pakistan's economy suffers repeated shocks. Damaged irrigation canals, drowned fields, and lost harvests exacerbate food insecurity. Industrial growth stagnates as supply chains are disrupted. The state spends more on relief than on prevention. International donors grow fatigued, unwilling to pour money into a leaking vessel.