Maryam Shah

ISLAMABAD: The catastrophic floods that have killed more than 1,200 people across Southeast Asia in recent weeks are not a distant warning for South Asia but &ldquo;a mirror of what Pakistan has already experienced and will face again,&rdquo; according to climate scientists.&nbsp;Across Indonesia and Sri Lanka, rapid heatwaves followed by early monsoon onset and cloudburst-style rainfall, the same sequence that devastated Pakistan in 2022 and again in 2025, have displaced more than 1.5 million people since late November.&nbsp;&ldquo;South Asia has entered &lsquo;new operating conditions&rsquo; where traditional monsoon timelines no longer apply,&rdquo; said Dr. Zainab Naeem, an environmental sciences researcher at the Sustainable Development Policy Institute. Speaking to Pakistan TV Digital, she added: &ldquo;What&rsquo;s happening in Southeast Asia right now mirrors exactly what we&#39;ve been experiencing in Pakistan.&rdquo;&nbsp;Parallel crises across regionIn Indonesia, the island of Sumatra recorded 604 deaths after a rare tropical storm triggered widespread flash floods and landslides. In Sri Lanka, Cyclone Ditwah killed at least 355 people and forced nearly 180,000 residents into emergency shelters. In both countries, prolonged dry spells were followed by sudden, moisture-laden systems that unleashed months&rsquo; worth of rainfall in a matter of days.&nbsp;Asia warming faster than global averageAccording to regional climate assessments, Asia is warming nearly twice as fast as the global average, leading to more frequent and more intense extreme weather events. In 2023 alone, the continent experienced 79 water-related disasters, the majority of them floods and storms.&nbsp;Pakistan has already felt the force of this shift. The 2022 floods submerged one-third of the country, killed more than 1,700 people, and caused damages and economic losses estimated at $30 billion, according to the Post-Disaster Needs Assessment and World Bank figures.&nbsp;This year, unseasonably early monsoon systems again triggered deadly flooding across multiple provinces.&nbsp;Women face disproportionate impactsWomen remain at heightened risk during climate-driven disasters. During Pakistan&rsquo;s 2022 floods, the UN Population Fund estimated that 650,000 pregnant women were in affected areas, with around 73,000 expected to give birth without access to maternal health services.&nbsp;Protection systems frequently collapse in displacement camps, increasing incidents of gender-based violence. Women, who often work agricultural land without legally owning it, are also excluded from compensation schemes when crops are destroyed.&nbsp;Science&ndash;policy gap leaves countries exposedDespite growing scientific clarity, preparedness remains uneven across the region.&nbsp;&ldquo;The biggest problem is not the absence of policies, it&rsquo;s the disconnect between high-level frameworks and ground implementation,&rdquo; Dr. Naeem said. &ldquo;Technical expertise is missing in many departments. Without integrating scientific evidence into urban planning and governance, we simply cannot manage these impacts.&rdquo;&nbsp;Cities across South and Southeast Asia continue to expand into flood-prone zones, while drainage systems and protective infrastructure remain outdated or overstretched.&nbsp;Warning Pakistan cannot ignoreRescue operations in Indonesia and Sri Lanka are ongoing, with military aircraft airlifting patients from inundated hospitals and naval vessels delivering supplies to isolated districts. The events underscore a clear message for Pakistan: such disasters are no longer &ldquo;once in a generation.&rdquo;&nbsp;Regional environmental agencies stress the urgent need to strengthen early-warning systems, redesign land-use planning, and invest in climate-resilient infrastructure. Without such measures, they warn, human and economic losses will accelerate.&nbsp;Pakistan&rsquo;s 2022 floods were described as unprecedented. Three years later, similarly devastating events have become routine across Asia. The question is no longer whether such disasters will strike again, but whether governments will be prepared when they do.

A woman carrying a child wades through a flooded street after heavy rainfall in Wellampitiya on the outskirts of Colombo on November 30, 2025, after a powerful cyclone. (AFP)

Natural Disaster

Climate

In regions across Asia, intensifying heatwaves, early monsoons and extreme floods are overwhelming communities, exposing weak infrastructure and highlighting urgent need for climate-resilient planning protection.

Southeast Asia’s deadly floods echo Pakistan’s escalating climate extremes

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: A 4&deg;C rise in global temperatures could melt up to 85% of Pakistan&rsquo;s glaciers, threatening the country&rsquo;s water supply, agriculture, and food security, Pakistan&rsquo;s climate minister said ahead of the 30th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP30). The country&#39;s&nbsp;Minister for Climate Change Dr Musadik Malik called the glaciers &quot;the bloodline and lifeline of our civilization.&quot; He said they feed Pakistan&rsquo;s rivers and sustain agriculture. &quot;A 4&deg;C rise in temperature can wash away about 85% of these glaciers,&quot; he said. &quot;That would devastate our irrigation systems and agriculture, threatening food security for millions.&quot; The climate minister also criticized the inequity of climate finance, noting that 55% of global carbon emissions come from just three countries. &quot;Countries like Pakistan, which contribute little to the carbon footprint, are among the most vulnerable,&quot; he said. He urged wealthier nations to take more responsibility and help developing countries adapt to climate change. &quot;This is not just an issue of civilization; it is an issue of justice and rights,&quot; he said. The minister highlighted Pakistan&rsquo;s efforts to combat climate change, including the installation of over 14 gigawatts of solar power, policies promoting electric vehicles, and reforestation projects. &quot;We are doing this for our children,&quot; he said. Malik also pointed to early warning systems designed to help communities prepare for climate-induced disasters such as floods and heatwaves. COP30 The COP30 is taking place in Bel&eacute;m, Brazil, from November 10 to 21. It brings together world leaders, climate scientists, NGOs, and indigenous peoples to advance climate action. Key goals include assessing progress on the Paris Agreement, increasing climate finance, and focusing on forest protection and indigenous rights, with special attention to the Amazon.

Climate & Environment

A 4°C rise in temperature could melt 85% of Pakistan’s glaciers, threatening agriculture and water security, Pakistan’s climate minister said at COP30 in Brazil.

Higher temperatures to affect Pakistan's water supplies, threaten food security: climate minister

Pakistan TV Satellite

ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for Climate Change Dr. Shezra Mansab Ali Khan has said Pakistan is facing a critical moment as climate vulnerability intensifies alongside rapid population growth, and urgent coordinated action is needed to secure the country&rsquo;s future.&nbsp; In an exclusive interview with Pakistan TV, Dr. Shezra Mansab Ali Khan stressed that population management and climate resilience must be addressed together, not as separate issues. She warned that Pakistan&rsquo;s population is expected to double by 2050, placing immense strain on natural resources, infrastructure, and sustainability.&nbsp; &ldquo;Religious leaders must play a role in awareness, and the government is actively promoting responsible population management,&rdquo; she said, adding that &ldquo;this is directly tied to our country&rsquo;s resilience and long-term stability.&rdquo; The minister of state said the private sector is ready to contribute to national climate efforts, but the right frameworks must be created.&nbsp; &ldquo;We need integrated policies where the private sector and international partners can meaningfully participate. Pakistan cannot manage this alone,&rdquo; she noted. Dr. Shezra Mansab also highlighted serious disparities in global climate finance access.&nbsp; Referring to the Loss and Damage Fund announced after the 2022 floods, she stated that despite commitments, no funds have yet been released to any affected country.&nbsp; &ldquo;We worked hard to establish that fund. Now, it must be operational. Countries like Pakistan, which have contributed the least to emissions, are suffering the most. This is a question of climate justice.&rdquo; Responding to claims of insufficient preparation at home, Dr. Shezra Mansab said Pakistan has a strong pipeline of climate adaptation and resilience projects ready to be funded. &ldquo;The delay lies with international bureaucratic processes, not with Pakistan&rsquo;s homework. Many Global South countries are facing the same challenges. We are raising our voice collectively.&rdquo; She added that while the Paris Agreement has increased awareness and progress, the global community must now shift from policy commitments to practical implementation. On provincial coordination, she acknowledged improvements but noted more work is needed, citing recent flood impacts in several regions.&nbsp; She praised Punjab&rsquo;s climate initiatives under Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, saying that other provinces are beginning to adopt similar practices. &ldquo;Our geography is extremely diverse&mdash;from glaciers to deserts&mdash;so solutions must be tailored at the provincial level,&rdquo; she explained.&nbsp; &ldquo;The federal government will continue to provide policy direction, guidance, and support.&rdquo; Dr. Shezra Mansab Ali Khan concluded that Pakistan&rsquo;s path forward must focus on responsible population planning, climate-smart development, stronger governance coordination, equitable access to global climate funds, and ensuring climate justice for vulnerable communities.

Minister of State for Climate Change Dr Shezra Mansab Ali Khan said Pakistan is facing a critical moment as climate vulnerability intensifies alongside rapid population growth, and urgent coordinated action is needed to secure the country’s future

Pakistan must tackle climate, population challenges together: Dr Shezra Mansab

GENEVA: This year is set to be among the very warmest ever recorded, capping more than a decade of unprecedented heat, the United Nations said Thursday. &quot;The alarming streak of exceptional temperatures continued in 2025, which is set to be either the second or third warmest year on record,&quot; the World Meteorological Organization said in an update on the state of the global climate released ahead of next week&#39;s COP30 UN climate summit in Brazil.

The United Nations’ World Meteorological Organization reports 2025 is on track to be the second or third warmest year ever recorded, marking over a decade of record-breaking global heat before COP30

2025 likely among three hottest years on record: UN

Gaitty Ara Anis

WASHINGTON DC: &nbsp;Pakistan faces a critical challenge in balancing its $1.2 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) aid with the urgent need for climate resilience, as experts urge a shift from short-term bailouts to long-term investments in flood defenses, early warning systems, and community-level adaptation. The recent climatic changes faced by Pakistan, especially in the form of widespread flooding, have left it reeling from financial and social impacts. The IMF recently reached an agreement with Pakistan to provide $1 billion under its Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and $200 million under its Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF) this week, bringing total disbursements under the two arrangements to about $3.3 billion up till now. In its recently issued statement, the IMF highlighted the devastation caused by flash floods that impacted &quot;7 million people, causing over 1,000 deaths and severely damaging&quot; everything from housing to agricultural land, consequently bringing down the projected FY26 GDP to about 3&frac14; &ndash; 3&frac12; percent. Because the IMF deems Pakistan &quot;vulnerable&quot; to natural disasters, this has sparked a new debate on how to achieve &quot;climate resilience.&quot; Expenditure transparency&nbsp;Climate change and economic experts view no single fix to this situation but rather look for a multi-pronged approach, starting with the right allocation of funds released under the RSF program. Dr Abid Qaiyum Suleri, the executive director of the Pakistan-based think-tank, the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), told Pakistan-TV Digital that to ensure expenditure transparency, &quot;Each rupee should be tied to clearly defined resilience outcomes&mdash;such as improved flood protection, drought-resistant agriculture, or community-level adaptation projects&mdash;and implemented through provincial and district mechanisms that involve local stakeholders.&quot; &lsquo;Ex-ante measures&rsquo;As a cash-strapped country, staying aligned with the conditions of the EFF loan program while managing the catastrophic climatic changes Pakistan is dealing with can be challenging. But is there room for making arrangements ahead of a climatic event? &nbsp;Zainab Majoka, a social protection economist based in Washington and working with the World Bank, commented that it is hard to fix anything once the catastrophe has already hit. &quot;A delay of even a few hours can lead to huge losses of life.&quot; Therefore, for countries like Pakistan, which are increasingly vulnerable to climate shocks, there is a dire need to invest in &quot;ex-ante measures,&quot; or measures implemented before the shock hits. &lsquo;Switching the composition&rsquo;&nbsp;One such area is Early Warning Systems (EWS). Majoka added that EWS are integrated data systems designed to provide timely and actionable warnings of impending hazards.&nbsp; &quot;In the recent past, these data systems have improved significantly in their accuracy and can provide robust information in advance,&quot; creating a time window where the government can start planning before the shock hits. The real question is whether Pakistan can allocate a major amount for such systems with proper checks and balances in place while availing the EFF, which comes with strings attached. &quot;Pakistan can expand climate adaptation and green infrastructure without breaching the EFF ceiling by switching the composition of spending rather than its size,&quot; summed up Dr Suleri. &lsquo;Phasing out untargeted subsidies&rsquo;He suggested phasing out untargeted energy subsidies and bailouts; ring-fencing the savings for flood defenses, drainage, resilient roads, and water systems; pruning low-priority Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) schemes; and lowering the priority of &quot;discretionary&quot; projects as steps in the right direction. Majoka and Dr Suleri both emphasized the need to strengthen not just a sector but the &quot;whole community&quot; to face any untoward climatic incident. The experts believe a shift from blanket price support to targeted cash via the Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) is one of the best measures to keep all &quot;costs low.&quot;&nbsp; The money to ensure that communities are built to face recent flooding-like situations can be procured by unwinding costly tax exemptions, bringing high-end real estate and retail into the revenue net, enforcing provincial agriculture-income taxation, and introducing a modest carbon levy with part of the yield earmarked for adaptation. Livelihood diversificationMajoka also advocated for providing easy access to safety nets, such as income support programs already helping vulnerable and poor households, which can further build resilience against shocks. In Pakistan, &quot;Benazir Income Support Program can be leveraged for that.&quot;&nbsp; She seconded Dr Suleri on this point. Such programs can be complemented with other measures such as livelihood diversification, where a household has multiple sources of income.&nbsp; &quot;We know from evidence that such programs also help to cope with climate shocks.&quot; RSF as &lsquo;strategic anchor&rsquo;&nbsp;According to Dr Suleri, Pakistan can use the IMF&rsquo;s RSF as a strategic anchor for a long-term climate-resilient growth model rather than a short-term disaster fund. To do so, the government should align RSF-supported reforms with a broader green industrial strategy: one that links climate adaptation with competitiveness, investment, and jobs.&nbsp; This means embedding resilience criteria into all infrastructure planning, incentivizing green energy and water-efficient industries, and setting measurable national targets for emission reduction and resource efficiency. But a long-term planning approach should be taken into account for that timely access to resources and money is a key element guaranteeing preparedness against disasters. Contingency financing&nbsp;Contingency financing is another tool that many Latin American countries are already using to achieve this goal, Majoka said. &quot;Contingency financing can take many forms, but it essentially means that the government has access to liquid funds. So, instead of once the shock hits, the government starts to look for money, it already knows that certain triggers are set linked to the contingency financing.&quot; In countries such as Chile, Colombia, and Mexico, they have catastrophe bonds that provide liquidity as soon as the shock hits. This improves the timeliness of the response and reduces the overall cost of recovery and relief. Even with all the appropriate and necessary steps taken, the IMF views that &quot;maintaining tight and data-dependent monetary policy will go a long way to build resilience against climatic changes that are rapidly changing the geo-economic structure of Pakistan.&quot;

Economy

The IMF recently reached an agreement with Pakistan to provide $1 billion under its Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and $200 million under its Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF) this week.

IMF aid vs climate reality: Can Pakistan achieve resilience? 

Ayesha Mir

Pakistan&rsquo;s climate emergency isn&rsquo;t just a national crisis &mdash; it&rsquo;s a regional reckoning. From floods that drown villages to smog that knows no borders, the forces reshaping Pakistan are the same ones choking Delhi, burning forests in Nepal, and melting glaciers in the Himalayas. But here&rsquo;s the truth: No country in South Asia can survive this alone, and the demand for climate justice has never been more important.&nbsp; In this episode of the Dossier, we explore what a real solution looks like &mdash; one built not on blame, but on cooperation, data, and shared responsibility.

Dossier with Ayesha

A real solution needs to be built on cooperation, data, and shared responsibility.

Pollution from neighboring countries damaging Pakistan

HANOI: Lingering heavy rains from a former typhoon caused more flooding and landslides in Vietnam, raising the death toll to 19 in the country, with more missing. Rainfall topped 30 centimetres (nearly a foot) in parts of Vietnam over the past 24 hours, the national weather agency said on Tuesday. It warned that heavy downpours would continue. The prolonged rain triggered flash floods and landslides that cut off roads and isolated communities from the northern mountains of Son La and Lao Cai provinces to central Nghe An province. Rivers swollen by downpours and dam discharges have caused widespread flooding and landslides in the north. The Thao River in Yen Bai rose well above emergency levels overnight, sending water up to a meter deep (3 feet) into homes and forcing evacuations. Many streets in the capital, Hanoi, were flooded, and authorities warned that people close to the Red River, which passes through the city, should take precautions. State media said Tuesday that authorities were still searching for 13 missing people, including eight fishermen. Bualoi had already caused at least 20 deaths in the Philippines since Friday. It made landfall in Vietnam early Monday, then lingered, which increased the danger. Global warming is making storms like these stronger and wetter, according to experts, since warmer oceans provide tropical storms with more fuel, driving more intense winds, heavier rainfall and shifting precipitation patterns across East Asia.

Heavy rains from former Typhoon Bualoi caused severe flooding and landslides across Vietnam, raising the death toll to 19, with 13 still missing. Authorities warn of continued downpours and rising river levels.

Typhoon Bualoi aftermath: flooding and landslides kill 19 in Vietnam

NEW YORK: China, the world&rsquo;s largest carbon polluting nation, has announced a new climate fighting goal to cut emissions by 7% to 10% by 2035. In a video address to the United Nations high-level climate summit on Wednesday, Chinese president Xi Jinping told his fellow leaders that the world&rsquo;s second largest economy, which has long seen its carbon pollution soar, will reduce the emissions of the gases that cause global warming and extreme weather. It came as more than 100 world leaders gathered to talk of increased urgency and the need for stronger efforts to curb the spewing of heat-trapping gases. With major international climate negotiations in Brazil 6&frac12; weeks away, the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres convened a special leaders summit Wednesday during the General Assembly to focus on specific plans to curb emissions from coal, oil and natural gas. Xi pledged that China would increase its wind and solar power sixfold from 2020 levels, make pollution-free vehicles mainstream and &ldquo;basically establish a climate adaptive society.&rdquo; Europe then followed with a less detailed and not quite official new climate change fighting plan. Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, said their infrastructure and investment in renewable energy and the price of carbon had all increased, and their emissions are down nearly 40% since 1940. Last week, member states agreed that their nationally determined contribution would range between 66% and 72%, and that they would formally submit their plan before the November negotiations, she said. Xi and Brazil&rsquo;s leader on Wednesday afternoon took thinly veiled swipes at U.S. President Donald Trump&rsquo;s attacks a day earlier on renewable energy and the concept of climate change. &ldquo;While some country is acting against it, the international community should stay focused on the right direction,&quot; Xi said. Brazilian President Luiz In&aacute;cio Lula da Silva, who is hosting the upcoming climate conference, said, &quot;no one is safe from the effect of climate change. Walls at borders will not stop droughts or storms,&rdquo; Lula said. &ldquo;Nature does not bow down to bombs or warships. No country stands above another.&rdquo; &ldquo;All of us may lose because denialism may actually win,&rdquo; he concluded. Guterres said, &ldquo;the science demands action. The law commands it. The economics compel it. And people are calling for it.&rdquo; &lsquo;Here we must admit failure&rsquo;&ldquo;Warming appears to be accelerating,&rdquo; climate scientist Johan Rockstrom said in a science briefing that started the summit. &ldquo;Here we must admit failure. Failure to protect people and nations from the unmanageable impacts of human-induced climate change.&rdquo; &ldquo;We&rsquo;re dangerously close to triggering fundamental and irreversible change,&rdquo; Rockstrom said. Under the 2015 Paris climate accord, 195 nations are supposed to submit new, more stringent five-year plans on how to curb carbon emissions from the burning of coal, oil, and natural gas. Technically, the deadline was in February, and about 50 nations &mdash; responsible for one-quarter of the world&#39;s carbon emissions &mdash; have filed theirs, including Pakistan, Micronesia, Mongolia, Liberia, and Vanuatu. All of those nations submitted on Wednesday. UN officials said countries need to submit their plans by the end of the month so the UN can calculate how much more warming the Earth is on track for if nations fulfill their commitments. Before 2015, the world was on a path for 4 degrees Celsius (7.2 degrees Fahrenheit) of warming since pre-industrial times, but now has trimmed that to 2.6 degrees Celsius (4.7 degrees Fahrenheit), Guterres said. However, the Paris Accord set a goal of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) since the mid-19th century, and the world has already warmed by about 1.3 degrees Celsius (2.3 degrees Fahrenheit) since then. Other nations weigh in Kenyan President William Ruto stated on Wednesday that climate change is both the single greatest threat and a significant development opportunity facing Africa, with the right action making the difference between survival and devastation. This week, Brazil&#39;s president also announced the launch of the Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF), a billion-dollar program aimed at compensating countries for preserving their forests. Jos&eacute; Ra&uacute;l Mulino Quintero, the President of Panama, stated that although his country is already one of the few that emits less carbon than it absorbs through its forests, he promised to further reduce carbon emissions by 2035. &ldquo;We believe one can always take another step for sustainability for future generations,&rdquo; Quintero said. He said Panama would restore almost 250,000 acres (100,000 hectares) of critical ecosystems, including mangroves and watersheds, &ldquo;because nature is our first line of defense against climate change.&rdquo;&nbsp;

China

China pledged a 7–10% emissions cut by 2035 at the UN climate summit, vowing major renewable expansion. Global leaders, including from Brazil, Europe, and Africa, urged urgent climate action, warning humanity is near irreversible damage from rising warming.

Articles tagged with "Climate Change"

Southeast Asia’s deadly floods echo Pakistan’s escalating climate extremes

Higher temperatures to affect Pakistan's water supplies, threaten food security: climate minister

Pakistan must tackle climate, population challenges together: Dr Shezra Mansab

2025 likely among three hottest years on record: UN

IMF aid vs climate reality: Can Pakistan achieve resilience?

Pollution from neighboring countries damaging Pakistan

Typhoon Bualoi aftermath: flooding and landslides kill 19 in Vietnam

China announces new climate goal to cut emissions

Southeast Asia’s deadly floods echo Pakistan’s escalating climate extremes