When it comes to climate change, there is a striking contrast between what we say and what we do. With Pakistan ranking among the ten most vulnerable countries in the world to climate change, with legitimate concerns about its responsibility versus its exposure, the country is well-positioned to close the gap between the ambition and the behavioral change required to take ownership of the problem and the solution. This World Environment Day, focused on Land Restoration, Desertification, and Drought Resilience, is a moment where Pakistan can once again pivot the narrative on climate change to a broader mass appeal. 

At present, the prevailing narrative around climate concerns in Pakistan has been impassioned, yet generalized in a way that still lacks grassroots ownership, sometimes without a human face, propagated in panels and brochures, and obscured by compelling yet detached numbers and statistics. While there is no doubt that Pakistan continues to make progress, not least in terms of global advocacy for environmental justice, loss and damage, disaster recovery, climate finance and other areas, the next challenge will undoubtedly be the sustainability of attention and approach as other national and global priorities and crises take over the news cycle. 

For example, while neither floods nor droughts are new to Pakistan, it is the increasing frequency, intensity and devastation they cause that is most concerning, brought about by the changing climatic conditions. Words like anticipation, preparedness and resilience, among others, mean something very different now than they did a decade or two ago. So, while vocabulary surrounding resilience-building and preparedness conjures images of a country on the brink of catastrophe, our hope is that it also provokes unity in purpose and urgency in action to face the inevitable shocks brought on by the changing climate. 

Globally, and in Pakistan, the climate crisis is not on the way, it’s already here. With scorching temperatures well above 40 degrees these past weeks almost everywhere in the country, the effects of climate change are very real. A World Bank report from 2023 found that while eight out of ten people in Pakistan were concerned about the effects of climate change, less than 25% of the population lists climate change among their top three concerns. Specificity is needed in understanding Pakistan’s social and economic landscape, to ultimately craft climate solutions which meaningfully engage with the people they hope to support.

In a country where over 40% of the population lives below the poverty line, any climate strategy must expand economic opportunity. But this strategy can only be successful if it addresses the intersections of internal divides such as rural and urban segments, arguably an important division where communities may sit a few miles apart yet present different ecological concerns and economic opportunities. Mapping of community interest, and tailoring communication  strategies to raise citizen awareness is one way to highlight links between people’s everyday hurdles and the climate crisis, and what can be done starting with personal responsibility and moving all the way up to community action. 

The floods of 2022, which served as a wakeup call for decision makers and a changing point for the climate consciousness of many stakeholders, have informed much of the current rhetoric around the climate crisis. However, as time passes, and with other global crises and domestic priorities, Pakistan, with support from the international community, must find ways to keep attention on the country and its most vulnerable. Doing so is critical for correcting the course on Sustainable Development Goals ambitions in the country (not currently on track), and recommitting to the accompanying development and climate change adaptation journey through cooperation and  innovation. This includes cooperation with the private sector and climate risk insurance initiatives – UNDP, supporting the Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, has made some important strides in increasing Pakistan’s access to climate finance through partnerships with the Global Shield Secretariat and the International Risk Financing Facility. However, taking into consideration Pakistan’s ever-rising population of 245 million and counting, the sheer number of vulnerable people in the country may be too great for any single organization or government to effectively address and support. Greater green investments, domestic and international, operating  in a predictable, stable, transparent business environment must be considered alongside other funding and financing instruments for maximum efficiency and impact.

At COP27 and COP28, Pakistan’s voice was instrumental in advocating for the Loss and Damage Fund, now capitalized at US$ 700 million. If accessible to countries like Pakistan, the fund could be another resource vehicle, but it alone cannot carry the unfinished business recovery from the 2022 floods. Along with realizing the domestic and international commitments from the January 2023 Geneva Pledging Conference for post-flood recovery, and other climate investments, UNDP, working alongside the UN system in Pakistan, continues its work with multiple development partner countries to urgently support the flood-affectees to restore their lives and livelihoods. This will be the space where narrative and commitment meet reality and ownership.

Responding to Pakistan’s climate crisis is everyone’s business: government and private sector, civil society, international and national organizations, and most of all communities. Learning from them, encouraging indigenous solutions, making visible their stories, and accompanying them with advocacy and support is key. The urgency and success of climate action outside of the domain of policy discourse, must eventually land in communities who are most impacted, and who are best positioned to respond with collective support. When we come together to tackle the climate crisis, we dream of the bigger, inclusive narrative that adapts and influences behavioral change. Local communities may not be the ones that require awareness and behavior adaptation to address the climate crisis, maybe it’s everyone else?

Authors:
Anila Ajmal
Programme Analyst, Resilience, Environment and Climate Change Unit
United Nations Development Programme

Faisal Yazdani
Research Assistant, Resilience, Environment and Climate Change Unit 
United Nations Development Programme