ISLAMABAD:Najy Benhassine, the World Bank’s Country Director for Pakistan, met with Romina Khurshid Alam, Coordinator to the Prime Minister on Climate Change, to discuss key areas of cooperation aimed at enhancing Pakistan’s climate resilience.
The meeting focused on the country’s increasing vulnerability to climate change and the urgent need for collaborative efforts to tackle related challenges. Both parties agreed on the importance of investing in sectors particularly prone to climate risks, such as agriculture, water management, energy, flood control, and disaster risk reduction, to strengthen resilience in these areas.
The discussion also addressed the escalating climate-related issues Pakistan faces, including extreme weather events like floods, heatwaves, and droughts. Despite contributing very little to global emissions, Pakistan remains highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.
During the meeting, Alam stressed that Pakistan is one of the most at-risk countries for climate change, with minimal contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions. She noted that the country has been grappling with severe weather events like destructive floods, heatwaves, and droughts, in addition to challenges such as desertification, groundwater depletion, crop failures, and erratic rainfall patterns. These issues have profound economic, social, and environmental consequences, but Pakistan is using its available resources and capacity to mitigate the impacts as much as possible.
Alam also recalled the devastation caused by the 2022 floods, highlighting worsening droughts, expanding desertification, and increasing water scarcity. She pointed out that Pakistan’s heavy reliance on glaciers and rivers for water has led to severe shortages, further complicating agricultural productivity, a crucial sector for the nation’s economy. Rising temperatures, especially in the southern and eastern regions, have also led to loss of life, health risks, and disruptions to daily life.
Benhassine acknowledged Pakistan’s growing climate vulnerability and offered the World Bank’s support in both technical and financial aspects to strengthen the country’s climate resilience. He emphasized the need to implement comprehensive climate risk management strategies at national, provincial, and local levels, with a focus on sectors such as water, agriculture, energy, and food security.
The World Bank official proposed closer collaboration with Pakistan’s Ministry of Climate Change and environmental coordination bodies, offering expertise and financial assistance for projects that would enhance the country’s capacity to cope with climate risks. This support could include funding for climate-resilient infrastructure, agricultural practices, and disaster preparedness plans.
In addition, the World Bank reiterated its commitment to supporting Pakistan’s climate finance needs by facilitating access to international climate funds to support projects that bolster resilience against climate change.
