‘Epic’ Pakistan floods show need for climate action

Cataclysmic flooding in Pakistan, triggered by unprecedented monsoon rainfall and glacial melting, has killed over 1,000 people and destroyed hundreds of thousands of homes and millions of acres of crops, affecting more than 30 million Pakistanis and causing billions of dollars in damage.

Pakistan is among the countries most vulnerable to climate change. It faces rates of warming considerably above the global average and likely more frequent and intense extreme climate events. These events are particularly threatening for marginalized and at-risk populations, including older people, people with disabilities, people in poverty, and rural populations.

Pakistan’s devastating floods come amid a deepening economic crisis. Forty percent of its 230 million people faced food insecurity in 2020, yet only 8.9 million families received assistance to mitigate the impacts of rampant inflation. Poverty is concentrated in rural areas, particularly hard-hit by the floods.

Considering the devastation caused by the recent flooding, the government should use the influx of funds to expand support for affected people and the IMF should ensure it has the time and flexibility to achieve a sustainable, inclusive, and rights-based recovery, according to Human Rights Watch.