By Abdullah Usman Morai | Sweden

Natural disasters do not ask whether a country is rich or poor. Mountains collapse, rivers overflow, cyclones arrive, earthquakes shake the ground, and droughts silently destroy livelihoods. Yet the consequences of the same natural hazard can be dramatically different from one country to another.

A powerful earthquake may cause limited damage in a country with strict building codes, strong emergency services, and well-prepared communities, while a similar earthquake can become a national catastrophe where buildings are poorly constructed and emergency institutions are weak.

This distinction is important when looking at the devastating floods that struck Nepal in August 2026. The disaster, associated with a massive collapse of rock and glacial material in the Himalayas, generated a destructive surge of water and debris. By September 7, reports indicated that more than 1,300 people had died and thousands remained missing in Nepal and Tibet, while rescue operations were continuing. Hundreds of hydropower workers were among those missing, with many believed to be trapped in tunnels.

Nepal’s tragedy is therefore not simply a story about one country’s floods. It is a warning for the entire Himalayan and South Asian region.

For countries such as Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and other developing nations, the question should not be only “How much damage did the disaster cause?” The more important question is:

“What can we learn before the next disaster arrives?”

What Is a Natural Disaster?

A natural hazard and a natural disaster are not exactly the same thing.

A natural hazard is a potentially dangerous natural event such as an earthquake, flood, cyclone, or landslide. It becomes a disaster when it seriously affects people, infrastructure, livelihoods, economies, or the environment, and the affected society cannot cope with the consequences using its own resources.

In simple terms: Hazard + Exposure + Vulnerability = Disaster Risk

The danger comes not only from nature itself but also from where and how human beings live.

For example, heavy rainfall in an uninhabited forest may be a natural event. The same rainfall falling over a densely populated city with inadequate drainage, settlements on floodplains, and weak infrastructure can become a disaster.

This is why disaster management is not simply about fighting nature. It is about reducing human vulnerability to natural hazards.

The Many Faces of Natural Disasters

Natural disasters come in many forms, and they often interact with one another.

1. Floods

Floods are among the most frequent disasters in South Asia. They can result from prolonged rainfall, overflowing rivers, sudden cloudbursts, glacial lake outbursts, dam failures, or rapid snow and ice melt.

Floods can destroy homes, crops, roads, bridges, schools and water-supply systems. They can also contaminate drinking water and create conditions for disease outbreaks.

Pakistan’s catastrophic 2022 floods demonstrated the scale of the problem. Millions of people were affected, and the World Bank estimates damages and economic losses in the billions.

2. Flash Floods

Flash floods are particularly dangerous because they can develop extremely quickly.

Mountainous regions such as Nepal, northern India and northern Pakistan are especially vulnerable. A sudden cloudburst, landslide, glacial event, or intense rainfall can transform a relatively small mountain stream into a destructive wall of water and debris.

The recent Nepal disaster demonstrated how rapidly water, rocks, mud, and ice can move through narrow mountain valleys.

3. Glacial and Mountain Hazards

The Himalayas contain enormous quantities of snow and ice. As temperatures rise, glaciers retreat, and mountain environments become increasingly unstable.

One danger is a Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF), which occurs when water stored behind a natural glacial dam is suddenly released.

But glacial hazards are not limited to GLOFs. Rockfalls, landslides, avalanches, ice collapses, and debris flows can also generate devastating floods.

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) reports that Asia is warming at nearly twice the global average and that accelerated glacier melting is becoming an important climate concern.

4. Earthquakes

Nepal, India and Pakistan lie close to one of the world’s most active tectonic zones. Earthquakes can kill thousands within minutes, particularly where buildings are not designed to withstand seismic forces.

Earthquakes can also trigger secondary disasters, landslides, avalanches, dam failures, and river blockages.

5. Landslides

Landslides are common in mountainous areas and can be triggered by rainfall, earthquakes, road construction, deforestation, glacier activity, or unstable slopes.

They become especially dangerous when roads and settlements are constructed without adequate geological assessment.

6. Cyclones and Storm Surges

Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan’s coastal areas face risks from tropical cyclones and storm surges.

Bangladesh, in particular, has invested heavily in disaster preparedness, early-warning systems, and community-level response. Its experience demonstrates that even a highly vulnerable country can significantly reduce disaster mortality through sustained investment in preparedness.

7. Droughts and Heatwaves

Not every disaster arrives with water.

Droughts can gradually destroy agricultural production, reduce groundwater recharge, increase food insecurity, and force migration. Heatwaves can kill silently, particularly among elderly people, outdoor workers, and vulnerable communities.

South Asia increasingly faces the paradox of too much water at one time and too little water at another.

8. Wildfires

Changing temperatures, prolonged drought, and dry vegetation can increase wildfire risks. Mountain and forest ecosystems in countries such as India, Nepal, and Pakistan can be particularly vulnerable.

Why South Asia Is So Vulnerable

South Asia is a region of extraordinary geographical diversity.

It contains the Himalayas, enormous river systems, densely populated plains, extensive agricultural areas, long coastlines, major megacities, and some of the world’s most climate-vulnerable communities.

The same geography that provides water, fertile soil and energy also creates enormous risks.

The Himalayas feed some of Asia’s largest rivers. These rivers support hundreds of millions of people across countries including Pakistan, India, Nepal and Bangladesh.

But when rainfall becomes extreme, glaciers destabilize, rivers rise rapidly, or drainage systems fail, the same river systems can become instruments of destruction.

The World Bank estimates that more than 750 million people in South Asia have been affected by one or more climate-related disasters over the past two decades. It also warns that nearly a quarter of the region’s population could face severe flooding risks by 2030.

This means disaster preparedness cannot be treated as a secondary development issue. It must become part of development itself.

Lessons to Learn

Early Warning Systems Save Lives

Perhaps the most important lesson from disasters around the world is simple:

A few hours of warning can save thousands of lives. Modern disaster management should combine: weather forecasting, river-level monitoring, satellite imagery, seismic monitoring, glacier and glacial-lake observation, rainfall gauges, automated alarms, mobile-phone alerts, radio communication, evacuation routes, and trained local volunteers.

However, an early-warning system is useful only if the warning reaches the people who need it.

A sophisticated warning sitting inside a government office is not enough.

The fisherman, farmer, mountain villager, factory worker, and schoolchild must receive the message in time and in a language they understand.

The WMO emphasizes that early warnings and early action save lives, while the World Bank has repeatedly highlighted the importance of better hydrometeorological services across South Asia.

Do Not Build in the Path of Disaster

One of the greatest mistakes developing countries make is treating land as if every piece of it is equally safe. It is not.

Floodplains are not ordinary land. Mountain slopes are not ordinary land. Riverbanks are not ordinary land. Coastal lowlands are not ordinary land. Glacial valleys are not ordinary land.

Before constructing a road, bridge, village, hotel, industrial project, or hydropower plant, governments should ask: What natural hazards exist here?

Nepal’s disaster also raises important questions about critical infrastructure in remote mountainous terrain. Reports indicate that numerous hydropower projects were affected and hundreds of workers were missing from tunnels, where rescue operations were complicated by blocked roads, debris, and difficult terrain.

Development should therefore begin with hazard mapping, not construction.

Infrastructure Must Be Designed for the Future

A bridge designed according to yesterday’s rainfall may not be adequate for tomorrow’s extreme rainfall.

A drainage system designed for historical storms may fail under unprecedented precipitation.

A road cut into an unstable mountain slope may become a death trap after an intense rainstorm.

Developing countries need to move from minimum-cost infrastructure toward risk-informed infrastructure.

This does not necessarily mean that every bridge must be enormously expensive.

It means that engineers and planners must consider the full range of hazards and the cost of failure.

Spending more on a resilient bridge today may save many times that amount in reconstruction tomorrow.

The World Bank’s work in South Asia increasingly emphasizes resilient infrastructure and development that can withstand climate and disaster shocks.

Rescue Capacity Is as Important as Construction Capacity

Nepal’s recent tragedy offers another painful lesson.

A country may have engineers capable of building tunnels, dams, roads, and hydropower plants. But disaster response requires a different set of capabilities.

Where are the specialized rescue teams? Where are the tunnel-rescue experts? Where are the drones and thermal cameras? Where are the helicopters? Where are the emergency bridges? Where are the mobile hospitals? Where are the water-purification units? Where are the emergency communication systems?

And, most importantly, have these people and systems practiced together before disaster strikes?

Reports from Nepal indicate that rescue operations were severely hampered by difficult terrain, damaged infrastructure, blocked tunnels and shortages of specialized equipment.  This should be a warning for every developing country.

Disaster preparedness cannot begin after the disaster.

South Asian Countries Must Cooperate

Floods, rivers, cyclones, glaciers and weather systems do not respect political borders.

A river can begin in one country, pass through another and eventually reach the sea in a third.

A cyclone can cross several countries.

A glacier can destabilize a mountain valley whose river flows across an international border.

Climate and disaster management therefore require regional cooperation.

Nepal, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh have different political systems and national priorities, but they share interconnected geographical risks.

South Asia needs stronger cooperation in river-basin management, flood forecasting, glacier monitoring, weather data sharing, earthquake preparedness, cyclone warnings, emergency communication, search and rescue, disaster-response training, and humanitarian assistance.

The World Bank has repeatedly emphasized that floods, droughts, cyclones, and other climate risks cross national borders and require regional approaches.

Pakistan: A Particularly Important Warning

Pakistan should pay close attention to what is happening in Nepal. The country faces multiple interconnected hazards.

The northern areas contain some of the world’s highest mountains and glaciers. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, and parts of Punjab are exposed to floods, landslides, glacial hazards, and earthquakes.

Meanwhile, Sindh and other low-lying regions face major river and urban flooding risks.

Pakistan’s experience in 2022 should already have demonstrated that disaster risk is not theoretical.

The floods affected millions of people and caused billions in damage and losses, according to the World Bank.

But the deeper lesson is that a flood disaster begins long before the rain falls.

It begins with unplanned settlements. It begins with inadequate drainage. It begins with deforestation and environmental degradation. It begins when floodplains are occupied. It begins when warnings are ignored. It begins when infrastructure is designed without considering future climate conditions. And it begins when disaster management receives attention only after tragedy has occurred.

India and Bangladesh Face Their Own Challenges

India’s enormous population and geographical diversity expose it to almost every major category of natural hazard.

The Himalayan states face earthquakes, landslides, flash floods and glacial hazards, while central and southern regions experience droughts, heatwaves, floods and cyclones.

India’s challenge is therefore not simply to build more infrastructure, but to make its enormous infrastructure network climate- and disaster-resilient.

Bangladesh presents a different but equally important example.

Much of the country is low-lying and exposed to river flooding, cyclones and storm surges. Yet Bangladesh has developed considerable experience in community preparedness, cyclone shelters, warning systems and disaster management.

Its experience demonstrates an important principle: Vulnerability is not destiny.

A country can be geographically vulnerable and still become more resilient through investment, planning and community participation.

The Poor Pay the Highest Price

Natural disasters are rarely socially neutral.

The wealthy may lose property, but the poor often lose everything.

A wealthy family may move temporarily to a hotel or another city. A poor family living beside a river may lose its home, livestock, crops, documents, tools, and source of income in a single night.

This is why disaster management must also be considered a poverty-reduction strategy.

The World Bank notes that disasters can reverse years of development progress and push vulnerable people back into poverty.

A country cannot claim sustainable development if a single flood can destroy decades of progress.

From Disaster Management to Disaster Risk Reduction

Perhaps the biggest conceptual change developing countries need is to stop thinking primarily about disaster response.

Traditional thinking asks: “What will we do when disaster happens?”

Modern thinking asks: “What can we do today so that the disaster causes less damage tomorrow?”

That means moving from Relief → Prevention, Reaction → Preparedness, Reconstruction → Resilient Reconstruction, Damage assessment → Risk assessment, and Centralized response → Community-based resilience

The UN’s disaster-risk framework increasingly emphasizes understanding and reducing risk before disasters occur.

Climate Change Is Changing the Risk Equation

It would be wrong to attribute every flood or landslide entirely to climate change. Natural hazards have always existed.

But climate change can alter the intensity, frequency, or conditions associated with many hazards.

Asia is already warming rapidly. The WMO says the continent is warming at nearly twice the global average, while glacier melting is accelerating.

For South Asia, this means governments must prepare for a future in which historical experience may no longer be a sufficient guide.

The question should no longer be: “Has a flood of this magnitude happened here before?”

Instead, planners should ask: “What is physically possible under future climatic conditions, and are our communities prepared for it?”

That is a fundamentally different approach.

What Should Developing Countries Do Now?

The lessons from Nepal, Pakistan, India and Bangladesh point toward a practical agenda.

Map the risks.

Every village, city and infrastructure project should be assessed for flood, earthquake, landslide, cyclone, drought, wildfire and other relevant hazards.

Strengthen early-warning systems.

Warnings must reach ordinary people quickly through mobile phones, radio, television, sirens and community networks.

Enforce land-use planning.

Do not permit uncontrolled construction on floodplains, unstable slopes or other high-risk areas.

Improve building standards.

Buildings should be designed according to local earthquake, flood, wind, and climate risks, and building codes must actually be enforced.

Protect natural systems.

Wetlands, forests, mangroves, floodplains, and watersheds are not obstacles to development. They are part of a country’s natural defence system.

Train communities.

A trained local community can respond during the crucial first hours before outside assistance arrives.

Strengthen emergency services.

Search-and-rescue teams, helicopters, drones, emergency medical services and specialised equipment should be available before disasters occur.

Make infrastructure resilient.

Roads, bridges, dams, tunnels, hospitals, schools and power plants must be designed for future risks.

Cooperate regionally.

South Asian countries need to share data, technology, forecasts and emergency resources.

Finally, learn from every disaster.

After every major event, governments should conduct an independent assessment, not merely to calculate financial losses but to determine why the damage occurred and how it can be prevented next time.

Nepal’s Tragedy Should Become South Asia’s Warning

The devastation in Nepal is a human tragedy first. Behind every number is a family waiting for someone who may never return, a destroyed home, a lost livelihood, and a community trying to understand how life changed within minutes.

But disasters also create an obligation to learn. The tragedy should not end with rescue operations, compensation, and reconstruction. It should lead to questions.

Were people warned? Were they living in safe locations? Were infrastructure projects designed for the hazards of the region? Did emergency agencies have the equipment and training they needed? Could technology have provided earlier information? Were local communities prepared?

And most importantly:

What should be changed before the next disaster?

South Asia cannot prevent every earthquake, flood, cyclone, landslide or glacial collapse.

But it can reduce the number of people killed. It can reduce the destruction of homes. It can protect roads, bridges, hospitals and schools. It can strengthen communities. It can improve forecasting. It can move people away from the most dangerous locations. And it can ensure that development does not create new disaster risks.

The World Bank estimates that disaster-related losses in South Asia could be billions annually by 2030 under current trends.

That is not merely an economic warning. It is a warning about the future of nearly two billion people.

The lesson from Nepal is therefore much bigger than Nepal itself.

Nature will continue to produce hazards. The real question is whether human beings will continue to turn those hazards into catastrophes.

For developing countries, the most valuable investment may not be another emergency relief program after disaster strikes.

It may be the warning system installed before the flood. The bridge strengthened before the storm. The building code enforced before the earthquake. The community trained before the evacuation. The forest was protected before the landslide.

And the decision-maker is willing to say:

“We cannot stop nature, but we can stop turning natural hazards into human tragedies.”

Read: Sindh under the War of Nerves

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Abdullah Soomro, penname Abdullah Usman Morai, hailing from Moro town of Sindh, province of Pakistan, is based in Stockholm Sweden. Currently he is working as Groundwater Engineer in Stockholm Sweden. He did BE (Agriculture) from Sindh Agriculture University Tando Jam and MSc water systems technology from KTH Stockholm Sweden as well as MSc Management from Stockholm University. Beside this he also did masters in journalism and economics from Shah Abdul Latif University Khairpur Mirs, Sindh. He is author of a travelogue book named ‘Musafatoon’. His second book is in process. He writes articles from time to time. A frequent traveler, he also does podcast on YouTube with channel name: VASJE Podcast.

The post Nepal’s Floods: South Asia’s Warning Bell first appeared on Sindh Courier.

By Ramesh Raja

The climate crisis is no longer a warning about what might happen in the distant future. It is happening now, across continents and almost simultaneously. In 2026, the world has witnessed devastating floods, unprecedented heat, massive wildfires, drought, glacier and ice loss, extreme storms, crop damage, water stress and large-scale displacement.

The latest warning is coming from the oceans themselves. On 22 August 2026, global average sea-surface temperature reached about 21.1°C, a new daily record, surpassing the previous record set in March 2024. The extraordinary timing is particularly alarming because ocean temperatures normally reach their annual maximum several months earlier. Copernicus says the development reflects the combined influence of long-term human-caused warming and the developing El Niño.

The World Meteorological Organization has already confirmed that 2015–2025 were the 11 hottest years on record, with 2025 approximately 1.43°C above the 1850–1900 average.

What follows is a snapshot of some of the most striking 2026 climate and extreme-weather disasters, particularly those reported during the current summer.

Pakistan: Monsoon Floods, Flash Floods and Urban Flooding

Pakistan is once again experiencing a destructive monsoon season. Since 26 June 2026, heavy rainfall has caused deaths, injuries, flash floods, urban flooding and landslides across the country. By early August, the reported death toll had already reached 136, with further rainfall expected.

The danger has extended from mountainous areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan to Punjab and Sindh. Pakistan’s disaster authorities have repeatedly warned of flash floods, urban flooding and landslides.

Islamabad–Rawalpindi

The Twin Cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi have become a particularly powerful symbol of the crisis. Intense monsoon rainfall has repeatedly inundated roads and low-lying areas, while the Leh Nullah has posed a serious flood threat to Rawalpindi.

The significance goes beyond one rainfall event. Islamabad and Rawalpindi are major urban centers with extensive built-up surfaces, drainage limitations and rapidly growing populations. When exceptional rainfall arrives, enormous volumes of water can accumulate within a short period.

Industrial Countries, Including the United States and Europe, Are Responsible for Climate Disasters: Pakistan contributes only a small share of historical global greenhouse-gas emissions but remains among the countries most vulnerable to climate extremes. Its repeated floods illustrate the profound inequality between those who historically produced much of the atmospheric carbon and those increasingly suffering its consequences.

Nepal: Catastrophic Flash Floods in the Himalayas

Nepal has become the latest victim of an extraordinarily destructive Himalayan flash flood. On 26 August 2026, a sudden torrent swept through areas near the Nepal–Tibet border, devastating communities and infrastructure and leaving at least 100 people dead, 400 foreigners with hundreds of local reportedly missing as rescue operations continued. 19 bridges and 40 kilometers of roads have been washed away. Thirteen hydropower projects in the region have also been damaged. More than 200 trucks have been swept away. The force of the water was so immense that dramatic footage showed it sweeping through the border area like a wall of mud and water.

The disaster is particularly alarming because it occurred in the Himalayan region, where rapidly changing temperatures, melting glaciers and glacial lakes are creating growing risks of glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs). The Nepal–Tibet region has experienced similar catastrophic flooding before, including a 2025 event in which a major flood destroyed the Friendship Bridge, a vital trade and transport link between Nepal and China. A regional climate-monitoring assessment subsequently attributed that earlier disaster to the outburst of a glacial lake in Tibet.

India: Assam’s Catastrophic Floods

India’s 2026 monsoon has produced one of the year’s most devastating flood disasters.

Assam experienced its worst flooding in six decades, with more than 100 deaths and over 700,000 people displaced during the July disaster. More than 2,600 villages were reported flooded.

By 18 August, Assam’s reported flood death toll had reached 105, with nearly 32,000 people still affected across five districts.

The Brahmaputra and its tributaries inundated communities, destroyed crops, killed livestock and forced families into relief camps. In some places, residents described floodwaters rising from knee level to neck level in approximately 30 minutes.

Heavy rainfall has also caused floods and landslides in Kerala and Odisha. Earlier monsoon incidents across northern and northeastern India killed dozens more.

Industrial Countries, Including the United States and Europe, Are Responsible for Climate Disasters: Climate change is not the only cause of India’s floods. Deforestation, sand mining, wetland destruction and unplanned urbanization have made communities more vulnerable. But a warmer atmosphere can hold more moisture and intensify extreme rainfall, increasing the danger faced by already vulnerable populations.

Brazil: Violent Storms and Flooding

Southern Brazil has again been struck by severe weather.

In Rio Grande do Sul, violent storms on 6 August produced winds approaching 120 km/h, hail and a confirmed tornado. 114 municipalities reported damage, while 2,306 people were displaced across 28 municipalities. One person died and five were injured.

The state has already experienced some of Brazil’s most catastrophic climate-related flooding in recent years, demonstrating how vulnerable its communities and agricultural economy can be to extreme rainfall.

Meanwhile, meteorological assessments indicate continuing heavy-rainfall risk across southeastern Brazil during late August and into early September.

Industrial Countries, Including the United States and Europe, Are Responsible for Climate Disasters: Brazil is itself a major current emitter and has enormous responsibility for protecting the Amazon. But the broader climate system is global. Historical industrial emissions have warmed the atmosphere and oceans, changing the background conditions under which today’s extreme weather develops.

Argentina: Extreme Storms and Flood Risk

Argentina has also experienced severe weather in 2026.

A powerful storm affected Buenos Aires in August, leaving more than 50,000 electricity customers without power.

Argentina has additionally faced unusual winter conditions. The important Cristo Redentor crossing between Argentina and Chile was closed for an exceptionally long period because of heavy snowfall and strong winds, disrupting one of the principal routes across the Andes.

South America’s climate extremes are increasingly complicated: some regions experience destructive rainfall while others simultaneously face drought and agricultural stress.

Industrial Countries, Including the United States and Europe, Are Responsible for Climate Disasters: Climate change does not mean every storm or snowfall is caused by global warming. Rather, warming changes atmospheric and oceanic conditions that can alter the intensity, frequency and geographical distribution of extreme events.

United States: The Hawk Fire near Reno, Nevada

One of the most dramatic recent disasters has occurred near Reno, Nevada.

The Hawk Fire, which erupted on 22 August, rapidly spread through dry vegetation and had burned more than 15,000 acres by 25 August. At least 32 homes were destroyed, seven people suffered minor burns, and approximately 90,000 residents were initially affected by evacuation orders or warnings. About 23,000 remained under evacuation orders while another 40,000 were advised to remain prepared. Around 900 firefighters were fighting the blaze.

There is an important scientific qualification: officials believe the Hawk Fire was human-caused, so it should not be described as a wildfire directly caused by climate change. But the fire spread through dry brush, high temperatures and low humidity, conditions that can increase wildfire danger.

Industrial Countries, Including the United States and Europe, Are Responsible for Climate Disasters: The United States is the largest historical contributor to cumulative CO₂ emissions, making its historical role in global warming particularly significant. Today’s individual wildfire may have a local ignition source, but the broader warming and drying trend increases the potential severity of wildfire seasons.

France and Spain: Heat, Drought and Extraordinary Wildfires

Europe has experienced an extraordinary combination of heat + drought + wildfire.

By 5 August 2026, approximately 505,683 hectares had burned across the EU, compared with 379,392 hectares by the same date in 2025. Large fires were concentrated particularly in Spain and France.

Spain alone saw approximately 140,000 hectares burned between 13 and 28 July, largely in three major fire complexes. World Weather Attribution concluded that climate change had increased the likelihood of the combination of extreme heat, drought and fire-weather conditions driving the disaster.

France also experienced an extraordinary human toll from heat. Between 3 and 22 July, the country’s health ministry reported 1,243 excess deaths during the heatwaves.

Industrial Countries, Including the United States and Europe, Are Responsible for Climate Disasters: Europe is historically one of the world’s major industrial regions and therefore carries substantial historical responsibility for greenhouse-gas accumulation. The current European fires also demonstrate that wealthy industrial economies are not immune from the consequences of the warming they helped create.

The World’s Oceans: A Record That Should Alarm Everyone

Perhaps the most extraordinary recent measurement is not from a city or country but from the global ocean.

On 22 August 2026, the global average sea-surface temperature reached approximately 21.1°C, exceeding the previous daily record from March 2024.

More than 90% of the excess heat generated by greenhouse-gas emissions is absorbed by the oceans. Warmer oceans contribute to sea-level rise, marine heatwaves, coral damage, ecosystem disruption and changes in storm behaviour.

This is why the ocean record is so significant: it is not merely another temperature statistic. It is evidence that the planet’s largest heat reservoir is absorbing extraordinary amounts of energy.

Industrial Countries, Including the United States and Europe, Are Responsible for Climate Disasters: Fossil-fuel combustion during more than a century of industrialization has placed enormous quantities of CO₂ and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. The resulting warming is now being absorbed throughout the climate system, particularly by the oceans.

Greenland and the World’s Glaciers: Ice Is Disappearing

The climate crisis is also visible in the cryosphere.

Recent satellite observations have highlighted major floating-ice loss in Greenland, including significant changes in glacier tongues. Greenland’s ice sheet is one of the world’s most important contributors to long-term sea-level rise.

Glacier retreat is not simply an environmental issue. Mountain glaciers function as natural water reservoirs. Their continued loss threatens the long-term water security of communities dependent on seasonal meltwater.

The danger therefore operates on two timescales:

Too much water now through rapid melting and extreme rainfall, followed by too little water later as glaciers shrink beyond their ability to provide reliable meltwater.

Industrial Countries, Including the United States and Europe, Are Responsible for Climate Disasters: The people living beside Himalayan, Andean and other glaciers did not create the overwhelming majority of historical greenhouse-gas emissions. Yet they face some of the most profound consequences of a warming cryosphere.

Agriculture and Food Security: The Hidden Disaster

The destruction caused by climate change cannot be measured only in deaths and damaged buildings.

Floods submerge farmland. Heat destroys crops. Drought reduces yields. Wildfires destroy grazing land. Water shortages make irrigation increasingly difficult.

The 2026 Assam floods, for example, submerged extensive agricultural areas and destroyed livestock and household livelihoods.

In Europe, drought and record heat have simultaneously affected rivers, agriculture, forests and water supplies. The European Commission’s Joint Research Centre has warned that drought conditions and extremely low river levels are becoming a major concern.

This creates a dangerous chain:

Climate warming → extreme weather → crop losses → food-price pressure → livelihood loss → migration and displacement → humanitarian crisis.

Industrial Countries, Including the United States and Europe, Are Responsible for Climate Disasters: The poorest populations generally have the least capacity to absorb food-price increases, crop failures and livelihood losses, despite contributing far less to historical emissions.

Displacement: The Human Face of Climate Disaster

Behind every statistic is a displaced family.

The 2026 Assam floods alone displaced more than 700,000 people.

In Pakistan, repeated monsoon floods and flash floods have displaced and disrupted communities across several provinces. In Brazil, thousands were displaced by August storms. In Reno, tens of thousands faced evacuation because of the rapidly spreading Hawk Fire.

Climate displacement is therefore no longer confined to small island nations or distant future projections. It is occurring in South Asia, North America, Europe and South America at the same time.

The Great Climate Inequality

Behind the growing number of climate disasters across the world lies an uncomfortable but unavoidable question: Who created most of the problem, and who is paying the greatest price? The answer cannot simply be that one country or one region is responsible for every flood, heatwave, drought, wildfire or storm. Current emissions matter, and rapidly industrializing economies such as China and India now account for substantial annual greenhouse-gas emissions. Yet historical responsibility matters enormously. For more than a century, the United States and European industrial economies built enormous wealth through fossil-fuel-intensive industrialization, releasing vast quantities of greenhouse gases that have accumulated in the atmosphere and continue to warm the planet today. Meanwhile, many developing countries that contributed comparatively little to cumulative global emissions are suffering some of the most devastating consequences of climate change, including catastrophic floods, extreme heat, prolonged droughts, water shortages, crop failures, rising seas and displacement of vulnerable communities. This is the profound climate inequality at the heart of the global warming crisis: those who benefited most from carbon-intensive development are not necessarily those suffering most from its consequences. This is the central argument behind the principle that “Industrial Countries, Including the United States and Europe, are responsible for Climate Disasters.” It does not mean that developing countries have no responsibility for reducing their present and future emissions. Rather, it means that climate responsibility should be proportionate to historical contribution, present capacity, economic strength and the ability to finance the global transition to cleaner energy. This principle is reflected in the internationally recognized concept of “common but differentiated responsibilities,” which recognizes that all countries share responsibility for protecting the planet, but they do not bear the same historical responsibility or possess the same capacity to respond. The climate crisis, therefore, is not only an environmental emergency; it is also a profound question of justice, equity and responsibility between nations and generations.

The World Cannot Continue as Before

The events of 2026 must no longer be viewed as isolated headlines appearing one after another in different parts of the world; together, they form one enormous and deeply disturbing picture of a planet under increasing climate stress. Pakistan and India are battling devastating floods, Brazil and Argentina are experiencing extreme storms and rainfall, the United States is fighting destructive wildfires, France and Spain are confronting unprecedented combinations of heat, drought and fire, Greenland is losing ice, the world’s oceans are reaching extraordinary temperatures, farmers are losing crops, families are being forced from their homes, and water security is becoming increasingly uncertain. The most alarming reality is that many of these extreme events are occurring within the same year and, in some cases, within the same weeks, demonstrating how rapidly climate risks are converging across continents. Global warming has therefore moved far beyond the narrow language of environmental protection; it has become a fundamental threat to human security, food security, water security, economic survival and social stability. The world cannot address this crisis by asking vulnerable countries simply to adapt while the largest historical emitters continue with business as usual. Climate responsibility must become practical: the polluter must pay, the largest historical emitters must lead, vulnerable nations must receive meaningful climate finance, dependence on fossil fuels must be rapidly reduced, forests, glaciers, wetlands and oceans must be protected, and every country must prepare its people for a climate that has already changed. The disasters unfolding in 2026 are not merely warnings about what may happen tomorrow; they are evidence of what is happening today, and a warning of what the world will face if humanity fails to act now.

Read: Will Pakistan Ever Board Green Power?

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The author of this article, Engr. Ramesh Raja, is a Civil Engineer, visionary planner, PMP certified and literary enthusiast with a passion for art and recreation. He can be reached at engineer.raja@gmail.com  

The post Global Warming: The Planet Under Siege first appeared on Sindh Courier.

• Sea intrusion and increasing soil salinity have further reduced the productivity of agricultural land in the Indus Delta and other coastal areas. Large tracts of fertile land have gradually become unsuitable for cultivation, forcing many farming families to abandon agriculture or seek alternative sources of income.

Noor Muhammad Talpur

There is no doubt that climate change is affecting the lives of millions of people across the globe. While some of its impacts are immediate and highly visible, others emerge gradually over many years. In many cases, the effects are subtle, making them difficult to assess until the damage has become extensive.

In Pakistan, the coastal belt has been among the regions most severely affected by climate change over the past few decades. The changing climate has caused widespread damage to agriculture—the backbone of the local economy—leading to declining livelihoods, increased poverty, and growing economic uncertainty for thousands of farming families.

The effects of climate change on agriculture, particularly rice cultivation, are clearly visible in the coastal region and can easily be documented through scientific field studies. Rice, once a reliable source of income for local communities, is becoming increasingly difficult to cultivate due to a combination of environmental and climatic challenges.

One of the major factors is the large-scale loss of forests and natural vegetation over recent decades. These forests once acted as natural barriers against strong winds and dust storms, protecting fertile agricultural land and supporting healthy crop growth. Their disappearance has exposed farmlands to extreme weather conditions, accelerating soil degradation and reducing agricultural productivity.

Water scarcity has become another serious challenge. Shortages of irrigation water during the sowing season often force farmers to plant rice later than usual. As a result, the crop matures during the monsoon season, when excessive rainfall, prolonged cloud cover, and cooler temperatures create unfavorable conditions for rice cultivation. This significantly reduces crop growth and yields.

Sea intrusion and increasing soil salinity have further reduced the productivity of agricultural land in the Indus Delta and other coastal areas. Large tracts of fertile land have gradually become unsuitable for cultivation, forcing many farming families to abandon agriculture or seek alternative sources of income.

Even when farmers manage to produce a successful crop, they often face another harsh reality. The rising cost of seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, irrigation, fuel, transportation, and agricultural labour has increased production expenses to such an extent that the income earned from the harvest barely covers the investment. Consequently, neither farmers nor landowners receive a reasonable return on their efforts, making agriculture an increasingly unsustainable livelihood.

Climate change is no longer just an environmental issue; it is a social and economic crisis that threatens food security, employment, and rural development in Pakistan’s coastal communities.

There is an urgent need for a comprehensive scientific study to assess the long-term impacts of climate change on the lives and livelihoods of people living in the southern coastal regions of Pakistan, particularly the Indus Delta. Such research would provide evidence-based insights into the scale of environmental degradation and help policymakers design effective adaptation strategies. Without timely intervention, the consequences for agriculture, biodiversity, and human well-being may prove far more severe than we currently realize.

Read: Sindh: Environmental and Weather Concerns

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Noor Muhammad Talpur is a development professional with extensive experience in Pakistan’s humanitarian and development sector.

The post Climate Change Destroys Coastal Livelihoods first appeared on Sindh Courier.

By Nuzair Ahmed Jamro

Climate Change Is Knocking on Our Doors

A few years ago, climate change seemed like a problem discussed only in international conferences. Today, however, it has become a part of our daily lives. A farmer in Sindh looks at his dry fields and worries about changing rainfall patterns. A family in Karachi struggles with extreme heat during long summers. A resident of Lahore wakes up to a sky covered with smog and polluted air. These are not just environmental issues; they are affecting our health, economy, and future.

Pakistan is among the countries most vulnerable to climate change. Although Pakistan contributes a very small share of global carbon emissions, it faces serious consequences because of rising temperatures, floods, water shortages, heat waves, and air pollution. The question is no longer only about what governments should do. The real question is:

How can every citizen become part of the solution?

As environmentalist David Attenborough once highlighted, protecting nature is not only about saving the planet; it is about protecting the conditions that allow human life to continue.

Therefore, Pakistan needs a climate strategy that does not only focus on industries and large projects but also encourages ordinary people to adopt environmentally friendly habits in their homes and daily lives.

From Climate Awareness to Climate Action

For many years, Pakistan has conducted plantation campaigns, awareness programs, and environmental initiatives. These efforts are important; however, awareness alone cannot solve the climate crisis. People may know that planting trees, saving electricity, and reducing fuel consumption are good for the environment. However, many citizens hesitate to adopt these practices because of financial limitations. For example, a family may want to install solar panels but cannot afford the initial cost.

A person may want to buy an electric motorcycle but finds it more expensive than a traditional fuel-based vehicle. A household may want to replace old appliances with energy-efficient devices but cannot immediately manage the expenses. Therefore, the challenge is not only creating awareness. The challenge is making climate-friendly choices affordable and accessible.

This is where government reforms can make a meaningful difference. Instead of only asking citizens to change their behavior, the state should support them in making that change.

A New Idea: Reward Citizens for Protecting the Environment

A successful climate policy should recognize an important reality: People adopt changes faster when those changes also provide economic benefits. Therefore, Pakistan should introduce a Green Citizen Incentive Program that rewards households and individuals who adopt environmentally responsible practices. The purpose of this program should be simple: To reduce carbon emissions by helping citizens choose cleaner and greener options.

Under this initiative, citizens can receive financial benefits, discounts, or subsidies for:

• Installing renewable energy systems.
• Saving electricity.
• Using cleaner fuels.
• Planting trees.
• Using energy-efficient appliances.
• Choosing low-emission transportation.

By providing incentives, the government can transform climate protection from a responsibility into a shared national movement.

Green Electricity Reforms: Rewarding Energy-Saving Homes

Electricity consumption is directly connected with environmental protection. A large portion of electricity generation still depends on traditional energy sources that contribute to carbon emissions. Reducing unnecessary electricity use can help protect the environment while also reducing pressure on household budgets. The government can introduce a Green Electricity Reward Scheme where households adopting energy-saving measures receive benefits in their electricity bills.

For example, citizens can receive discounts if they:

• Install solar panels.
• Use LED lighting.
• Purchase energy-efficient appliances.
• Reduce unnecessary electricity consumption.
• Install smart energy monitoring systems.

A family that saves electricity is not only reducing its own expenses; it is also contributing to reducing national energy demand. In simple words: Saving electricity today means protecting the environment tomorrow.

Solar Energy: Turning Pakistan’s Sunshine into Clean Power

Pakistan receives abundant sunlight throughout the year. Therefore, solar energy provides one of the best opportunities for reducing dependence on traditional fuels. However, many households hesitate to install solar systems because of high initial costs.

To overcome this challenge, the government can provide:

• Subsidized solar panels.
• Easy installment plans.
• Low-interest green financing.
• Special support for low-income families.

Imagine a future where thousands of homes generate their own clean electricity. Such a transformation would reduce pressure on the national grid and decrease harmful emissions. Moreover, adopting solar energy can help families control their electricity expenses while contributing to climate protection.

Planting Trees: Creating Green Homes across Pakistan

Trees are among the simplest and most effective solutions to climate change. A tree absorbs carbon dioxide, improves air quality, reduces temperature, and creates a healthier environment.

However, plantation campaigns often focus only on forests and public spaces. While these efforts are necessary, Pakistan also needs to encourage plantation at the household level.

A Green Home Plantation Initiative can provide:

• Free plants and seeds.
• Guidance on tree care.
• Small financial incentives.
• Recognition for environmentally responsible households.

A person planting a tree in a home garden, rooftop, or available space may feel that the contribution is small. However, when millions of citizens participate, these small actions can create a major environmental impact. As the famous saying goes: “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second-best time is now.”

Clean Fuel and Sustainable Cooking Solutions

Energy use inside homes also affects climate change. Many households still use inefficient cooking methods that contribute to air pollution and health problems, especially for women and children. To improve the situation, Pakistan should encourage cleaner household energy solutions by providing support for:

• Efficient cooking equipment.
• Biogas systems.
• Cleaner fuel alternatives.
• Energy-saving household technologies.

Biogas, especially in rural areas, can provide an opportunity to convert agricultural waste into useful energy. This approach can help reduce pollution while also improving waste management.

Making Transportation Greener

Transportation is one of the major sources of air pollution in Pakistan’s cities. Cars, motorcycles, and old vehicles release harmful gases, including carbon monoxide and other pollutants that affect human health and contribute to global warming. Therefore, Pakistan needs reforms to encourage cleaner transportation. The government can provide incentives for citizens adopting:

• Electric motorcycles.
• Electric vehicles.
• Hybrid vehicles.
• Public transportation.

Possible support measures include:

• Reduced taxes.
• Subsidized financing.
• Development of charging stations.
• Exchange programs for old polluting vehicles.

By encouraging cleaner transportation, Pakistan can reduce air pollution and improve the quality of life in urban areas.

Energy-Efficient Appliances: Small Changes, Big Results

While discussing climate change, we often focus on large industries and power plants. However, households also play an important role in reducing energy consumption. Every day, millions of homes use refrigerators, air conditioners, fans, washing machines, and other electronic devices. When these appliances consume unnecessary electricity, they increase energy demand and indirectly contribute to carbon emissions. Therefore, encouraging people to use energy-efficient electronics can become an important climate reform.

The government can introduce a Green Appliance Incentive Scheme to support citizens who replace old, inefficient devices with modern energy-saving alternatives.

Under this initiative, citizens can receive:

• Discounts on energy-efficient appliances.
• Easy installment facilities.
• Tax relief on green technology products.
• Awareness about energy-saving practices.

For example, replacing an old air conditioner with an energy-efficient inverter AC may reduce electricity consumption significantly. Similarly, using LED bulbs instead of traditional bulbs can save energy while lowering household expenses. These changes may appear small at an individual level. However, when millions of families adopt them, the collective impact becomes enormous. As the saying goes: “Small actions, when multiplied by millions of people, can transform the world.”

Reducing Plastic Waste through Reusable Products

Another important environmental challenge is increasing waste, especially plastic waste. Plastic bags, disposable items, and single-use products remain in the environment for many years. They pollute land, rivers, and oceans and create serious risks for wildlife and human health. Therefore, Pakistan needs to encourage a culture of reuse, recycling, and responsible consumption.

The government can support citizens by:

• Promoting reusable shopping bags.
• Encouraging recycling systems.
• Supporting environmentally friendly businesses.
• Providing incentives for sustainable products.

For example, a family using reusable bags instead of plastic bags may seem like a small contribution. However, millions of households following the same practice can significantly reduce plastic pollution. Changing habits is not always easy. However, when citizens understand the benefits and receive support, adopting environmentally friendly practices becomes much easier.

Green Transportation: Encouraging Cleaner Mobility

Pakistan’s rapidly growing cities are facing serious air pollution problems. Traffic congestion, increasing fuel consumption, and old vehicles are major contributors to unhealthy air quality. Vehicles powered by petrol and diesel release carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and other harmful gases. These emissions affect public health and contribute to climate change. Therefore, Pakistan needs to encourage citizens to move toward cleaner transportation options.

The government can provide incentives for:

• Electric motorcycles.
• Electric cars.
• Hybrid vehicles.
• Public transportation.
• Cycling and walking facilities.

For ordinary citizens, the cost of electric vehicles remains a major challenge. Therefore, providing subsidies, low-interest financing, and tax reductions can encourage adoption. Moreover, expanding charging infrastructure is equally important because people will only adopt electric vehicles when they feel confident about their availability and reliability. A cleaner transportation system will not only reduce emissions but also create healthier cities for future generations.

A Digital Green Citizen Program: Using Technology for Climate Action

Technology can play a powerful role in encouraging climate-friendly behavior. Pakistan already has experience in digital governance and citizen services. This experience can be expanded by creating a Digital Green Citizen Platform.

Through this platform, citizens can:

• Register their green activities.
• Apply for environmental subsidies.
• Receive guidance on climate-friendly practices.
• Track their environmental contribution.

For example, household installing solar panels, planting trees, or purchasing energy-efficient appliances can record these activities through the platform and receive incentives. Digital monitoring can also help the government ensure transparency and prevent misuse of climate subsidies. However, technology should remain simple and accessible because not every citizen has advanced digital knowledge. The purpose of technology is not to create complicated systems. The purpose is to make climate action easier for ordinary people.

Learning from Global Climate Reforms

Many countries have successfully encouraged citizens to participate in climate action by providing financial support and incentives.

Germany: Encouraging Renewable Energy

Germany promoted renewable energy by supporting citizens and businesses in adopting clean energy solutions.

The lesson for Pakistan is clear:

When governments reduce financial barriers, people are more willing to adopt environmentally friendly technologies.

China: Supporting Electric Transportation

China invested heavily in electric vehicles, charging infrastructure, and renewable energy.

As a result, electric transportation expanded rapidly. Pakistan can learn that successful climate reforms require not only awareness but also investment and long-term planning.

Costa Rica: Protecting Forests through Incentives

Costa Rica encouraged environmental protection by rewarding communities and landowners for conserving forests. The experience shows that people become active environmental partners when they receive recognition and benefits.

Challenges in Implementing Green Subsidies

Although climate incentives can create positive change, several challenges must be considered.

1. Financial Limitations

Providing subsidies requires government resources. Therefore, programs should be carefully designed and focused on areas with the greatest environmental impact.

2. Public Awareness

Many citizens are still unaware of the connection between daily activities and climate change.

Therefore, climate education should be included in schools, universities, media campaigns, and community programs.

3. Equal Access

Green technology should not become available only to wealthy citizens.

Low-income families, rural communities, and vulnerable groups should receive special support.

4. Monitoring and Transparency

Without proper monitoring, subsidies may not reach deserving citizens.

Digital systems, public reporting, and transparent procedures are necessary to ensure effective implementation.

A Practical Climate Reform Roadmap for Pakistan

To make climate action successful, Pakistan can adopt a gradual but effective approach.

Phase 1: Awareness and Incentives

The government should focus on educating citizens and introducing initial incentives for:

• Plantation.
• Energy saving.
• Waste reduction.
• Clean transportation.

Phase 2: Expansion of Green Technologies

After creating awareness, support should expand for:

• Solar energy.
• Electric vehicles.
• Energy-efficient appliances.
• Renewable fuels.

Phase 3: Building a Green Economy

Long-term reforms should encourage:

• Green industries.
• Clean energy jobs.
• Sustainable agriculture.
• Environmental innovation.

This approach will not only reduce emissions but also create new economic opportunities.

Conclusion: Climate Protection Begins at Home

Climate change is one of the greatest challenges facing Pakistan and the world. However, solutions do not only come from international agreements or government offices. Solutions also begin inside our homes. A citizen switching off unnecessary lights, planting a tree, using clean energy, reducing waste, choosing public transport, or adopting energy-efficient appliances is contributing to a healthier environment. However, citizens need support. They need policies that make environmentally responsible choices affordable and practical. Therefore, Pakistan should move toward an incentive-based climate policy where protecting the environment also provides economic benefits.

The goal should be: “A green choice should be an easy choice for every Pakistani citizen.”

As environmental advocate Wangari Maathai said: “Until you dig a hole, you plant a tree, you water it, and you make it survive, you have done nothing. You are just talking.”

Climate action requires moving from discussion to implementation. By supporting citizens through green subsidies, renewable energy incentives, clean transportation reforms, and sustainable lifestyle programs, Pakistan can build a future that is cleaner, healthier, and more resilient. The fight against climate change is not only about protecting nature. It is about protecting our children, our communities, and the future of Pakistan.

Read: Climate Change – A Financial Problem

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Hailing from Shikarpur, Sindh, Nuzair Ahmed Jamro is a civil servant and MS research fellow in Public Administration. He writes on governance, public policy, and digital transformation. Email: najamro@gmail.com.

The post Green Pakistan through Citizen Incentives first appeared on Sindh Courier.

Sevara Matnazarova

Climate change has become one of the most pressing and complex challenges of the 21st century. Across the globe, its effects are increasingly visible: rising temperatures, prolonged droughts, stronger storms, melting glaciers, and rising sea levels threaten ecosystems, economies, and human lives. As the crisis intensifies, an important and often controversial question arises: who is responsible for climate change? While it may be tempting to point fingers at a single group, the reality is far more complicated. Responsibility is shared among governments, corporations, and individuals, but it is not equally distributed. Historical context, economic systems, and global inequalities also play a crucial role in shaping this issue.

To begin with, governments hold a primary responsibility in addressing climate change. They have the authority to establish environmental laws, regulate industries, invest in renewable energy, and participate in international agreements aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Over the years, global efforts such as climate summits and agreements have attempted to unite countries in the fight against global warming. However, many governments have been criticized for their slow response, lack of commitment, or prioritization of economic growth over environmental sustainability. Political interests, short-term goals, and pressure from powerful industries often prevent strong climate action. In addition, some countries fail to meet their emission reduction targets, weakening global progress. Therefore, governments are key actors whose decisions significantly influence the pace and effectiveness of climate solutions.

Equally important is the role of corporations, particularly large multinational companies. Industries such as fossil fuel extraction, manufacturing, agriculture, and transportation are among the largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions. For decades, certain corporations have continued environmentally harmful practices despite scientific evidence about their impact. In some cases, companies have even funded misinformation campaigns to downplay the severity of climate change and delay regulatory action. Although many businesses today are adopting greener strategies and promoting sustainability, these efforts are often criticized as insufficient or as “greenwashing”—a way to appear environmentally responsible without making meaningful changes. Given their economic power and environmental impact, corporations bear a substantial share of responsibility for the climate crisis.

At the same time, individuals also contribute to climate change through their daily choices and lifestyles. Activities such as excessive energy consumption, reliance on fossil-fuel-powered transportation, overconsumption of goods, and improper waste disposal all increase carbon emissions. Modern consumer culture, driven by convenience and mass production, encourages habits that are harmful to the environment. However, it is important to recognize that individual choices are often shaped and limited by larger systems. For example, people may rely on cars due to inadequate public transportation, or consume plastic products due to lack of alternatives. Despite these limitations, individuals still have the power to influence change by adopting sustainable practices, supporting eco-friendly policies, and raising awareness within their communities.

Another crucial aspect of this debate is historical responsibility. Developed nations, which industrialized earlier, have contributed the majority of greenhouse gas emissions over the past century. Their economic growth was largely built on fossil fuels, leading to long-term environmental consequences. In contrast, many developing countries have contributed far less to global emissions but are often the most vulnerable to climate impacts, such as floods, droughts, and food insecurity. This imbalance has led to discussions about climate justice and fairness. Many argue that wealthier nations should take greater responsibility by reducing emissions more aggressively and providing financial and technological support to developing countries.

Furthermore, globalization has complicated the issue of responsibility. Production and consumption are often spread across multiple countries. For example, goods consumed in one nation may be produced in another, where environmental regulations are weaker. This creates a situation where responsibility is difficult to assign clearly, as emissions are effectively “outsourced.” As a result, both producing and consuming nations share accountability for environmental damage.

In addition, the role of international organizations and global cooperation cannot be overlooked. Climate change is a borderless problem that requires coordinated efforts from all countries. However, disagreements between nations—especially regarding economic priorities and responsibilities—often hinder progress. Without strong global collaboration, individual efforts may not be enough to address the scale of the crisis.

In conclusion, climate change is a shared global responsibility that cannot be attributed to a single group. Governments, corporations, and individuals all play significant roles, but their levels of influence and accountability differ. Governments must enforce strong policies and lead international cooperation, corporations must adopt genuinely sustainable practices, and individuals must make conscious choices and advocate for change. At the same time, historical responsibility and global inequality must be considered to ensure fairness in climate action. Ultimately, solving climate change requires collective effort, long-term commitment, and a shift in how humanity interacts with the planet. Only by working together can we hope to create a sustainable future for generations to come.

Read: Education – A tool to reduce poverty

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Sevara Matnazarova is student at Urgench State University named after Abu Rayhan Beruni in Khorezm, Uzbekistan

The post Climate Change: Who Is Responsible? first appeared on Sindh Courier.

• And what Pakistan need to learn from our own 2025 floods and what is being experienced by South East Asia?

Mohammad Ehsan Leghari

The final week of November 2025 has brought Southeast Asia to its knees. From southern Thailand to northern Malaysia and across parts of Indonesia, relentless monsoon rains have swallowed cities, swept away homes, and exposed the deep vulnerabilities of landscapes long reshaped without regard for the rhythms of water. Roads have vanished beneath churning brown torrents, hospitals have flooded, and families have climbed to rooftops in desperate attempts to escape the rising waters. Yet beneath the chaos lies a quieter, more structural story: the land itself has been prepared for disaster.

In southern Thailand, where the death toll has risen past 87 and more than 3.5 million people have been affected, the water did not simply invade; it returned to places it once naturally flowed (Reuters 2025a). Hat Yai, Songkhla, Nakhon Si Thammarat, and other low-lying provinces have grown aggressively in recent decades, spreading into wetlands, filling natural drainage depressions, and carving roads and residential blocks deep into the historical floodplain. When this monsoon arrived, rivers and stormwater behaved exactly as hydrology predicts: they reclaimed their original corridors. Rescue teams could reach some areas only by helicopter as waters rose above vehicles, bridges, and even hospital floors (Reuters 2025b; Reuters 2025c).

Read: Unusual alignment of two climate forces behind record-breaking rain, floods in Southeast Asia

Malaysia’s northern states faced the same fate. More than 34,000 people were evacuated as towns in Perlis and Kedah were submerged, with distressing images of hospital patients being pushed through floodwater becoming emblematic of how deeply vulnerable critical infrastructure remains (Reuters Connect 2025). Stagnant water and lingering dampness soon triggered indoor air-quality warnings, reminding the region that floods do not end when the waters stop rising; they linger in the walls, lungs, and lives of those left behind (IQAir 2025).

The pattern is unmistakable across the region: rapid expansion into flood-prone terrain, the sealing of wetlands, the narrowing of canals, and infrastructure built against, rather than with, the grain of the land. In Indonesia too, where landslides have killed dozens, the worst impacts have occurred in places stripped of forests or carved into unstable slopes (Reuters 2025e). The climate shock may have been severe, but the devastation was shaped by the choices made on the ground.

It is in this wider context that insights from Pakistan’s Flood Resilience White Paper (post 2022 floods technical support from Dutch government) take on international resonance. Though written for the Indus Basin, the report’s message is universal: flood disasters worsen when natural drainage is blocked, floodplains are encroached upon, and governance is fragmented. This is precisely what Southeast Asia is now living through. The White Paper’s warning that distorted land-use decisions “trap, divert, or accelerate floodwaters in unnatural ways” reads less like a Pakistani diagnosis and more like a description of Hat Yai, Kangar, and dozens of submerged Southeast Asian towns today.

Nothing illustrates this more clearly than the Golok River, where Thailand and Malaysia flooded simultaneously as waters surged across both sides of the border. Hydrologically, the river is one system; politically, it is divided. Planning has followed the politics, not the ecology. The result is visible in the shared suffering of border communities, where flood responses were separated by jurisdiction but unified by force of water (The Diplomat 2025).

The region-wide picture reinforces that this disaster is not an isolated failure but part of a growing climatic pattern. Reuters and regional media have documented how the same monsoon surge caused deadly floods and landslides in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam, a sign of intensifying rainfall patterns across the tropics (Reuters 2025a; Mizzima 2025). Yet even as storms become more severe, the unequal damage from place to place reveals the decisive role of land-use planning. Areas that preserved wetlands or left river corridors intact fared better. Zones that built over their floodplains drowned quickly.

Thailand’s agricultural losses alone underscore this misalignment; with rubber plantations suffering damage estimated at USD 140 million, it is clear that placing high-value crops directly in flood retention areas was never sustainable (Reuters 2025f). And while Thailand’s deployment of its aircraft carrier to assist in relief efforts captured global attention, it also underscored how conventional emergency tools struggle when the underlying geography has been compromised (Reuters 2025g).

As Southeast Asia moves from rescue to recovery, it confronts a choice more consequential than any infrastructure repair: whether to rebuild as before or to rebuild with memory. The land has shown its memory: water has moved exactly where nature trained it to move. Now planning systems must show memory too. The solutions that Pakistan’s White Paper advocates watershed-based planning, restoration of natural buffers, strict zoning enforcement, and infrastructure aligned with hydrological reality. These are not for Pakistan alone. They are lessons for an entire region living at the confluence of climate acceleration and spatial neglect.

Ultimately, the November 2025 floods will be remembered not simply as a climatic event but as a spatial reckoning. Climate change brought the rain; land-use choices determined its ruin. The question facing Southeast Asia now is stark and urgent: will the next monsoon meet a landscape designed for resilience; or a landscape waiting once again to fail? And what Pakistan need to learn from our own 2025 floods and what is being experienced by South East Asia?

References

AP News (2025) Floodwaters are subsiding in southern Thailand as deaths exceed 80, 27 Nov.

Dutch Risk Reduction Team (2023), Improving Flood Resilience in Pakistan: A White Paper.

IQAir (2025) Indoor Air Quality Alert: Malaysia and Southern Thailand Flooding, Nov.

Mizzima (2025) ‘Truly severe’ floods overwhelm Southeast Asia, 28 Nov.

Reuters (2025a) Rescuers step up recovery operations as Southeast Asia flood deaths cross 180, 28 Nov.

Reuters (2025b) Thailand to airlift critical patients as southern floods kill dozens, 26 Nov.

Reuters (2025c) Severe flooding in Thailand and Malaysia – photo series, 26 Nov.

Reuters (2025d) ‘Like an ocean’: Malaysians recall race against rising waters, 27 Nov.

Reuters Connect (2025) Flooding in northern Malaysia – medical evacuations, Nov.

Reuters (2025e) Indonesia death toll climbs as floods intensify across region, 27 Nov.

Reuters (2025f) Thailand floods could cut rubber output by $140 million, 27 Nov.

Reuters (2025g) Thailand to send aircraft carrier for flood relief as rains intensify, 25 Nov.

The Diplomat (2025) Authorities Struggle to Respond to Devastating Floods in Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, 28 Nov.

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Mohammad Ehsan Leghari is a water expert, former Member (Sindh), Indus River System Authority, and former Managing Director, SIDA.

Read: Vision vs. Reality: Projects Collapse

The post Southeast Asia Deluge 2025: Spatial Gaps first appeared on Sindh Courier.

• – Environmentalists say the climate crisis could become a rare opportunity to bridge regional divides
• – Shared geography makes coordination unavoidable, say experts

Amir Latif 

KARACHI, Sindh, Pakistan

Climate experts across Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh are urging a renewal of regional cooperation to confront escalating climate threats in South Asia – one of the world’s most vulnerable regions – warning that without collective action, extreme heat and severe flooding could soon overwhelm hundreds of millions of lives.

A new World Bank study released this week paints an alarming picture: by 2030, nearly 90% of South Asia’s population will be exposed to extreme heat, while almost one in four people will face severe flooding driven by climate-induced disasters.

The report says the region’s dense population, rising temperatures and exposed geography leave it acutely at risk.

“These findings demand adaptation mechanisms to foster climate resilience,” said Imran Saqib Khalid, a climate governance expert based in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad.

He argued that the crisis could become a rare opportunity to bridge regional divides. “Climate can indeed be a unifying factor in an era when there is plenty of antagonism to go around.”

Khalid highlighted the lack of a unified early warning infrastructure.

“India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, for example, are affected by monsoons. Having an early warning system that cuts across political boundaries and speaks to our individual vulnerabilities could be very, very helpful,” he told Anadolu.

Echoing his view, Shafi Mohammad Tareq, a professor of environmental science at Jahangirnagar University in Dhaka, warned that soaring temperatures and climate shocks pose major threats to human health and environmental security across the region.

“Climate change is a global issue, so isolated action will hardly work. We can address it through regional cooperation in mitigation and adaptation,” he said.

With most of Bangladesh’s rivers originating in India – and similar interdependencies between India and Pakistan – he said the region’s shared geography makes coordination unavoidable.

– Cooperation vs. geopolitics

According to the World Bank report, an average of “about 67 million people per year have been affected by natural disasters in South Asia since 2010, more than in any other region in the world.”

It cites flooding as “a particularly common weather-related hazard in the region, with 40% of land area having been flooded during 2000-18.”

The report warns that “extreme rainfall and flooding are expected to become more frequent and intense with rising global temperatures, with 22% (462 million) of the population projected to face floods exceeding 15 centimeters depth by 2030.”

Despite shared risks, experts acknowledge that strained ties between South Asian nations remain the biggest barrier.

Ali Tauqeer Sheikh, a policy expert in Pakistan, said South Asia lacks technical coordination even as it faces recurring heatwaves, increasingly destructive floods, prolonged droughts, tropical cyclones and glacial lake outburst floods.

He noted that the current atmosphere – including recent political tensions in Bangladesh and the flare-up between Pakistan and India in May – hinders official collaboration. Still, he insisted that climate cooperation remains possible in limited but critical areas.

“Even if the political atmosphere is not favorable, cooperation can still be ensured through ring-fencing or international collaboration,” he said. “The three countries must understand that their climate-related challenges are the same, and they are equally vulnerable.”

Sheikh pointed to shared monsoon impacts as an example: “Monsoon originates from the Bay of Bengal but it hits across Pakistan and India, causing an equal amount of devastation.”

Bangladesh and India’s coastal states – particularly West Bengal and Odisha – face a constant threat of cyclones and storm surges, he added, disasters that deepen poverty and food insecurity on both sides of the border.

Endorsing his view, Tareq emphasized that the region’s complex geopolitics remain tightly tied to environmental issues, making cooperation difficult, yet more essential than ever.

– Regional institutions and climate financing

Indian environmentalist Gufran Beig said platforms like the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) could – in theory – provide a foundation for coordinated climate response, but have been largely sidelined by political rifts.

“Climate change does have the attention of these organizations, but there needs to be a more effective and collaborative approach to mitigate the challenges ahead,” Beig told Anadolu.

He noted that even distant events can worsen air pollution across South Asia, as seen with the recent volcanic eruption in Ethiopia that sent ash sweeping over the Red Sea through Oman and Yemen before reaching India’s capital New Delhi.

With pollution levels rising across major cities like Lahore, New Delhi, Dhaka and Karachi, he argued that coordinated monitoring and control systems are urgently needed.

Khalid suggested that climate finance could help revive stalled regional mechanisms like SAARC, positioning cooperation as a source of shared economic benefit.

“Climate financing could be key, whereby countries can come together and submit joint proposals to the Green Climate Fund or the Adaptation Fund,” he said. “That has not happened, but it is conceivable.”

He stressed that resilience depends on protecting vulnerable communities and small-scale economies. “How can we support poor households, smaller firms or business interests, small farmers? We can learn from each other when it comes to dealing with floods, drought, air pollution and other environmental issues,” he added.

People-to-people exchanges, including between farmers and youth, could also build trust and widen shared knowledge. “This is something that we did back in the 1960s during the Green Revolution, learning from one another’s experiences across borders,” Khalid noted.

* Najmus Sakib in Dhaka contributed to this report

Read: Environmental Hazards Amid Solar Boom

______________

Aamir Latif is a Karachi-based senior journalist. He represents Anadolu, a Turkish news agency.

Courtesy: Anadolu Agency (Posted on 27.11.2025)

The post One Region, Shared Fate: Act Now first appeared on Sindh Courier.

• Some 100 AI-powered air-quality monitoring stations have been established across Punjab, feeding into a 24-hour ‘smog war room’ integrating satellite feeds, ground sensors, and international databases
• Environmentalists caution that technology alone cannot solve Pakistan’s deep-rooted pollution crisis, saying real progress requires cleaner fuels, modern refineries, and a shift away from outdated industrial practices

Aamir Latif 

LAHORE, Punjab, Pakistan

Lahore, once celebrated as Pakistan’s “city of gardens,” now chokes each winter under a gray shroud of smog – its skies thick with toxic haze that has become the city’s defining feature.

Every November, as the monsoon fades, a suffocating layer of smoke and dust engulfs Lahore, India’s capital New Delhi, and much of northern South Asia.

The mix of crop burning, vehicle exhaust, and industrial emissions drives air pollution to deadly levels, forcing authorities to shut schools, businesses, and highways.

This winter, as air quality plummets again, the government of Punjab, Pakistan’s most populous province, is betting on an unconventional ally to fight back: artificial intelligence.

Authorities say they are deploying one of the region’s most technologically advanced clean-air programs, with AI systems at the center of forecasting, enforcement, and public response.

Some 100 AI-powered air-quality monitoring stations have been established across Punjab, home to nearly 130 million people, according to Marriyum Aurangzeb, Punjab’s environment minister.

These smart stations continuously analyze pollution data using machine-learning algorithms to predict air-quality surges before they occur. The information feeds into a 24-hour “smog war room” – a real-time climate intelligence hub integrating satellite feeds, ground sensors, and international databases.

Aurangzeb told Anadolu that across major industrial and urban centers, 8,500 cameras, drones and thermal sensors are linked to this AI dashboard, tracking emissions from factories and brick kilns. “Each emission source is geo-tagged, QR-coded, and algorithmically assessed for compliance,” she said.

From smoke to smart data

Punjab has also created a specialized Environmental Protection Force (EPF) digitally connected to the AI command center. When sensors detect an emission spike, nearby EPF units receive automatic alerts and are dispatched with drones and smart devices to verify violations and seal polluting sites.

Another innovation is the deployment of AI-guided anti-smog guns across Lahore, programmed to activate automatically when particulate levels exceed safe limits.

Early pilot tests showed a 70% improvement in air quality in Lahore’s Kahna area within hours of operation, Aurangzeb said.

Citizens are also part of the digital ecosystem. Through the AQI Punjab app, Green Punjab app, and helpline 1373, residents can report pollution sources directly. The system categorizes complaints and assigns them automatically – with a reported 96% closure rate.

Using satellite data from NASA and Pakistan’s space agency SUPARCO, the AI network also detects crop-burning incidents in real time and cross-references them with farm-loan databases to target enforcement.

According to the government, the system has helped reduce stubble burning by 65% in a year, while in Punjab’s industrial belt, it says 95% of factories now operate under emission-control systems.

‘No silver bullet’ for smog

But while AI may be transforming enforcement, experts caution that technology alone cannot solve Pakistan’s deep-rooted pollution crisis.

Air pollution kills an estimated 128,000 Pakistanis each year, according to Fair Finance Pakistan. Analysts say real progress requires cleaner fuels, modern refineries, and a shift away from outdated industrial practices.

Imran Saqib Khalid, a climate governance expert in Islamabad, said Lahore’s smog cannot be fixed without tackling its primary sources.

“Vehicular emissions contribute significantly to air pollution in Lahore, which can be addressed through the use of high-quality fuel, along with an improved public transport system,” he told Anadolu.

Pakistan, he said, lacks modern refineries capable of producing cleaner fuel. “Although we have started to import improved-quality fuel, it is not enough to meet our needs.”

Khalid also pointed to the country’s thousands of brick kilns, many of which burn low-quality coal or even old tires. “Even the so-called ‘zigzag technology’ kilns fail to meet national environmental standards because of poor-quality fuel,” he said, adding that zigzag firing, while efficient in theory, “cannot deliver results without fuel reform.”

“Air pollution is a complex issue but it has been addressed elsewhere in the world. It will take time and effort – there is no silver bullet solution,” he said. “It cannot be done through surface-level measures such as smog guns and smog towers.”

Environmentalists acknowledge that Punjab’s use of AI marks a new seriousness in tackling smog, but they say lasting improvements demand systemic reforms.

Yasir Hussain, a Karachi-based environmentalist, said the government’s approach this year shows more coordination than previous efforts but still lacks long-term impact.

“Artificial rain and smog guns don’t have a permanent or lasting effect,” he said. “Within an hour, pollution levels return because so much gas and particulate matter come from vehicles, industrial units, brick kilns, and stubble burning.”

He believes the electric vehicle policy introduced this year could make a difference over time. “This government has taken some measures to mitigate smog, but there is a long way to go,” he added.

Read: Pakistan’s smog crisis: What can be done and how?

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Aamir Latif is a Karachi-based senior journalist. He represents Anadolu, a Turkish news agency.

Courtesy: Anadolu Agency (Posted on 17.11.2025)  

The post Punjab bets on AI to tackle smog crisis first appeared on Sindh Courier.

Mohammad Ehsan Leghari

In July 2025, the Federal Cabinet of Pakistan, acting through the Cabinet Committee on Legislative Cases (CCLC), approved the Green Building Code of Pakistan (GBCP-2023)—a significant milestone in Pakistan’s ongoing struggle to build climate-resilient, sustainable, and equitable urban spaces. Developed after the catastrophic 2022 floods and adopted in the immediate aftermath of the 2025 monsoon floods, the Code stands as a testament to both memory and foresight. It is dedicated to the victims of 2022, but today, it also reflects the warnings delivered again in 2025, when widespread flooding once more overwhelmed major cities and peri-urban settlements, damaged public housing, disrupted transport corridors, and further exposed the structural weaknesses of unregulated construction and absence of flood-conscious planning.

The scale of these converging crises is stark. Pakistan’s population has surpassed 240 million, growing at 2.55% annually, and more than 38% of this population now resides in urban areas. The country carries an estimated housing deficit of 12 million units, a gap that fuels informal expansion into unsafe terrain: floodplains, nallahs, riverbanks, and low-lying settlements. Meanwhile, the building and construction sector consumes 40% of total energy and contributes nearly 30% of national greenhouse gas emissions. As repeated disasters show, urban growth without regulation is not merely unsustainable, it is life-threatening.

A Shift in Direction

The GBCP-2023 represents a conscious shift toward a construction paradigm that prioritizes risk-aware planning, environmental performance, water and energy conservation, and human well-being. Adapted from the 2021 International Green Construction Code (IgCC) under a license agreement with the International Code Council (ICC), the Code was prepared by a multidisciplinary 29-member committee led by Prof. Dr. Engr. Sarosh H. Lodi of NED University, in close coordination with ministries, UN agencies, professional councils, and development partners. It integrates global standards with Pakistan’s geological, hydrological, and socio-economic realities, ensuring relevance and feasibility.

The Code adopts a lifecycle approach, guiding how buildings are located, designed, constructed, operated, and eventually retired. It embeds water conservation, energy efficiency, eco-friendly materials, waste reduction, and healthy indoor environments, recognizing buildings as interconnected ecosystems rather than isolated structures.

Flood-Resilient Urban Futures: Lessons from 2022 and 2025

The 2022 floods exposed the deep structural vulnerabilities of Pakistan’s settlement patterns and planning systems. The 2025 floods reaffirmed these lessons—particularly in Punjab’s peri-urban housing schemes, Karachi’s low-lying industrial clusters, and the expanding katchi abadis in many cities. In each case, settlement in flood-prone areas and the obstruction of natural drainage paths intensified losses.

GBCP-2023 directly responds to these systemic failures. It’s most transformative provision prohibits all building construction within the flood limits of rivers, natural streams, and drainage channels, requiring the use of Federal Flood Commission (FFC) flood inundation maps for site approval. Coupled with mandatory permeable surfaces, stormwater retention measures, bioswales, rain gardens, and elevation requirements in high-risk areas, the Code shifts Pakistan from reactive relief to proactive prevention.

Had these provisions been fully implemented before 2025, a significant portion of the losses; particularly to low-income housing clusters and peri-urban settlements could have been prevented or minimized. The repetition of avoidable tragedy underscores the urgency of implementation, not just policy drafting.

Beyond Environmental Goals: Towards Inclusive Development

The Code is not only environmental—it is also a step toward inclusive development, a principle that ensures equitable access to safe, resilient, and healthy living spaces for all, including low-income and marginalized communities, rather than restricting green, safe housing to elites or gated neighborhoods. Inclusive development recognizes that the right to safe shelter is not a privilege, but a social and developmental claim.

If GBCP-2023 is to achieve this vision, it must be mainstreamed into the very fabric of public development planning, especially because the majority of physical development in Pakistan—urban services, roads, housing schemes, municipal buildings, schools, hospitals, water supply infrastructure; fall under the constitutional and administrative authority of provincial governments.

The Provincial Imperative

For GBCP-2023 to succeed, its enforcement cannot remain a federal directive alone. Provincial governments, Local Government Departments, Development Authorities, and Public Works Departments must:

• integrate the Code into all PC-I, PC-II, and other processes involved in both public and private sectors,
• revise building bylaws and zoning regulations to reflect flood hazard restrictions,
• require compliance in public housing and infrastructure projects, and
• link municipal approvals to verified implementation of code provisions.

Without provincial mainstreaming, the Code risks becoming a document of good intentions, rather than an instrument of transformation.

Implementation Challenges and Opportunities

The challenges are real: varying enforcement capacity across districts; cost barriers for low-income builders; uneven awareness among contractors; and entrenched informal construction networks. Yet, the opportunities are equally real: the Code provides a pathway to reduce energy bills, lower urban flood vulnerability, strengthen public safety, create green jobs, and shift construction markets toward sustainable materials and practices.

Pilot demonstration neighborhoods—especially in flood-affected areas of Pakistan including provinces, Azad Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan—could visibly show communities the practical benefits of resilient, passive, and water-conscious building design.

Conclusion

The Green Building Code of Pakistan 2023 is both a response to tragedy and a blueprint for a different future. It aims not just to prevent the recurrence of disasters like 2022 and 2025, but to reframe how Pakistan builds, houses its people, and shapes its cities.

If implemented seriously, especially through provincial mainstreaming and a commitment to inclusive development, the Code can transform Pakistan’s urban expansion from a pattern of vulnerability into one of resilience, dignity, and environmental stewardship.

The question before us now is not whether we can afford to implement the Code.

After 2022 and 2025, the truth is clear: we can no longer afford not to.

References

Federal Flood Commission (2022) National Flood Inundation Mapping Project – Phase II. Ministry of Water Resources, Islamabad.

International Code Council (2021) International Green Construction Code (IgCC) 2021. Washington, DC: ICC.

Pakistan Engineering Council (2023) Green Building Code of Pakistan 2023. Islamabad: Pakistan Engineering Council.

Read: Thirsty For The Justice

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Mohammad Ehsan Leghari is Member (Sindh), Indus River System Authority, and former Managing Director, SIDA.

The post Guiding Green Building Practices first appeared on Sindh Courier.

By Sidra Shaikh

Pakistan is one of the countries that is most susceptible to climate change impacts. Sindh is the second largest province of Pakistan struggling through the worst health conditions from both the urban and rural sides especially when it comes to women`s health. Extreme heat exposure is one of the global health concerns nowadays particularly for pregnant women. Prolonged heat exposure to high temperatures can evaluate the maternal blood pressure and can be severely dangerous in the Second Trimester (20 weeks) while increasing the risk of developing preeclampsia. Whereas facing Extreme Heat exposure without access to cooling points, bearing and raising children along with, making family income, performing 24 hours care responsibilities and subsistence agriculture is the everyday activity of women in Shamu Patel Village Hyderabad. In which most of the work is unpaid and solely considered as women’s work” yet they continue with quiet resilience since they don’t have any other way to run their household expenses. And their only silent complaint is “what else can we do?” Summer’s sun is a daily burden which feels more when it comes to pregnancy and becomes even harsher and affects marginalized communities disproportionately. Bharti, a field laborer, told that:

“Village women are very strong but being pregnant in front of the burning sun feels like dying”

From An Anthropological Lens

From an Anthropological perspective her words are crucial to reveal heat exposure as a burden not just biologically but also a socially constructed one where physical and emotional Exhaustion, Malnutrition and the rigid gender norms combine to create dangerous conditions. Early age pregnancies and late pregnancies in women`s 40s further complicate their health reflecting a lack of family planning and high parity. These risks are compounded by discriminatory gender norms that force women to continue work under harsh conditions. Since their agriculture labor in these villages is 75% carried out by women of all ages they spend 10 to 11 hours of each day under scorching heat. As a result of this constant exhaustion many suffer from restless sleep or not enough sleep “Insomnia and Anemia” a condition affecting nearly 47% of Pakistan’s rural population 3, and has become a very common complaint. Unfortunately it’s not just the case of Shamo Patel Village; rather it’s a reality of the women of our 75% portion population in Pakistan.

Climate Justice and Maternal Health

According to the National Childbirth Trust (NCT) “If a pregnant woman’s body temperature rises above 39.2°C in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, the baby has a slightly increased risk of having a birth defect.”4. However these women endure 50°C daily temperature as a result the Intrauterine Growth Restriction (IUGR), Preeclampsia, Gestational hypertension, and poor birth outcome linked to maternal under-nutrition are common features of birth profile in Shamo Patel village. Where their child birth is not simply about bringing new life into the world but represents a cost that mothers pay in a poorly organized and inequitable health and social structure. In which their life as individual get compromised, as Shoni a young pregnant lady shared that:

“We ignore our thirst three to four times before finally drinking, since there is only one cooler to serve the 45 workers at a time. That is why the fainting spells happen on a regular basis as another participant shared that “fainting spells during field work is as common as just to feel dehydration and exhaustion”. While such incidences are normalized in the community and the consequences are overlooked so that the cycle of maternal malnutrition continues and antenatal care remains ignored since there is not even a single official dispensary by the government. No doubt that broader health policies exist, but the approach of one size fits all is a big neglect for marginalized populations like Shamo Patel where the basics of maternal care feels like a luxury. In fact the community remains excluded from programs such as the Benazir Nashunuma Program BNP. Unless maternal health initiatives are redesigned to address climate induced challenges such as extreme heat exposure and the prevention of malnutrition, women in villages like Shamo Patel will continue to sacrifice their health for the nation’s survival, maternal health justice is essential.

Read: Systemic Discrimination against Rural Women

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The writer is a recent Graduate from University of Sindh Jamshoro. She is working as Research Associate at Agha Khan University`s Matiari Research and Training Center.

The post Pregnant Women and Extreme Heat Exposure first appeared on Sindh Courier.