Climate Risk Index 2025: Impacts on Pakistan and Global Resilience Needs

The Climate Risk Index (CRI) 2025 reveals the escalating impacts of climate change, particularly highlighting Pakistan’s dire situation amidst continuous climate-related challenges. The report indicates immense economic losses and human fatalities resulting from extreme weather events, underscoring the necessity for enhanced resilience measures and immediate financial support for vulnerable nations.

The Climate Risk Index (CRI) 2025, released by Germanwatch in February 2025, underscores the rising effects of climate change and highlights the necessity for improved resilience measures. This report evaluates data spanning from 1993 to 2022, utilizing average annual values over three decades. Providing insights since 2006, the CRI examines the impact of extreme weather events on various countries, revealing significant economic and human losses globally.

Countries are categorized into two groups: those experiencing isolated extreme events and those under persistent threats. Pakistan, along with China, India, and the Philippines, belongs to the latter group, facing continuous climate-related challenges. The report emphasizes the dire consequences of inaction, quantifying global fatalities at over 765,000 and direct economic losses at approximately $4.2 trillion due to more than 9,400 extreme weather occurrences.

According to the CRI rankings from 1993 to 2022, Dominica, China, and Honduras are identified as the most affected nations. In contrast, Pakistan’s situation appears particularly severe, as it recorded immense economic losses during the catastrophic floods of 2022, impacting over 33 million individuals and incurring around $15 billion in damages. This excludes an estimated $16 billion required for reconstruction and future climate adaptation measures.

The report highlights how climate change has exacerbated Pakistan’s vulnerabilities, with the 2022 floods illustrating this risk despite the country contributing less than 1% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Furthermore, the World Bank estimated reconstruction costs exceeding $16 billion from this disaster, one of the highest ever recorded. Climate change has intensified monsoon rains by 50%, further deepening existing social inequalities, particularly affecting women and their livelihoods.

The scientific data derived from the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report resonates throughout the CRI report, prompting a reevaluation of resilience-building initiatives. The implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 13, which focuses on urgent climate action, faces significant barriers, with extreme weather events undermining food and water security, thus hindering overall progress.

Emphasizing the link between climate change and security, the report describes how climate impacts challenge individual welfare and national integrity. The interplay between climate change and conflict is influenced by various socio-economic factors, increasing vulnerability for marginalized groups in conflict-prone regions, particularly in parts of Asia and Africa.

The report articulates that effective governance and robust risk management frameworks are crucial. It highlights the significance of adopting the Sendai Framework (2015–2030) by the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, alongside implementing National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) to address localized adaptation requirements.

Despite the urgent need for financial support for vulnerable countries, the report expresses concern over the insufficient ambition of COP29’s New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG), which aims to mobilize at least $300 billion annually by 2035. This shortfall is troubling given the stark disparities in adaptation finance versus actual needs.

In summary, the Climate Risk Index 2025 illustrates the severe impacts of climate change, especially on vulnerable nations like Pakistan. It stresses the need for immediate and coordinated resilience efforts, including significant financial support for adaptation strategies. Policymakers must heed these findings to enhance climate resilience, mitigate risks, and prioritize sustainable development, ensuring that affected communities receive necessary support.

Original Source: www.thenews.com.pk