Pakistan Braces for Deadly Heatwaves Amidst Food Insecurity Crisis, Warns IRC
Shabnam Baloch, IRC Pakistan Director, highlighted the country’s disproportionate suffering from climate change:
ISLAMABAD, The Pakistan government has issued urgent nationwide warnings about severe heat waves expected to sweep across large parts of the country, while the International Rescue Committee (IRC) cautions that these rising temperatures pose a lethal threat to the population, with 8.6 million people already grappling with food insecurity.
The impending heat waves are likely to impact up to 26 districts, exacerbating the dire consequences of recent droughts and extreme flooding. Since July 2022, widespread agricultural devastation has driven food prices up, leaving countless households struggling to feed their families.
The long-term effects extend beyond food security, affecting education in provinces like Sindh and Balochistan, which are hardest hit by the heat waves and floods. The IRC reports that the educational disruption following the July 2022 floods has been more severe than the impact of two years of COVID-19 school closures. Since March 2020, 2 million children in Pakistan have been unable to access education, and 3.5 million continue to face schooling interruptions due to flood damage.
Shabnam Baloch, IRC Pakistan Director, highlighted the country’s disproportionate suffering from climate change:
“Despite generating less than 1% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, Pakistan is bearing the brunt of climate change with the most devastating consequences. The impact of extreme weather events on communities across Pakistan cannot be underestimated. Heatwaves, in particular, can have long-lasting and far-reaching effects on future generations.”
The IRC’s recent report reveals that 14% of households in Sindh reported educational disruptions due to heat waves, while 17% saw their income drop by over a third during hot months. These hardships are pushing families toward desperate measures, including child labor and child marriage, to secure income.
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“The world cannot afford to ignore the climate crisis in Pakistan. As a country contributing least to global gas emissions, the responsibility of responding to the damage caused by events like heat waves and flooding must be shared across the international community. Pakistan is now facing extreme temperatures that could last over one month. This is a critical moment for world leaders to recognize their role in protecting populations from catastrophic harm and deliver the urgent funding and support needed to ensure Pakistan’s population is safeguarded against climate change,” Baloch urged.
