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ISLAMABAD, Nov 26 (APP): Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Dr Musadik Malik on Wednesday warned that Pakistan is paying an increasingly unbearable human and economic price for delayed climate action, stressing that the costs extend far beyond monetary losses.
He was speaking at a panel discussion hosted by the Pakistan Business Council (PBC) on the theme “Climate Resilience: Who Pays the Price for Delay?”, which brought together government officials, development partners and private-sector leaders.
Dr Malik said nearly 4,700 people have lost their lives in the country’s last four major flood events—“more than any war Pakistan has fought”—while 18,000 others have been injured or permanently disabled.
He added that over three million people have been displaced, many losing homes, livelihoods and long-term stability.
“The price of climate change is not just economic—it is paid in disability, death, loss of education, and the breakdown of social cohesion,” he said.
The minister noted that Pakistan loses an estimated 9.5 per cent of its GDP annually due to floods, both from direct destruction and the indirect disruptions that follow.
Pointing to Pakistan’s geographic vulnerability, Dr Malik said accelerating glacial melt in the Himalayan region was disrupting rainfall and river flows, posing a serious threat to the country’s food security.
“We are at the centre of climate transformation, yet among the least responsible for global emissions,” he remarked.
He highlighted stark global inequities, noting that Pakistan emits less than 1 per cent of global greenhouse gases, while two neighbouring countries account for nearly 40 per cent, and just ten nations produce over 70 per cent of total emissions.
The panel also featured Sam Waldock, Development Director at the British High Commission, and Syed Jamal Baquar, CEO of TPL REIT Management Company, who echoed the call for urgent and coordinated climate resilience measures.