Today, Pakistan stands at the frontline of climate change. It is paying an unreasonably high price for a crisis it barely caused. Despite contributing less than one percent to global greenhouse gas emissions, the country consistently ranks among the world’s ten most climate-vulnerable nations. Its landscape-stretching from the Himalayan glaciers to the deserts of Sindh-has become a stage for recurring climate disasters that threaten both livelihoods and national stability. The scars of these disasters are deep and recent. In 2022, unprecedented floods submerged nearly a third of the country, killing over 1700 people and causing an estimated $40 billion in damages. Only two years later, in 2024, Sindh faced a searing heatwave that claimed more than 560 lives and left nearly 8000 citizens hospitalised with heatstroke and related illnesses. These tragedies are no longer isolated shocks but part of a dangerous new normal.
Global temperatures in June 2025 stood 1.3°C higher than pre-industrial levels, and Pakistan’s July monsoon rains surged by 82% compared to last year.
This year has further underscored the challenge. Global temperatures in June 2025 stood 1.3°C higher than pre-industrial levels, and Pakistan’s July monsoon rains surged by 82% compared to last year. This twin crisis of heat and water imbalance has put enormous stress on glaciers, accelerated flooding risks, and deepened urban water insecurity. For a country already struggling with economic fragility, such climate extremes jeopardise food security, human health, and industrial productivity.
Pakistan’s vulnerabilities are not only natural but also structural. Rapid urbanisation without adequate planning has produced sprawling cities with fragile drainage systems, which leave millions exposed to urban flooding. Groundwater reserves, once abundant, are shrinking fast due to over-extraction, while degraded infrastructure prevents efficient water storage and distribution. Climate shocks, therefore, hit Pakistan harder because they compound pre-existing governance and resource challenges. Yet, amid these daunting realities, a parallel story of opportunity is unfolding. Pakistan has quietly emerged as the world’s sixth-largest solar energy market, with renewable energy capacity expanding by nearly 50% in recent years. From rural households installing rooftop panels to large-scale solar parks feeding into the national grid, clean energy is no longer a distant dream but an accelerating trend. This shift hints at the possibility of Pakistan not only surviving the climate crisis but positioning itself as a green energy leader in the Global South.
However, to realise this potential, international cooperation is essential. This is where a PAK-US climate partnership could be transformative. Islamabad and Washington have long cooperated on security and counterterrorism, but the next frontier of bilateral engagement should be climate resilience and energy transition. Such collaboration could involve three crucial pillars: technology transfer, financing, and institutional capacity building.
First, US expertise in agricultural innovation can help Pakistan adapt its farming systems to extreme conditions. Heat-resistant crops, precision irrigation tools, and digital water governance platforms could secure Pakistan’s food production in an era of recurring droughts and floods. Second, modernising Pakistan’s outdated electricity grid through US-supported technology would allow renewable energy to be integrated at scale, which would reduce the country’s reliance on imported fossil fuels. Third, the Green Climate Fund could unlock broader green ventures, from electric mobility to sustainable housing.
Such a partnership would not be one-sided. For the United States, deeper climate cooperation with Pakistan would strengthen its strategic influence in South Asia while counterbalancing China’s growing role in green development through the Belt and Road Initiative. The stakes are clear: Pakistan cannot face the climate crisis alone, and the United States cannot afford to ignore the world’s fifth most populous country as it navigates existential environmental threats. Strengthened ties in climate and energy would not only safeguard Pakistan’s future but also contribute to regional stability and global emission reduction goals.
Climate change is no longer a distant warning for Pakistan-it is a lived reality claiming lives, destroying infrastructure, and testing state resilience. But within this crisis lies a chance for reinvention. With the right partnerships, particularly with the United States, Pakistan can transform vulnerability into strength, charting a path of green growth that both protects its people and contributes to the global fight against climate change.
The writer is an alumnus of QAU, MPhil scholar & a freelance columnist, based in Islamabad. He can be reached at [email protected].