Pakistan is facing intensifying climate threats at the very moment it has chosen to reduce funding for the institutions responsible for managing them. The decision to slash the climate ministry’s Public Sector Development Programme allocation from Rs3.5 billion to Rs2.48 billion is difficult to justify, particularly when the risks ahead are becoming more pronounced.

Scientific assessments underscore the urgency. Suparco has identified 130 potentially hazardous glacial lakes in the northern regions, with downstream communities exposed to the danger of glacial lake outburst floods. While only 24 of these lakes are currently unfrozen and under observation, the findings highlight the mounting stress on Pakistan’s glaciers. Rising temperatures are accelerating glacial melt in one of the world’s largest concentrations of ice outside the polar regions. The implications extend far beyond immediate flood risks, raising questions about the long‑term reliability of river flows that sustain agriculture, hydropower, and drinking water supplies.

The climate outlook is equally troubling. Suparco has warned that El Niño conditions could bring weaker monsoon rains, more frequent heatwaves, droughts, and warmer winters. Such shifts threaten crop yields, livestock production, and water availability. Extreme heat already imposes economic costs through lost labour productivity, surging energy demand, and mounting public health burdens. Droughts damage food security and drive inflationary pressures, while erratic rainfall exposes vulnerable communities to both flooding and water shortages.

Climate change is increasingly a fiscal challenge. Governments are forced to divert scarce resources towards emergency relief, reconstruction, and compensation rather than development priorities. Repeated climate shocks discourage investment, disrupt supply chains, and strain an economy already grappling with tight public finances. The devastating floods of 2022, which caused losses exceeding $30 billion, remain a stark reminder of how quickly climate disasters can overwhelm national capacity. The lesson is clear: preparedness costs far less than reconstruction. Investments in monitoring, early warning systems, resilient infrastructure, and disaster management are not optional; they are economic safeguards.

The budget debate also raises questions about priorities. Senator Sherry Rehman rightly asked why climate spending is being cut while hundreds of billions continue to flow into loss‑making state‑owned enterprises. At a time when climate hazards are multiplying, reducing support for adaptation and resilience is a costly policy error. Pakistan cannot control global emissions, but it can strengthen its ability to cope with their consequences. That requires sustained funding, stronger institutions, and long‑term planning.

The country’s vulnerabilities are becoming more visible with each passing year. Ignoring them today will only magnify the costs tomorrow. Climate resilience must be treated as a national priority, not a discretionary expense.

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