ISLAMABAD: Provincial governments allocated approximately Rs166 billion for irrigation and flood protection projects during the 2025-26 fiscal year as Pakistan stepped up efforts to strengthen climate resilience and protect vulnerable communities from increasingly severe weather events.
Minister of State for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Dr Shezra Mansab Ali Khan Kharal disclosed the allocations during the National Assembly’s Question Hour on Friday, October 23, outlining federal and provincial measures to improve disaster preparedness, water management and climate adaptation.
She said provincial governments had also earmarked Rs93 billion for irrigation services, Rs33.8 billion for environmental protection and at least Rs70 billion for water supply, sanitation and sewerage during the same fiscal year.
Local governments were also undertaking initiatives to address climate-related challenges in urban and rural communities, she added.
Government strengthens flood and disaster preparedness
The minister said the federal government was working with provincial authorities to improve preparedness for floods, flash floods, glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), droughts and heatwaves.
She highlighted the Monsoon Strategic Plan 2026, developed on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s directions in consultation with federal and provincial institutions.
The plan focuses on monsoon preparedness, water storage and management, improved weather forecasting, early-warning systems, stronger infrastructure and floodplain protection.
It also seeks to improve coordination among institutions responsible for responding to climate-related emergencies.
Dr Shezra Mansab said the government was preparing the Pakistan Resilient Urban Policy Framework to help cities address climate risks through better planning and environmentally sustainable development.
The proposed framework covers urban governance, green infrastructure, extreme heat, air pollution, water scarcity, drainage systems and disaster-risk reduction.
She also referred to the Green Building Code of Pakistan 2023, developed by the Pakistan Engineering Council in collaboration with the climate change ministry and other stakeholders.
The code establishes minimum standards for sustainable construction, including energy efficiency, water conservation, renewable energy, natural ventilation and reduced greenhouse gas emissions.
Pakistan seeks international funding for climate losses
The minister informed lawmakers that Pakistan had submitted three funding proposals to the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD) to address economic and non-economic losses caused by climate change.
The first proposal, developed by the United Nations Development Programme, UNICEF and ACTED, seeks to support climate-resilient recovery and strengthen systems affected by unavoidable climate impacts.
The second proposal, submitted by the World Health Organisation and the United Nations Office for Project Services, focuses on developing climate-resilient healthcare systems for vulnerable communities.
The third request, submitted by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, seeks assistance for the rehabilitation of private fish farms and public-sector fish hatcheries damaged by recent flash floods.
The initiative aims to revive aquaculture activities, particularly trout farming, and restore livelihoods in affected communities.
Dr Shezra Mansab acknowledged that international loss-and-damage financing offered limited resources compared with Pakistan’s climate adaptation requirements.
She stressed that the country was pursuing domestic initiatives alongside international financial and technical assistance.
Early-warning systems installed in vulnerable valleys
Highlighting progress in disaster-risk reduction, the minister said 284 early-warning systems had been established across 24 vulnerable valleys in Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa under the GLOF project.
The systems have been handed over to the Pakistan Meteorological Department to strengthen monitoring and provide timely warnings of potential glacial lake outburst floods.
The project also includes rehabilitation of irrigation canals, slope stabilisation, flood-protection infrastructure, safe shelters and community-based disaster management centres.
She said the SAFER Pakistan project was strengthening climate-risk information, early-warning capabilities, disaster preparedness, water security and climate-resilient livelihoods in Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan.
Meanwhile, the Integrated Climate Risk Management Project is expanding district-level monitoring through automated weather stations, river gauges and water-level measurement systems.
Another initiative, Transforming the Indus Basin with Climate Resilient Agriculture and Water Management, includes the installation of six new agrometeorological stations and upgrades to two existing facilities.
National drought plan under development
The minister said the government was developing a National Drought Plan to move away from emergency-driven responses towards preventive, risk-based management.
The proposed strategy focuses on early warnings, sustainable land and water management, ecosystem restoration and protection of communities exposed to prolonged water shortages.
She said the Pakistan Drought Management System had already become operational through collaboration between the International Water Management Institute and the Pakistan Meteorological Department.
The system supports near-real-time drought monitoring and forecasting, helping authorities identify emerging risks and improve preparedness.
The government was also promoting floodplain regulation laws across provinces and regions to reduce exposure to flooding.
A prime ministerial committee on national policy dialogue on climate-induced disasters has been established to improve coordination and strengthen risk-informed disaster management.
Climate ministry receives Rs2.47 billion development allocation
Dr Shezra Mansab told the National Assembly that the Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination had received Rs2.477 billion under the Public Sector Development Programme for 2026-27.
The allocation covers four ongoing initiatives focusing on ecological restoration, institutional capacity, green entrepreneurship and urban climate resilience.
These include the Upscaling Programme of Green Pakistan, technical capacity development within the ministry, the Skills for Sustainable Development initiative and the formulation of a National Urban Strategy to address urban flooding, droughts and other climate-related disasters.
The minister said afforestation, ecosystem restoration, urban forestry and rangeland management remained important components of Pakistan’s broader climate response.
She added that the government would continue working with international development partners to secure technical assistance, climate grants and concessional financing.
The objective, she said, was to strengthen the country’s ability to withstand climate-related disasters while ensuring timely assistance and long-term support for affected communities.