Devastation on repeat: How climate change is worsening Pakistan’s deadly floods – BBC

Report on the Socio-Economic and Environmental Impact of Monsoon Floods in Pakistan

Executive Summary

This report details the devastating impact of the annual monsoon floods in Pakistan, which commenced in late June. The floods have resulted in a significant humanitarian crisis, with official data from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) indicating over 1,000 fatalities and at least 6.9 million people affected. The events underscore Pakistan’s extreme vulnerability to climate change, a critical challenge to Sustainable Development Goal 13 (Climate Action). A recurring theme is the disproportionate impact on the nation’s most impoverished communities, representing a severe setback for Sustainable Development Goal 1 (No Poverty). This analysis examines the crisis through the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals, highlighting failures in governance, infrastructure, and climate adaptation.

Humanitarian Crisis and Setbacks to Sustainable Development Goals

Impact on Life, Health, and Well-being (SDG 1, SDG 3, SDG 6)

The floods have precipitated a multi-faceted humanitarian crisis, directly undermining key SDGs:

• Loss of Life and Displacement: With over 1,000 deaths recorded and more than 2.7 million people displaced in the Punjab province alone, the floods have created widespread instability and loss of livelihoods, directly contravening the objectives of SDG 1 (No Poverty).
• Health and Sanitation Crisis: Displaced populations face dire health challenges. Reports indicate pregnant women lack access to adequate medical care and clean water, with some consuming contaminated brown water. This situation presents a grave threat to maternal and child health, hindering progress on SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation).

Food Security and Agricultural Devastation (SDG 2)

The province of Punjab, known as “Pakistan’s breadbasket,” has been severely affected. Key impacts on food security include:

1. The simultaneous flooding of three major rivers—Sutlej, Ravi, and Chenab—submerged approximately 4,500 villages.
2. Over one million hectares of farmland have been damaged, crippling agricultural output.
3. This destruction of agricultural capacity poses a significant threat to national food security, directly impacting the achievement of SDG 2 (Zero Hunger).

Climate Change as a Primary Driver (SDG 13)

Glacial Lake Outbursts and Flash Floods

The floods are a direct manifestation of climate change, with varied impacts across Pakistan’s diverse geography. This highlights the urgent need for robust climate adaptation strategies as mandated by SDG 13 (Climate Action).

• Glacial Melt: In the northern regions of Gilgit-Baltistan, rising temperatures are accelerating the melting of over 7,000 glaciers. This leads to the formation of unstable glacial lakes that can burst, causing catastrophic flash floods and landslides that destroy homes and infrastructure.
• Cloudbursts: In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, intense and localized rainfall, or cloudbursts, have triggered flash floods and landslides. Rescue operations were severely hampered by destroyed roads and infrastructure, demonstrating a lack of climate-resilient systems.

Systemic Challenges and Governance Deficiencies

Inadequate Urban Planning and Infrastructure (SDG 11)

The disaster’s scale is exacerbated by systemic failures in urban planning and infrastructure management. The widespread practice of building on floodplains, in violation of regulations such as the River Protection Act, has placed millions at risk. This failure to develop safe, resilient, and sustainable human settlements is a direct challenge to SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities).

Governance and Institutional Failures (SDG 16)

Experts attribute the lack of enforcement of building regulations to misgovernance and local corruption. This institutional weakness allows for illegal construction in high-risk zones, amplifying the human and economic cost of natural disasters. Addressing this requires strengthening institutions and ensuring justice and accountability, in line with SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions).

Proposed Interventions and Future Outlook

Innovations in Resilient Housing

In response to the recurring destruction, innovative solutions are being explored. Architect Yasmeen Lari has designed “climate-resilient houses” using natural materials like bamboo and lime. These structures are designed not to be flood-proof but to be quickly and affordably rebuilt by residents, prioritizing the preservation of life over property. This initiative represents a practical step towards achieving SDG 11 by fostering community resilience.

Conclusion and Forward-Looking Assessment

Climate scientists and disaster management officials warn that monsoon patterns will become increasingly aggressive and unpredictable, presenting new challenges each year. This forecast underscores the urgency of implementing comprehensive strategies aligned with SDG 13 (Climate Action). Without significant intervention in governance, infrastructure, and social safety nets, Pakistan’s poorest communities will remain trapped in a devastating cycle of loss and displacement, making the achievement of SDG 1 (No Poverty) an increasingly distant goal.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

1. SDG 1: No Poverty

   The article explicitly states, “The poorest suffer most,” highlighting the disproportionate impact of the floods on vulnerable populations. It describes how people lost their homes, livelihoods, and belongings, pushing them further into poverty or exacerbating their existing economic hardship. The displacement of millions and the desperation of those returning to flood-prone areas because they “have nowhere else to go” directly relate to the poverty cycle intensified by climate disasters.

2. SDG 2: Zero Hunger

   The floods submerged Punjab, described as “Pakistan’s breadbasket.” The article mentions that over “one million hectares of farmland” were damaged. This destruction of agricultural land directly threatens food production and security, which is a core component of SDG 2. The impact on the country’s ability to produce its own food, especially when it “can’t always afford to import enough food,” underscores the connection to this goal.

3. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

   This goal is addressed through multiple issues. The article reports that the floods “killed more than 1,000 people.” It also highlights severe health risks for survivors, such as pregnant women lacking access to healthcare and clean water, with one woman needing blood transfusions and others drinking “completely brown” water. These conditions directly threaten the health and well-being of the affected population.

4. SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

   The article points to a critical failure in providing clean water. The story of two pregnant women who were warned about dehydration but only had access to “completely brown” water is a stark illustration of the lack of safe drinking water. The widespread flooding itself represents a massive challenge to water management and sanitation systems.

5. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

   The article extensively covers issues related to human settlements and infrastructure. It discusses the destruction of “hundreds of homes,” damaged roads, and the displacement of millions. The problem of illegal construction on floodplains, in violation of the “River Protection Act,” points to failures in urban planning and governance. The search for solutions like “climate-resilient houses” directly addresses the need to make communities safer and more resilient to disasters.

6. SDG 13: Climate Action

   This is the central theme of the article. It directly links the devastating floods to climate change, mentioning “global warming,” “rising temperatures,” and melting glaciers. The article describes Pakistan as “struggling with the devastating consequences of climate change” and warns that “every year the monsoon will become more and more aggressive.” The entire narrative is an account of the urgent need for climate adaptation and resilience.

7. SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

   The article touches on governance failures that worsen the disaster’s impact. A climate scientist blames “local corruption” and “misgovernance” for officials failing to enforce laws like the River Protection Act, which prohibits construction in vulnerable areas. A former minister refers to this as “graft” or “looking the other way.” These statements point to weak, non-transparent, and unaccountable institutions, which is a key concern of SDG 16.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• Target 1.5:

  Build the resilience of the poor and those in vulnerable situations and reduce their exposure and vulnerability to climate-related extreme events. The article’s focus on how “the poorest suffer most” and have lost homes and livelihoods directly relates to this target. The efforts to build “climate-resilient houses” are a direct attempt to achieve this resilience.

• Target 2.4:

  Ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices… to strengthen capacity for adaptation to climate change, extreme weather, drought, flooding and other disasters. The mention of floods overwhelming “Pakistan’s breadbasket” and damaging over a million hectares of farmland highlights the vulnerability of the food production system, making this target highly relevant.

• Target 3.d:

  Strengthen the capacity of all countries… for early warning, risk reduction and management of national and global health risks. The article mentions that the early warning system for glacial lake outbursts “often doesn’t work because of the mountainous terrain,” indicating a need to strengthen this capacity to prevent loss of life and manage health risks from disasters.

• Target 6.1:

  Achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all. The description of pregnant women having access only to “completely brown” water demonstrates a clear failure to meet this target for the most vulnerable populations during the crisis.

• Target 11.5:

  Significantly reduce the number of deaths and the number of people affected… caused by disasters, including water-related disasters, with a focus on protecting the poor and people in vulnerable situations. The article provides specific numbers for this target: over 1,000 people killed, 6.9 million affected, and 2.7 million displaced in one province alone.

• Target 13.1:

  Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries. The entire article is a case study of the challenges in meeting this target, from melting glaciers and flash floods to the overwhelming of infrastructure. The search for solutions like resilient housing is a direct response to this goal.

• Target 16.6:

  Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels. The article’s discussion of “local corruption,” “misgovernance,” and the failure to enforce building laws points directly to the need for more effective and accountable institutions to prevent illegal construction in disaster-prone areas.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Yes, the article mentions several quantitative and qualitative indicators that can be used to measure progress:

• Number of deaths, missing persons, and persons affected by disaster per 100,000 people (Indicator for Target 11.5):

  • The article provides concrete numbers: “more than 1,000 people” killed and “at least 6.9 million were affected.” These figures serve as direct indicators of the disaster’s human cost.

• Number of people displaced by disasters (Implied Indicator for Target 1.5 and 11.5):

  • The article states that floods had “displaced more than 2.7 million people in Punjab,” providing a specific metric for the scale of displacement.

• Damage to critical infrastructure and number of destroyed homes (Indicator for Target 11.5):

  • The article mentions “hundreds of homes were destroyed” and that roads were damaged, which are direct measures of infrastructure loss.

• Proportion of agricultural area under productive and sustainable agriculture (Indicator for Target 2.4):

  • The negative indicator is provided: “damaged more than one million hectares of farmland.” Tracking the reduction of such damage in future floods would measure progress.

• Proportion of population using safely managed drinking water services (Indicator for Target 6.1):

  • The article implies a very low proportion in affected areas through the qualitative description of people drinking “completely brown” water.

• Number of countries that have national and local disaster risk reduction strategies (Indicator for Target 13.1):

  • The article implies both the existence and failure of such strategies. It mentions the “River Protection Act” (a strategy) but also its lack of enforcement. It also discusses the development of new strategies like “climate-resilient houses” and an “early warning system.” The effectiveness of these systems is an indicator of progress.

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: bbc.com