Climate-Induced Disasters Lead to Severe Humanitarian Consequences

According to the Climate Risk Index 2021 Pakistan ranks 8th in terms of countries most affected by extreme weather conditions, and climate risk continues to increase by climate change. However, Pakistan’s contribution to climate change is only 0.8% but the impacts and consequences of climate change are far more than the contribution. The recent flood in Pakistan is a prime example of these climatic changes.

As everyone is well aware the climate of our planet is warming rapidly as a result of greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel burning, deforestation, erosion and other human activities. On the other hand, global temperature is estimated to have raised 1.1◦C since 1850, and by 2100 the temperature rise could well be 4◦C or more. As a consequence, a warmer world is also a world with greater climatic extremes; many regions are seeing more frequent and intense rainfall as well as drought, sometimes in close succession or proximity. Moreover, when heat and dry weathers combine wildfires become more frequent and more intense.

A more extreme and unstable climate increases the urgency of inclusive development and effective humanitarian relief, as these events may pose a direct risk to life and limb, to food and water sources and livelihoods. These hydro metrological events threatened to the agriculture, livestock, daily labours and other livelihood sources resulting in food insecurity, water scarcity and increase inflation and poverty across Pakistan. These weather events create an obstacle to the provision of basic services such as health care, electricity, water and sanitation. These factors affect people’s health, productivity and well-being and they slow down development and the sustainable eradication of poverty. However, severe hunger, collapsed buildings and lost livelihoods are not real disasters; instead, they represent our failure as a global community to prepare for extreme weather events and to adapt to the changing environment. Nonetheless, well-adapted and resilient societies regularly come through extreme weather events with minimal deaths and property damage.
According to World Bank recent report Pakistan will need $152 billion for adaptation and $196 billion for decarbonisation over 10 years.

Pakistan Red Crescent Society is one of the leading humanitarian organizations of Pakistan committed to prevent and alleviate human suffering during natural & manmade disasters. During the torrential rain of monsoon 2022 across Pakistan thirty-three million people have been affected and leaving 2.6 million individuals in need of immediate lifesaving support. Pakistan Red Crescent Society with the support of the International Federation of Red Cross (IFRC), International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and Partner National Societies (German Red Cross, Norcross, Iranian Red Cross, Qatar Red Crescent, Turkish Red Crescent) responding in 53 districts across Pakistan. In this context, people affected by the flood have been provided with safe drinking water, lifesaving medicines, emergency shelters, food parcels and Non-food Items (NFIs) for families by the Pakistan Red Crescent Society. In order to escape harsh weather conditions over thirty thousand tents have been distributed among the affected families and ten thousand blankets were distributed to pregnant women.
Furthermore, with the generous support of partners have mobilised 29 mobile health units in different parts across Pakistan. Moreover, more than three thousand people were provided with First Aid & two thousand Family links were restored by providing mobile cards.

Forecast based Financing (FbF) is a mechanism that enables access to funding for early actions based on credible forecast and in-depth risk analysis. FbF is one of the most important approaches in the battle against the humanitarian impact of climate change.

The Red Cross Climate Centre (RCCC) in 2019, the Red Cross published a report about climate change, its challenges, humanitarian aid, impacts, preparedness and consequences across the globe. According to RCCC report, the number of people affected by climate change and needing international humanitarian assistance could almost double by 2050. As far as humanitarian assistance and its future cost is concerned; the report also explain that under the most pessimistic scenario, the price of responding to rising needs as a result of climate change will rise from between 3.5-12 billion US dollars today to 20 billion US dollars per year by 2030. Additionally, the report also outlined the climate change as a unique and double threat to vulnerable communities. Climate change leads to more frequent, intense and unpredictable extreme weather events like floods, droughts, tropical storms, cloudbursts, glacial lake, GLOF. Consequentially, its macroeconomic impacts could reduce incomes and resilience among the world’s poorest, leaving them less able to manage shocks and more reliant on humanitarian assistance.

RCCC report, on the one hand, warns about the climate impacts and future consequences but on the other hand, it reveals and recommends the way forward to avoid future obstacles with regard to climate change, and what actions and preventive measures needed to be done. The report also divulges that to reduce the long-term vulnerabilities and exposure; more resilient infrastructure, like dikes and pumping stations can protect lives, livelihoods and reduce the likelihood of a climate hazard becoming a climate disaster. Furthermore, the report emphasised on early warning system, anticipatory approach towards disaster, and strengthening the emergency response. In addition, there will continue to be a need to respond to disasters, but the way, aid groups and governments do this can be drastically improved. Two points are crucial in this context: more emphasis on early warning systems that inform vulnerable communities, and a new mechanism for financing humanitarian response before disaster strikes that is Forecast Based Financing (FbF)/anticipatory actions.

Forecast based Financing (FbF) is a mechanism that enables access to funding for early actions based on credible forecast and in-depth risk analysis. FbF is one of the most important approaches in the battle against the humanitarian impact of climate change. The new approach is needed, as extreme weather events are increasing in frequency and intensity, a rethink of the humanitarian system is necessary so that assistance can be provided to all those at risk before the disaster strikes. This will ultimately reduce the impact of hydro metrological disasters. Additionally, more disaster preparedness, rebuilding and repairing with the next emergency in mind can be useful because steps taken after a climate emergency can greatly reduce the impact of future hazards. Taken together these preventive measures will save money and most importantly, save lives and reduce suffering for millions of people.

The challenge is for societies to adapt to the changing climate so that when the next climate-driven threat arrives they are prepared for it. Government, aid agencies and humanitarian organizations can play a pivotal role by taking anticipatory actions to save the lives before the disasters and immediate aftermath of a disaster by providing food, water and medical assistance. But in the face of the humanitarian toll of climate change, this is only a band-aid. What is needed is a cost-effective long-term solution investing in adaptation measures now could save billions on humanitarian aid later.

The writer is the Communication Officer at Pakistan Red Crescent Society AJK

(By: Adnan Qureshi)