BAD: The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), in partnership with the Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination (MoCC&EC) and the Civil Society Coalition for Climate Change (CSCCC), on Wednesday hosted a three-day Policy Action Dialogue titled “Tackling Climate Change Impacts on Cryosphere, Water, Food Security, & Disaster Risk Reduction”.
This event gathered officials from federal and subnational governments in Pakistan, along with a range of stakeholders, to address the pressing challenges posed by climate change and devise effective strategies for policy implementation.
Dr. Pema Gyamtsho, Director General of ICIMOD, underscored the crucial role of ICIMOD in addressing environmental challenges in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region. He noted that Pakistan, with 7,253 glaciers—more than any region outside the polar areas—is particularly vulnerable to both floods and droughts.
“We must enhance access to climate data for at-risk communities,” Dr. Gyamtsho emphasized, acknowledging that while technologies are available, scaling them effectively remains a significant challenge.
He also advocated for a focus on disaster risk reduction that goes beyond preparedness and prevention, stressing the need for investment in comprehensive planning and implementation.
Aisha Khan, Chief Executive of CSCCC, highlighted the ecological importance of mountains and the interconnectedness between upstream and downstream communities. She advocated for an “all-of-government and all-of-society” approach to climate change adaptation, calling for a transition from merely identifying gaps to real-time implementation.
Romina Khurshid Alam, Coordinator to the Prime Minister on Climate Change at MoCC&EC, delivered a keynote speech emphasizing the critical role of the Indus River, which provides freshwater to millions in Pakistan but is under severe stress due to rising temperatures.
She highlighted government initiatives such as the Living Indus Project, Recharge Pakistan, and GLOF-II, aimed at addressing water scarcity and the risk of glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs). “Climate change knows no borders,” she asserted, underlining the need for cross-sector coordination, sustainable practices, and community-based adaptation to build resilience.
Lt. Gen. Inam Haider Malik, Chairman of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), discussed the alarming effects of warming on the cryosphere. He reported a 23.3% decrease in snow cover between November 2023 and April 2024 and an annual glacial melt rate of 3%, with a 16% mass loss over the past five years.
He warned of the long-term implications of accelerated melting, which, while providing temporary water surpluses, could have dire consequences and require urgent action. He called for a regional approach to address the cryospheric crisis.
Dr. Arun Bakhta Shrestha, Strategic Group Lead at ICIMOD, elaborated on future water availability in the HKH region. He noted that glaciers could lose between 30-75% of their ice volume by the end of the century, depending on the pace of global warming. “The Indus River Basin, with the highest Water Tower Index (WTI) in the world, is the most vulnerable,” he said.
“Early ice melt will impact spring and autumn flows, exacerbating water scarcity for communities dependent on glacial meltwater for agriculture.” Dr. Shrestha stressed the need for innovation, implementation, and financing to address the looming water crisis related to the cryosphere.
Special remarks by Aisha Humera Chaudhry, Acting Secretary of MoCC&EC, emphasized integrating the cryosphere into Pakistan’s climate discourse. Ahmed Kamal, Chairman of the Federal Flood Commission, and Neelofur Hafeez, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of National Food Security and Research (MoNFS&R), highlighted the importance of interagency cooperation in tackling the multifaceted challenges of climate change.
The first day of the dialogue provided a comprehensive overview of the impacts of climate change on Pakistan’s cryosphere, disaster management, and agriculture. Chaired by Anil Pokhrel, Chief Executive of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority of Nepal, the session featured presentations from the Pakistan Meteorological Department, NDMA, the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, the Gilgit-Baltistan Disaster Management Authority (GBDMA), and the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) of Balochistan.
The second session, chaired by Dr. Asif Ali, Chairman of the National Seed Development and Regulation Authority, focused on water availability and agricultural challenges. Experts from the Global Climate-Change Impact Studies Centre, the Punjab Irrigation Department, Sindh Irrigation (PCRWR), the Soil and Water Conservation Directorate of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and the Water Management and Irrigation Department of Gilgit-Baltistan presented on the urgent need for improved water management and food security in the face of climate stressors.
This three-day dialogue served as a critical platform for generating actionable insights and fostering collaboration among various stakeholders as Pakistan confronts the escalating impacts of climate change on its water resources, food security, and disaster resilience.
