Pakistan Flooding

Since June 14th, Pakistan has experienced one of its most devastating floods in its history. One-third of the entire country has been drenched in water. Over 1,500 people have been killed, and nearly 12,000 have been injured. 33 million Pakistanis—16 million being children—have been directly affected by the flooding. 33 million is roughly 15% of the country's population.

Many of these people have lost everything that they held dear. Over 800,000 houses have been destroyed; a million have been badly damaged. Many displaced families are forced to take shelter under makeshift tents. They have no access to clean water, power, or warmth. About one million livestock have died, mostly in the province of Balochistan. In this province, nomadic pastoralism is widespread. 70% of the population earns part of their living by rearing animals and selling milk, wool, and butter. The Pakistani government has estimated losses of up to 40 million, about 10% of the country’s GDP, as a result of the flooding.

Due to contamination and no access to clean drinking water, waterborne diseases have become widespread. Many suffer from diarrhea, cholera, dengue, and malaria. The province of Sindh was affected greatly by the flooding. This province has suffered from the most injuries, diseases, and deaths. This September, the provincial government of Sindh confirmed 588 cases of malaria. There are 10,604 suspected cases of malaria, as well as 17,977 cases of diarrhea, and 20,064 of skin disease. Since July, over 2 million patients have been treated in field and mobile hospitals for malaria alone.

Floods are not foreign to the region of South Asia, as it experiences a yearly monsoon season. However, this year has been completely different. An unusual heatwave this spring led to the melting of the over 7,000 glaciers in Pakistan. This, coupled with record rainfall, has greatly contributed to the annual flooding. Most point towards climate change as the culprit.

Pakistan has a population of about 220 million. Yet, Pakistan's share of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions is under 1%. The UK has a substantially smaller population—70 million. However, the UK has a larger share of the world’s carbon footprint—over 1%. Another country, Russia, has a population of 150 million—50 million less than Pakistan. However, Russia contributes 5% of the world’s carbon emissions. This is clearly far more than Pakistan. Perhaps the worst offender, the USA, contributes 15 percent of the world's carbon emissions. The population of the United States is 300 million, only 100 million more than Pakistan. Though its population is 50% larger, the USA's contribution to the world’s greenhouse gas emissions is between 15 and 30 times larger than Pakistan’s.

Despite its meager carbon footprint, Pakistan is one the world’s most vulnerable countries to climate change. Other nations such as Bangladesh, Haiti, Somalia, Niger, Chad, Sudan, Kenya, and Guatemala are also extremely vulnerable to climate change. These countries barely contribute to climate change, yet they are the most threatened by it. The countries least vulnerable to climate change are ironically those most responsible for it, namely the United States and the European Union.

If you would like to have a positive influence on the world, consider donating to a charity dedicated to combating climate change. If you would like to help support the people of Pakistan, consider donating through the UNHCR. This foundation is dedicated to bringing relief to people forced to flee from their homes due to war, crisis, and disaster.