Pakistan is grappling with the severe impacts of climate change, with rising global temperatures causing a rapid retreat of the country’s glaciers. Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, Musadik Malik, informed the National Assembly that over 3,044 glacial lakes have formed in Pakistan due to the accelerated melting of nearly 10,000 glaciers, with 33 lakes classified as highly dangerous. These lakes now pose a grave threat to the lives of more than 7.1 million people living downstream.
Pakistan’s Glaciers Under Threat
Glacial retreat has been specifically intense in the regions of KP and GB, which together accommodate 13,032 glaciers. The Indus Basin alone is comprised of around 26,000 square kilometers of glaciated area—about 26% of the total glacier coverage within the “Third Pole” (such as Karakoram, Hindu Kush, and Himalayas ranges).
Pakistan has already encountered 75 Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs), with extremely bad impacts on various things such as
- Infrastructure
- Agriculture
- Human lives
This growing frequency of natural disasters is a stark reminder of the country’s extreme climate vulnerability.
Declining Rainfall and Water Insecurity
Adding to the crisis is assumed to be a huge decline in rainfall. Pakistan has got 40% less rainfall than its 30-year historical average, according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department. This shortfall is proven to be extremely disastrous for
- Agriculture
- Drinking water availability
- Overall climate resilience, especially during critical crop seasons.
Climate Action Initiatives taken by Gov
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In response to these alarming trends, the government has launched several key initiatives:
• GLOF-II Project:
o 24 early warning systems in vulnerable valleys
o 50 weather stations and 408 river discharge sensors
o Training of 65,000+ women in climate-resilient agriculture
• Living Indus Initiative:
o 25 major ecosystem restoration projects
o Promotes nature-based solutions for water security
• Recharge Pakistan Programme:
o Focuses on flood mitigation and groundwater recharge through wetlands and green infrastructure
• Glacier Conservation Strategy (2025):
o Aims to protect Pakistan’s glacier reserves and future water supplies
International Advocacy and Challenges
At the Glaciers 2025 Summit, PM Shehbaz Sharif has revealed that Pakistan’s glaciers have shrunk by almost 23 percent since the 1960s, warning that the country may initially encounter increased flooding, followed by reduced river flows in coming decades.
Pakistan is also encountering with major hurdles in climate adaptation, including:
• Institutional limitations
• Financial and technological constraints
• Reliance on fossil fuels
• Rapid urbanization and population growth
To counter these issues, the Ministry of Climate Change is actively working with provincial governments to embed climate resilience into national water policies and address the long-term implications of global warming on Pakistan’s water future.