From a very young age, we grasp the concept of seasons – spring, summer, autumn, and winter – along with basic weather phenomena like rain, clouds, storms, and earthquakes. It is with time we learn the deeper complexities of weather and its environmental impacts. We learn about how the months transition into seasons and how it varies geographically. But have you ever wondered why over the years, the weather has changed? Why is there an increase in heat waves every year? Or how the monsoon rains now result in urban flooding? Where has the spring season gone, or why has autumn turned into a prolonged period that never transitions into winter in many parts?.
The textbook version of weather phenomena seems outdated as climate change has emerged as one of the greatest challenges of the 21st century. From melting glaciers to rising sea levels, global warming is at the forefront of climatic changes in most environments, economies, and lives. The predictability that the world once knew has transformed from predictable seasons and weather patterns into an array of unpredictability and chaos. Today, spring and autumn are no longer as distinct, summers are becoming longer and hotter, and winters are shrinking. The weather is changing on such a level that weather phenomena that were considered rare and extreme have become a routine affecting millions globally. Countries like the United States, Australia, and India are receiving such record-breaking heat year after year, like UK experienced temperatures as high as 40C during a prolonged period of extreme heat. The heat wave lasting for nearly 10 days, brought widespread disruptions across England, particularly in Birmingham and Manchester.
Furthermore, it wouldn’t be far off to say that rain patterns nowadays are a bit all over the place. There were times when steady, predictable cycles would allow commuters and others to take precautions and plan likewise. But with time, things have become far less reliable. Some regions now face long stretches of drought, while others are hit with heavy downpours. The main reason is a warmer atmosphere that holds more moisture, so as it rains, it tends to be more intense. On the flip side, the same warmer air can lead to drier conditions in areas that used to get regular rainfall. It’s almost as if the weather is pulling in two different directions at once. The once-celebrated monsoon season which acted as a water source for most crops and households has become highly irregular. Instead of moderate and evenly distributed rainfall, Pakistan now faces either extreme droughts or devastating floods.
Understanding global climatic change and how it has affected every country has become quite a strenuous task. These questions are no longer academic and are to be tackled on a worldwide scale. As we already have discussed this is not a new phenomenon, as the pace has elevated due to human activities like industrialization, deforestation, and the burning of fossil fuels increasing the concentration of greenhouse gases. This causes the heat to trap and thus global temperatures rise.
According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the planet has already warmed by an average of 1.2°C since the pre-industrial era. If nothing is done about the eroding climate, soon there will be more unreliable weather patterns that would cause disruptions globally. These disruptions include rising sea levels, more frequent and intense storms, prolonged droughts, and shifting weather patterns, most of which is already being experienced nowadays.
The worldwide climatic changes are not unnoticed, for every other day, the news is filled with recording breaking temperatures, wildfires, cyclones, hurricanes, and such weather conditions. China along with the US is the biggest polluting country in the world, with India, Russia, and Japan following close behind. This has caused worst-case scenarios, which include extreme heat waves in the Pacific Northwest of the US, which is commonly not known for extreme heat. The temperature soared to 46.6°C in Portland, Oregon claiming hundreds of lives.
Likewise, in the UK, known for its grey weather and cloud cover most of the year, witnessed a recording breaking heat crossing 40°C during the heatwaves in 2022 and then again in 2024, causing damage to not only health but infrastructure as well. The air quality has been affected drastically due to these heat surges, as wildfires have erupted far more in recent years. In 2020, the Australian bushfire known as the ‘Black Summer’ was the most devasting fire of all time, with 18 million hectares of land burned, an estimated 3 billion animals were killed or displaced and the air quality of major cities was affected. A fire in California, USA caused mass evacuation. Many countries or areas like East Africa and the southwestern USA have gone through the most severe droughts, with glacier melts in Greenland and Antarctica causing Maldives and South Pacific islands to be on the front line of sea level rise. These communities are fighting for urgent global action as rising waters threaten to submerge entire communities.
It is quite ironic that even with everything on the verge of getting out of balance, not much is being done on a global scale. Some commendable effort is made through Environmental laws like the Paris Agreement and the Kyoto Protocol, overseen by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in an attempt to address climate change and reduce emissions. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) along with International Environmental Law (IEL) provides scientific assessments and influences global policy to help countries work together to address environmental issues. Despite the efforts economic growth still frequently takes precedence over environmental sustainability, as Guy McPherson aptly pointed out, “If you really think that the environment is less important than the economy, try holding your breath while you count your money.”
The tendency to treat sustainability as an afterthought is not a new concept. A closer look at history reveals the seeds of climate change were sown as early as the 19th century, during the Industrial Revolution when environmental concerns were overshadowed for progress and economic growth. Many things went unchecked and it created the ripples of the changes we face now. As the 21st century began, the turn of 2000 also marked the onset of a climatic shift that slowly disrupted the natural rhythm. In these 24 years, the climate has changed more noticeably, with longer summers, unpredictable monsoons, and increasingly mild or ‘too extreme’ winters.
Dwelling into the past might hold the answers that we are looking for here as the proverb “what you sow, so shall you reap” might have taken on a tragic irony. The ones who enjoyed the benefits of unchecked industrial growth are not the ones suffering the most. Instead, it’s the younger generations and developing countries that are bearing the burden of climate change, facing floods, drought, heat waves, and rising sea levels. The industrial revolutions in the 19th and 20th centuries and heavy reliance on fossil fuels resulting in greenhouse gases, fumes, waste, and emissions, are mostly the likely causes of atmospheric changes. Even with the warning signs, the world was prioritizing growth over sustainability and the technologies that were termed modern miracles are being repurposed to help with the very crises they contributed to. The gripping point is how the world advanced to make it easier to live for the future has actually deranged and crippled the living standards. It is almost like the water kept dripping on the rock, making the once-strong rock slowly erode and weaken over time. Each drop seems insignificant, but over the decades, the damage accumulated and shaped the rock in ways that seem irreversible. Similarly, the case with environmental degradation we face today is the result of continuous, unchecked industrial activities over the last century.
Therefore, the reality of climate change is altering weather patterns, leading to extended heat waves and delays in the formation of snowy peaks. But, it should be noted that the answer completes itself when natural degradation of the environment is also put into effect. Most people think that human activities such as deforestation and burning fossil fuels contribute to climate change when natural factors such as volcanic eruptions or variations in solar radiation equally contribute to climate change. Volcanic eruptions like the 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines sent vast quantities of aerosols into the atmosphere, temporarily cooling global temperatures by up to 0.5°C for several years.
Similarly, solar radiation – a natural phenomenon caused by fluctuations in the sun’s energy output – affects global temperatures. These solar cycles, along with the orbital shifts, have caused past periods of global warming and cooling such as the Medieval Warm Period and the Little Ice Age, demonstrating that natural forces can shape climate patterns over time.
However, some of these natural occurrences are rapidly influenced by human activity which causes the natural cycle to be disrupted. Like massive deforestation of the Amazon rainforest which is also known as the ‘lungs of the Earth’ is emitting more CO2 gasses than it absorbs. If the carbon is not absorbed as naturally it should be, the atmosphere traps heat and causes disruptions leading to the acceleration of glacier melts and extreme weather events like floods and heat waves intensify in occurrences. Like the Arctic Ice melt has reached low records – in 2020, the Arctic ice shrank to its second-lowest extent in recorded history, reducing the Earth’s ability to reflect solar energy and causing further warming.
What makes climate change a critical global issue is the impact it creates on the ecosystem, agriculture, water resources, and human health. The greenhouse gasses trap heat in the atmosphere, leading to warming temperatures and other climate disruptions. With its global implications, it is even more difficult for developing countries to enforce laws or balance economic growth with sustainable practices, as they often rely on industries that contribute to this devastation.
The disparity between the global north and south means that developing nations face the worst consequences, even if they are contributing less on the global level. And this problem is preceding itself into the South Asian regions where Pakistan is also affected like all others – far worse on the national level.
Pakistan, a country known for its diverse landscapes and climatic zones, has long been cherished for its vibrant seasons and moderate weather patterns. Britishers in the subcontinent used to live in Murree and Lahore for its almost perfect weather that was neither too hot nor too cold. It was the perfect vacation spot for many to escape the heat.
Pakistan has enjoyed a temperate climate with the coastal city of Karachi benefiting from the cool sea breezes in the winter, while cities like Lahore and Islamabad had distinct spring and autumn seasons that were neither too hot nor too cold. The country’s northern regions, including Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, experienced snowfall in the winter, attracting tourists from across the country. Since the CPEC border, and improved infrastructure facilities in Hunza, worldwide tourists are heading their way to recognize the beauty Pakistan holds. However, the past few years have witnessed a drastic shift in this balance, with the years 2020 to 2024 being particularly harsh. The weather patterns have changed with more extreme temperatures, unpredictable monsoons, and an increase in the frequency of natural disasters.
Every country has its own culture, and many aspects of life are celebrated in their own way. Pakistan also had a way to celebrate each season. Spring was celebrated with a kite festival known as Basant, though it was a passion that was shared within the subcontinent, before independence, and summers were celebrated with Mango Parties. The monsoon season was greeted with families gathering for hot pakoras (fritters) and steaming cups of tea, savoring the rain’s arrival with sweets and halwa in verandas. It has its own beauty as the houses cool down and children play in the rain. Winters marked the cozy gatherings with gajar ka halwa and Kashmiri chai, pleasantly enjoying the chilly nights. These celebrations showed that the weather was enjoyed for being pleasant and predictable.
Those were good times, and many people who were born from the 1960s to 1980s would know this more vividly, remembering how seasons flowed naturally and extreme weather was an occasional occurrence. Take the arrival of rain, for example – it was a moment of joy, particularly for farmers whose crops relied on it, and children who loved playing in the rain. Now, however, the rainy season has become something people fear. Rather than relief, it has become a source of anxiety, bringing with it power outages, flooded streets, and disruption to everyday life. The simple act of rain now translates to power feeder tripping, leaving vast areas without electricity and open wires are causes for getting electrocuted. This is true for cities like Karachi and Rawalpindi where inadequate drainage systems quickly turn streets into rivers, leaving behind destruction and halting everyday life in entire neighborhoods.
When the devastation through irregular and heavy rains far exceeds one’s expectations, it is obvious to pray that it doesn’t fall at all, making the phrase, ‘it is more of a curse than a blessing’ true. In 2024, heavy rain and urban flooding killed more than 150 children in Pakistan during the monsoon, season starting in July. These rains and resulting urban flooding destroyed 9,957 acres of crop in Sindh alone. By 18th August 2024, more than 363 people were injured and 2082 infrastructure was damaged leaving a lot of people helpless.
The Natural Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) reported that more than 2200 homes were damaged due to flash floods in northern regions and urban flooding in cities like Rawalpindi. One of the worst floods that Pakistan saw was in 2010, and then in 2022, which claimed approximately 2000 and 1739 lives respectively. The World Bank has reported that in 2022, the economic losses and reconstruction of the flood-hit areas amounted to USD 40 billion. This is commonly due to the combined effects of climate change and poor infrastructure.
The rains are not patterned anymore, as there were month-specific rains, and due to global warming, this is not the case. Poor urban planning and drainage systems have led to flooded streets. There are more paved spaces and plains are decreasing all over to accommodate the increasing population. Everything is haphazard and this has caused the natural land that absorbs rainwater to decrease resulting in devastations from rain.
On the other hand, summers have increased in Pakistan by more than 1.6°C over the last century. The biggest reason for this is the greenhouse gas emissions which are caused by agricultural activities and industrial processes such as cement production in the atmosphere. This has caused the frequency and intensity of heatwaves across the country. The summers are far worse especially in cities such as Jacobabad and Nawabshah now record some of the highest temperatures on Earth, often exceeding 50°C in the summer of 2022. This increase has led to devastating health impacts, including widespread heatstroke and dehydration, particularly affecting vulnerable populations like the poor. Between 1998 and 2017, Pakistan experienced more than 65 heatwaves, with cities like Jacobabad and Nawabshah recording some of the highest temperatures on Earth. This accelerated in 2023, as heatwaves lasted from March to June, causing pressure on the healthcare system as it is already wanting in the rural areas.
Heatwaves are not only fatal for human beings but crops get damaged as the excessive heat strips away moisture needed to survive. Farmers watch helplessly as their crops dry because they cannot access enough water. Water scarcity is the worst in summers when it is needed the most. What water is available to supply to households is directed by mafias who sell water for triple the money. Water is needed to reduce the effects of heat; unfortunately, it is not available to many. Likewise, to curb the effects of the heat, air conditions are used and its excessive use increases the strain on Pakistan’s already overburdened electrical grid, leading to frequent power outages.
These outages let people use backup generators which only adds to the problem as these machines – powered by petrol, diesel, or gas – emit pollutants into the air, making the hot, stifling atmosphere even harder to breathe. The very tools used to combat the heat are worsening the climate, trapping Pakistan in a vicious cycle where each summer seems harsher than the last.
In ancient times, people used simple yet effective ways to beat the summer heat. Traditional drinks like ‘sattu,’ made from roasted grains helped keep the body cool and the widespread presence of neem and bayan trees around the homes provided natural shade and relief from direct heat. However, over the years, rapid urbanization has drastically altered this landscape and mindsets as well. To accommodate the population, buildings, complexes, and roads have led to the disappearance of natural spaces that provide cooling of the atmosphere. Without the natural shade of the earth to absorb the sunlight and produce oxygen, cities now face direct, intense heat, trapping warmth in concrete structures and leading to rising urban temperatures. This shift in land use and climate has a significant impact on Pakistan’s coastal regions, particularly along the Arabian Sea. Coastal cities like Karachi and Gwadar are vulnerable as ocean temperature rises. The surface temperature of the Arabian Sea supports increased evaporation and higher humidity fuels the atmospheric instability as there is excess moisture. This creates ideal situations for stronger cyclones and storms.
For instance, in 2021, Cyclone Tauktae brushed past Pakistan, bringing heavy rainfall and strong winds to Karachi, Gwadar, and other coastal areas in Sindh and Balochistan. This caused the entire fishmonger market to halt, and flooding caused damage to life, livestock, and infrastructure. The fish industry is an integral part of Karachi and much of the fish is exported as well, affecting fishermen’s livelihood.
The main reason the Arabian Sea is attracting more frequent and intense cyclones which is relativity quiet compared to the Bay of Bengal, is the rising sea surface temperature, increased moisture content, and reduced wind shear. These geological terms all tend towards the climate we see in Karachi, especially when a storm is forming in the sea. These climate changes make water warm, and winds are reduced creating a vacuum that results in the formation. This was demonstrated by Cyclone Nilofar in 2014, and Cyclone Vayu in 2019, which narrowly missed Pakistan but still caused significant damage through high winds, heavy rains, and flooding. These cyclones also caused disruptions to everyday life in coastal areas, forcing evacuations, damaging infrastructure, and affecting public health. Moreover, if global temperatures continue to rise at the current rate, projections estimate that Pakistan’s coastline could be submerged by the end of the century. The growing threat of cyclones and coastal instability is only part of Pakistan’s broader struggle against the cascading effects of climate change.
From the snow-capped peaks of Gilgit-Baltistan to the coastal regions of Sindh and Balochistan, no part of the country remains untouched by the impacts of climate change. In order to prevent this, Pakistan’s government has been making efforts to address these challenges, but with limited resources and competing priorities, progress has been slow. Efforts on the national scale is led by The Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination to combat these climatic challenges, especially through initiatives like the Pakistan Climate Change Act of 2017. This also established the Pakistan Climate Change Council and the Pakistan Climate Change Authority that aim to develop and oversee policies for climate mitigation and adaptation.
Yet, as climate disasters intensify, there is a growing realization that Pakistan’s infrastructure, particularly in urban areas is not equipped to handle the ongoing changes in weather patterns. One of the more significant projects initiated by the government is the RECHARGE PAKISTAN program, which focuses on water resource management and climate resilience. The water crisis is one of the major problems that has been faced by Pakistan over a couple of years. Recharge Pakistan aims to use floodwater to restore wetlands, improve aquifer recharge, and enhance resilience to flooding. While this project holds promise, it needs to be scaled up considerably to have a meaningful impact, particularly in areas hardest hit by monsoons and glacial melt.
Pakistan is actively advocating ‘climate justice’ on the legal and international front at various global forums. Pakistan’s biggest aim is to reduce carbon emissions is fueled by its participation in the Paris Agreement. The aim is to reduce these emissions by 20% by 2030. Despite the willingness to engage with global efforts to combat climate change, Pakistan as a developing country hardly has the resources and its contributions are reliant on financial and technological support from wealthier nations. The aims are set in the right direction but without the resources such as early warning systems, resilient agricultural practices, and renewable energy infrastructure, it is quite difficult for Pakistan to be a global active participant while the nation drenches in these climatic changes. Due to this reason, even with smaller contributions to global greenhouse gas emissions, Pakistan is one of the countries that are on the danger list.
Globally climate change has affected developing nations like Pakistan which are forced to bear the brunt of a crisis largely caused by industrialized countries. At the 2022 COP27 Conference, Pakistan’s government called for a stronger international climate mechanism, particularly urging developed nations to fulfill their pledges under the Green Climate Fund (GCF). These funds are important for all countries like Pakistan to provide the necessities that need to implement adaption and mitigation strategies.
In addition to financial support, Pakistan needs to scale up its efforts such as building climate-resilient infrastructure, improving water management, and developing renewable energy. Cities like Karachi are in immediate need of a more upgraded urban infrastructure including flood barriers and drainage systems, to cope with heatwaves and flooding. Comprehensive water management strategies, such as constructing dams and adopting drip irrigation, are essential to combat severe water shortages.
Sustainable jobs can be created by changing the power source in Balochistan and Thar from fossil fuels to solar and wind energy. This will help reduce the reliance on fossil fuels and create jobs while adding less strain on the climate as emissions would be low. Floods and cyclones are critical problems and public awareness is required to promote climate literacy, especially not letting garbage clog the drains which helps water to escape from the streets.
NGOs and individuals alike are trying their level best to promote climate literacy through awareness campaigns, community-based resilience projects, and advocacy for sustainable practices. NGOs like the World-Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Pakistan, LEAP Pakistan, and Pakistan Youth Climate Network (PYCN) along with activities like Hammad Naqi Khan, Director General of WWF Pakistan, are consistently working towards creating a difference. They call for stronger government action that focuses on the protection of fragile ecosystems, particularly in the Indus Delta, which is critical for biodiversity and agriculture.
With more awareness of the deteriorating climate, many leaders are contributing towards making an effort. Zofeen Ebrahim, a journalist based in Karachi, whose work focuses on climate change and environmental justice has reported on how marginalized communities are disproportionately affected by climate disasters. This has helped make the case for stronger climate adaptation policies. Efforts in raising awareness about air pollution and the need for tree plantations are needed throughout Pakistan especially Lahore where air quality has deteriorated over the years. Shehri-Citizen for Better Environment, an NGO based in Karachi, plays a role in promoting green spaces, pollution control, and better environmental governance. International organizations like UNDP Pakistan and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) are also funding climate resilience projects, particularly focusing on sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, and disaster risk reduction.
With all these efforts on a national level, these steps are still relatively small and can be called ‘baby steps.’ The real deal is a more collective effort on the national as well as the international stage, creating a change that is globally implemented for a far-out approach to climate. The path forward in addressing climate change relies on how Pakistan and the global community blend the critical components needed for the change. Does it require a strong political will, innovative solutions, or international cooperation? In truth, climate change can only be defeated through a balance of all three.
Another question that often arises is the concept of wear and tear. Everything we use has a depreciating value – a cycle of sorts. Does this apply to the earth and its climate? In a way, yes. The planet has a natural cycle of change, but human actions have fast-forwarded the whole process. The earth’s resources, while resilient, are not infinite, and the balance we have upset must be restored.
The way forward requires a balance! A coordinated global response that combines all the factors. One critical area is the green jobs and sustainable agriculture, with investments in drought-resistant crops to secure food supplies in the face of unpredictable weather. Creating green jobs in renewable energy and eco-tourism can provide alternative livelihoods for communities most affected by climate change. Globally, these sectors can reduce economic inequality while supporting environmental sustainability. Another essential focus area is forest conservation and reforestation.
While Pakistan’s Ten Billion Tree Tsunami project is a significant step, forest protection is a very crucial need. Forests are very important as they benefit the environment with carbon sequestration, water cycle regulation, and soil erosion prevention. Countries worldwide must intensify efforts to preserve bio-diversity-rich areas like the Amazon and Southeast Asia’s rainforests. Initiatives like the REDD+ (Reducing Emission from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) program provide financial incentives to developing countries to reduce deforestation and conserve forests.
This program is supported by the United Nations. Even countries like Norway are international donors to such cause, for example, Brazil’s Amazon Fund is financed by such donors with an aim to protect the Amazon rainforest. They promote sustainable development and monitor deforestation. Such measures on the international front are important and global solidarity is essential where developed nations increase financial support to vulnerable countries like Pakistan and share clean technology and best practices for climate adaptation. This is crucial not just for local impacts but for maintaining the planet’s ecological balance. Global agreements like the Paris Accord, and the enforcement and formation of new bilateral and multilateral environmental partnerships are necessary to equip both developed and developing nations with the tools and resources needed to mitigate climate change effectively.
The consequences of climate change are not just a problem for the present, they are a risk to future generations. It is like we inherited past problems, and would it be okay to pass on and create a much more difficult situation than we are facing now? Pakistan’s younger generation will inherit a world where climate extremes are the norm rather than the exception. If the global efforts to curb emissions and implement sustainable solutions do not accelerate, today’s children will face even more severe heatwaves, water shortages, and displacement. It shows that the answer to the questions about the disappearance of predictable seasons, increased heatwaves, and devastating floods lies in the ongoing environmental degradation as it is not only in understanding the natural cycles of the earth but in realizing the cumulative impact of human activities. It is up to everyone, where you are residing to take immediate, coordinated action to address these challenges before they become insurmountable. Thus, the future of the planet and deteriorating countries depends upon the decision made cumulatively today. With the right political will, resource allocation, and global cooperation, there is still hope to reverse some of the damage and create a sustainable, resilient future.
