Pakistan Climate Warning Puts Farmers and Finance in Focus

Pakistan’s climate vulnerabilities returned to the centre of national debate on Thursday as the second day of the Breathe Pakistan International Climate Change Conference continued in Islamabad. The event, organised by DawnMedia, brought together officials, development experts, policymakers and sector specialists to examine how Pakistan can respond to intensifying climate pressures.

The discussion gained urgency after an International Fund for Agricultural Development official described Pakistan as one of the countries standing directly on the frontline of climate change. The remarks placed renewed focus on the country’s farming communities, which remain deeply exposed to floods, droughts, heat stress, glacial melt and water instability.

Anupa Rimal Lamichhane, IFAD’s regional climate change lead, highlighted the importance of agriculture in Pakistan’s economic and social structure. She noted that agriculture contributes around 23 percent to the country’s gross domestic product, making climate disruption not only an environmental challenge but also a livelihood, food-security and development issue.

The conference also heard that farmers are central to climate adaptation but remain underserved by global financing systems. Lamichhane pointed out that only a very small share of global climate finance reaches farmers, even though rural producers and agrifood systems are among the groups most affected by changing weather patterns and resource pressures.

Officials and experts used the platform to argue that Pakistan’s climate ambition is not limited by the absence of ideas, but by the financing and delivery systems needed to implement them at scale. Speakers said stronger partnerships, better-designed programmes and practical support for local communities are essential if the country is to build durable resilience.

The United Nations’ resident and humanitarian coordinator in Pakistan, Mohamed Yahya, linked Pakistan’s climate experience with wider regional realities. He said floods, droughts and glacial melting are not isolated Pakistani problems but part of a broader South Asian pattern, making regional cooperation a key requirement rather than a diplomatic luxury.

Water experts also underlined the complexity of Pakistan’s position. Dr Erum Sattar, a water law and policy specialist, referred to the country’s sensitive transboundary water situation, including its eastern border with India and the Kabul River system, stressing that Pakistan must think across legal, ecological and diplomatic layers while planning future climate responses.

Other speakers framed climate change as a development crisis rather than a narrow environmental matter. Renato Redentor Constantino of the Climate Vulnerable Forum said resilience must be built into development itself, while Romina Khurshid Alam, the prime minister’s coordinator on climate change, called for solutions shaped around regional realities and the needs of affected communities.

For Pakistan, the implications are far-reaching. Climate shocks already threaten agriculture, urban infrastructure, public health, water security and household incomes, particularly in vulnerable districts where people have limited protection against extreme weather and economic disruption.

The next challenge will be turning conference recommendations into policy action, financing channels and community-level programmes. As Pakistan seeks stronger global support and better domestic coordination, the debate in Islamabad signals that climate resilience is no longer a future concern but an immediate national priority.