ISLAMABAD: Senate Committee on Climate Change Chairperson Senator Sherry Rehman called for a renewed commitment to localized climate resilience and disaster risk reduction strategies, highlighting the urgent need to prepare Pakistan’s most vulnerable communities for the mounting pressures of climate change.
Sherry Rehman delivered a compelling address as chief guest at the RAPID: The Resilient Reflections event, Organized by Islamic Relief Pakistan in collaboration with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the National Disaster Risk Management Fund (NDRMF), the event spotlighted the impact of climate volatility on communities living at the frontline of fragility in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).
Sherry Rehman reiterated the importance of a unified approach to addressing climate resilience and disaster preparedness and said it is imperative to build a coalition of partnerships that not only respond to climate emergencies but also enable communities to foresee and prepare for the unpredictable nature of future challenges,” she said.
Sherry Rehman opened her address by reminding the audience of the grim realities that have become a daily struggle for many communities and stated that climate change is not a distant reality for these communities—it is an immediate and unrelenting force, transforming their lives and livelihoods.
“Today’s partnership is about equipping people vulnerable to unpredictable futures to stop fearing the morning and the morning after. It is about rebuilding not just their homes but restoring a sense of predictability, resilience, and hope in their lives.” She stated.
Drawing attention to the staggering impact of climate change on Pakistan’s natural resources, Sherry Rehman noted that the 2022 floods, which left one-third of the country submerged and displaced millions, were a harrowing reminder of the accelerating impacts of global warming. “We are now seeing natural resource stress and scarcity pushing communities to the brink, where survival is no longer a given. From the deserts of Chagai to the mountainous terrain of Koh-e-Sulaiman, entire ecosystems are being altered, leaving livelihoods and cultures hanging by a thread.
She stated that this is not an issue that we can simply mitigate with short-term aid. “It demands robust, sustained investment in disaster preparedness, adaptation, and community-led resilience.”
Sherry Rehman praised the RAPID project’s efforts to bolster resilience and build adaptive capacity in some of the country’s most vulnerable regions. “With temperatures soaring to record highs over the last four years, living conditions in parts of Pakistan now resemble life inside an oven. Yet, the work being done here is showing that with the right knowledge, tools, and resources, people can break the cycle of despair and live with dignity amidst these changes,” she stated.
Despite these efforts, Sherry Rehman pointed out that disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation remain alarmingly low on the international agenda. “While countries continue to pledge support at global forums, local solutions—those that are community-based, effective, and proven—are still not receiving the attention they deserve. It took 28 climate conferences before the term ‘fossil fuels’ even entered the climate discourse, yet fossil fuel emissions are the single most significant driver of the catastrophic weather events that we now see globally,” she asserted.
Despite the serious challenges, Sherry Rehman offered a message of resilience and optimism, noting the innate human capacity to adapt and innovate in the face of adversity. “It is human nature to not succumb to gloom and doom. Our people have shown incredible strength and determination in the face of natural disasters, and we must now match that spirit with policies and programmes that empower them to rebuild their lives with dignity,” she said.
Senator Sherry Rehman also spoke about the need to leverage new technologies to address climate challenges more effectively. “Our youth are pioneering solutions in green tech and climate-smart agriculture, showing that the next generation is ready to lead the way. We need to provide them with the platforms and partnerships to accelerate these innovations,” she stated.