limate change is no longer a distant threat. It is a reality shaping our world today. While there has been considerable debate and deliberation on different climate scenarios, one thing remains undisputed: the impacts of climate change are intensifying with each passing day. Immediate, collective action is needed to address this crisis before its consequences become irreversible.

The Global Climate Risk Index ranks Pakistan as the 5th most vulnerable country to climate change. For Pakistan, climate change is water change. The country is highly dependent on water for agriculture, industry and daily life. Its lifeline, the Indus River system, is vulnerable to both reduced glacial melt and unpredictable rainfall. With climate change causing shifts in precipitation patterns, the availability and distribution of this precious freshwater are changing.

Over the years, Pakistan has endured a series of unprecedented climate events, witnessing a disturbing shift in weather patterns, with increasingly erratic rainfall and severe droughts. The year 2024 mirrored the challenges of the previous years. A stark example of this occurred in August 2024, when Lahore experienced a staggering 360 mm of rainfall in just three hours – breaking a 44-year record and prompting the government to declare a state of emergency.

Higher temperatures in the summer accelerated snowmelt in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan. The National Disaster Management Authority’s report on September 1 stated that flooding had resulted in the loss of 306 lives and damaged more than 20,500 houses and critical infrastructure, including roads and bridges. On the southern end, heavy rainfall in the Kirthar Range and increased water levels in Manchar Lake inundated over 300 villages along the Indus.

The aftermath of past disasters continues to haunt many communities. Despite a passage of two years from the devastating floods of 2022, many people are still living under the open sky. According to Amnesty International, many flood-affected communities in Sindh are still struggling to meet basic needs.

To tackle these growing challenges, the government has outlined several policies. The National Water Policy (2018), and the Climate Change Policy (2012), along with its updated version (2021), emphasise integrated water resource management; the promotion of rainwater harvesting; and economic incentives to drive public and private investment in adaptation and mitigation efforts. The Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources also developed a National Water Conservation Strategy (2023-28), focusing on sustainable water use across domestic, agricultural and commercial sectors.

At the same time, various institutions and organisations are working to manage rainwater and floodwater. However, there is a pressing need to synchronise these efforts and incorporate approaches like nature-based solutions (NbS) to maximise the impact.

In addressing climate adaptation and mitigation, NbS are increasingly seen as essential. According to the IUCN, NbS tackle societal challenges by protecting, sustainably managing, and restoring natural and modified ecosystems, benefiting both people and nature. Many developing nations are promoting the adoption of NbS. Pakistan can do the same to better manage flood risk and enhance resilience to the impacts of climate change.

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Check dams are one such intervention. These can be constructed across waterways to counteract erosion by reducing water flow velocity, thus tackling riverine floods and hill torrents. In mountainous terrain, gabion walls are proving effective in reducing landslides. These structures, consisting of wire mesh filled with rocks and stones, can play a crucial role in stabilising slopes and minimising the risk of landslides during heavy rainfall in hilly and mountainous areas.

Similarly, water retention ponds can effectively capture and store rainwater, playing an important role in controlling stormwater runoff from streets, driveways, walkways and roofs. By holding and gradually releasing runoff, these ponds play a key role in preventing flooding. These interventions have shown considerable success in the Galiyat region.

For coastal communities, mangroves act as a protective shield against cyclones, seawater intrusion and high tides, reducing the impact of extreme weather events. Their complex root system helps stabilise coastlines, prevent erosion and absorb storm surges, offering natural flood protection. Beyond their protective role, mangroves also provide valuable habitats for marine life, support aquaculture, and offer opportunities for sustainable economic activities.

In urban communities, rainwater can be captured through recharge wells, also known as artificial recharge wells. This involves drilling a deep bore just above the sandy zone of an aquifer, and incorporating a series of natural filters – such as sand, gravel, cobbles and stones – to remove contaminants from floodwater. This intervention is particularly effective in clean catchments like parks, orchards and university grounds. If adopted across major cities in Pakistan, these wells could capture and replenish more than half of the rainwater, significantly boosting water supply. Given the increasing pressure on groundwater resources, especially in urban centres, replenishing aquifers through such methods is crucial. These aquifers are vital for providing drinking water, irrigation and industrial use, making their sustainable management an essential strategy for urban resilience and water security.

The approaches mentioned above are not new; they have been successfully implemented by various communities in different regions. To ensure their long-term sustainability, there is a critical need for a holistic approach that integrates engineered design with natural systems.

It is essential to report these NbS and their impacts within the framework of international commitments such as SDGs, Net Positive Water Impact and nature-positive reporting. One such recent initiative gaining momentum is the Freshwater Challenge, launched in March 2023 at the UN Water Conference in New York. This country-level initiative is part of the Water Action Agenda and aligned with the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. The goal of the challenge is to support the restoration of 300,000 km of degraded rivers and 350 million hectares of degraded wetlands by 2030. It does not require countries to reinvent the wheel, only to report the progress they are making. Pakistan, along with several other nations, has signed on to this challenge, which is an opportunity to accelerate its efforts and fulfill its international commitments related to climate change, biodiversity, land degradation, disaster risk reduction and the SDGs, all the while aligning with ambitions for sustainable economic development.

Pakistan is blessed with a rich and diverse landscape, from its extensive wetlands (home to over 119 sites), riverine areas and Ramsar sites, to its towering mountains and sprawling Delta. This geographical diversity offers a unique opportunity for Pakistan to pilot and scale NbS tailored to each region’s specific challenges. From flood control in the plains to ecosystem restoration in the mountains, the potential for nature to drive resilience is immense. There are already numerous impactful initiatives led by local organisations across these varied landscapes, showcasing the country’s capacity for effective implementation. To fully harness this potential, it is crucial for the government to consolidate these successes and report them against key international commitments. By doing so, Pakistan can not only contribute to global efforts but also position itself as a frontrunner in sustainable development, climate adaptation and biodiversity conservation.

The writer is an engineer and practitioner with more than 17 years of experience in the water and environment domain, both nationally and internationally. He is working with WWF-Pakistan as director of the Freshwater Programme.