By Mashal Khan 

ISLAMABAD  - Pakistan has seen around 40 million people displaced by repeated flooding in recent years, including millions of children forced out of school, highlighting the disproportionate human and economic cost the country faces despite contributing less than one percent of global carbon emissions.

Pakistan Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Dr. Musadik Masood Malik said carbon emissions are accelerating glacier melt, driving rising temperatures and intensifying floods across Pakistan,effects he linked directly to global climate change.

Speaking at a conference titled “Living with Floods in Climate Change” in Lahore, Malik revealed that four major floods have displaced approximately 40 million people, half of whom are school-aged children. As a result, nearly 20 million children have been unable to attend school, creating what experts warn could become a long-term educational crisis.

The minister underscored the scale of economic damage, noting that a single flood caused losses equivalent to 9.8% of Pakistan’s GDP, effectively erasing years of economic progress in a country where annual growth typically ranges between 3 and 4%.

Pakistan, he stressed, is among the countries most vulnerable to climate change despite its negligible contribution to the problem.

“Two countries on our border emit about 40%  of the world’s carbon, whereas Pakistan emits less than one percent,” Malik said, calling attention to the imbalance between responsibility and impact.

He also criticized the distribution of climate financing, stating that the top 10 carbon-emitting nations receive roughly 85% of global green funding, even though they account for nearly 75% of emissions. Relying solely on loans, he argued, is not a sustainable solution for countries grappling with climate disasters.

Outlining the government’s response, Malik said damaged infrastructure is being repaired under a short-term plan targeting completion within 300 days, while expansion projects are scheduled over the next one to three years. Long-term strategies include constructing dams and strengthening river management systems to mitigate future flooding.

The minister also highlighted youth-led climate innovation as a key pillar of Pakistan’s adaptation strategy. He pointed to the Green Field Programme, an initiative designed to empower young entrepreneurs to develop climate-focused business ideas and support the country’s transition toward a greener economy.

Pakistan has repeatedly urged the international community to increase climate support for vulnerable nations, arguing that the growing frequency of extreme weather events illustrates the urgent need for collective global action.