The £1.5 million in humanitarian funds, according to the announcement, is a distribution from ongoing assistance to Pakistan and will support relief operations in the flood-affected regions.
“The UK pledged over £55m to partner with Pakistan to fight climate change, manage water more sustainably and unlock climate investment in November 2021 during the COP26 Conference in Glasgow,” it added.
The Global Climate Risk Index report notes that Pakistan has reported 502 deaths and a loss of $3.772 billion as a result of 173 extreme weather events between 2000 and 2019.
Pakistan is among the most disaster-prone countries in South Asia and has suffered an estimated US$18 billion in damages due to disasters during the past decade.
This has included: recurrent floods; earthquakes; droughts; and urban shocks (such as heatwaves and dengue). Overall, in Pakistan, 25% of households (49 million people) are estimated to be moderately or severely food insecure, whereas 10% of the households (21 million people) are classified as severely food insecure. The Multi-Dimensional Poverty Index suggests that 36.43 million people are chronically vulnerable.
Also read: Won’t rest until each one of flood affected is rehabilitated: COAS
Pakistan is the eighth most at-risk country globally from the impacts of Climate Change (an improvement from fifth most at-risk country in 2020). This year, Pakistan has and is experiencing consecutive extreme climactic events.
The country moved directly from winter into summer temperatures with a number of extreme heat waves, causing rapid glacial flash floods and forest fires.
During the 2020 floods in Pakistan, the UK announced a £800,000 aid package through the National Disaster Consortium (NDC) and provided immediate relief in rural Sindh where many had lost their homes.
It also provided life-saving clean water, sanitation, and shelter to over 55,000 vulnerable people in Pakistan to help them recover from the devastating floods.
