Heating up

Last June marked the beginning of the 2024 Pakistan Heatwave, which killed over 500 people in just six days. Now, it is April 2025 and, as per reports, Karachi at least is all set for a heatwave today and the next few days. Summer heatwaves are arriving earlier every year and the day may soon come when air conditioning becomes a must as early as March. Several parts of the country are expected to receive heat up to eight degrees Celsius above average in the southern half of the country and up to six degrees Celsius above average in the northern half. Experts advise vulnerable populations such as the elderly, children and women to take shelter during the day and stay hydrated. Sadly, much of this country’s people are too poor to follow even this basic advice. Water insecurity is a fact of life for the majority of Pakistanis, around 70 per cent of whom do not have reliable access to safe drinking water, and being out in the heat is simply what many in this country must do to earn a living. Only a tiny minority is privileged enough to work in a sheltered space, and even there ACs are not always a guarantee.

The searing unseasonal heat has been accompanied by significantly below-average rainfall. During the first quarter of the current year, overall rainfall was reportedly 41 per cent below normal. Sindh and Punjab, the backbone of the country’s agriculture, were particularly hard hit, receiving 96 per cent and 92 per cent less rainfall than normal, respectively. While these numbers are alarming and will put a significant strain on the country’s food, water and health resources, they are not exactly surprising. Last year was the hottest on record and 2025 will be among the hottest ever or even claim the top spot for itself. Despite global promises to the contrary, global warming and climate change continue unabated, with global carbon dioxide emissions reaching a record high in 2024. A hotter and drier world is the inevitable consequence and, sadly, the Global South will get hotter and drier faster, even though it is not the main contributor to the problem. And when there is no rain, there is also the fear of sudden ‘too much’ rain – like the hailstorms seen in the past few days in the country’s northern regions. This means Pakistan will probably continue to swing between two extremes in the weather patterns we get.

Pakistan, for its part, contributes to just one per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions despite being the world’s fifth most populous country. And yet, its people will be far more likely to suffer from heatwaves and water scarcity than any of the citizens of the major polluters. Asking the latter to help in the form of climate adaptation funds or more significant cuts to their emissions has thus far gotten only disappointing results. Helping poor countries is simply not profitable or as popular among the rich as other pursuits, including war and genocide. What Pakistan can do is make the lives of its people somewhat more bearable. This means establishing heat shelters and organising water distribution drives in the short run. Day labourers and street vendors need to have water and shade close at hand during this time. In the long run, we need to do a better job with our infrastructure. More green spaces are needed, and cross-ventilation needs to play a bigger role in how our buildings are designed. More water storage facilities are also needed and we must move away from urban sprawl. None of this will stop the country from getting warmer or drier, but it does mean we can mitigate the suffering and loss of life that comes with global warming.