‘Climate change to cost Pakistan $3.8bn yearly’

By Khaleeq Kiani

Warning of an increase of up to 2.5 degrees Celsius in temperature over the next two decades, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and World Bank (WB) have estimated that Pakistan is facing up to $3.8 billion in annual economic loss due to climate change.

A joint study titled “Climate Risk Country Profile” for Pakistan released by the two international lending agencies on Tuesday put Pakistan among the top risk-prune countries in terms of increase in average temperatures and resultant economic and social losses.

“Pakistan faces increases in average temperatures significantly above the global average with a potential rise of 1.3°C-4.9°C by the 2090s over the 1986-2005 baseline,” the study said, noting that Pakistan faced “some of the highest disaster risk levels in the world, ranked 18 out of 191 countries by the 2020 Inform Risk Index”. The global average by 2080-99 is estimated at about 3.7°C under the highest emission estimates.

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The report pointed out particular challenges related to cooling nuclear and thermal power plants which might reduce their efficiency. The energy system is also vulnerable to the effects of extreme climate events, which are expected to intensify under climate change.