Assessing Pakistan's Climatic Vulnerability: A Review of Evolving Impacts and Adaptive Strategies

Abstract

Background: Pakistan stands as one of the most vulnerable nations to the impacts of climate change, with its diverse geography and developing economy making it acutely susceptible to evolving climatic patterns. This review synthesizes existing literature to provide a comprehensive analysis of the multi-faceted impacts on the country's key sectors and evaluates the efficacy of current strategic responses.

Methods: This article is a systematic review of six key academic and institutional sources, including reports from the IPCC, UNDP, FAO, Pakistan Meteorological Department, and peer-reviewed journals. The review examines climate-related phenomena such as extreme weather events, glacial melting, and shifting monsoon patterns, and their subsequent effects on water resources, agriculture, public health, and socioeconomic stability.

Results: The findings indicate a significant and accelerating impact across all reviewed sectors. Climate change is a primary driver of water scarcity and agricultural instability, directly threatening food security. Furthermore, there is a clear link between extreme heat, floods, and the proliferation of climate-sensitive health issues. This review also concludes that current predictive models are insufficient for capturing the full scope of emerging climate risks, underscoring a critical gap in strategic planning.

Conclusion: The findings highlight that while initial strategic responses are in place, they do not adequately address the scale and complexity of the evolving threats. The paper calls for the urgent development of a more robust, evidence-based national climate policy and robust, granular predictive models to inform effective and targeted adaptation and mitigation strategies.