Largest Population
Despite the fact that Pakistan has the world’s fifth largest population, it contributes less than one percent of the world’s global carbon footprint. However, due to unprecedented amounts of monsoon rains and a rapidity of glacial ice melt brought about by climate change, Pakistan is currently in an unmitigated climate disaster, with flooding affecting over 33 million people and destroying over one million homes. Pakistan’s infrastructure is not equipped to deal with this magnitude of flooding and as such, the floods have eroded so many roads, bridges, homes, and farms that the damage can now be seen from space
Deadly Landslides
Deadly landslides have completely cut off parts of the country, making rescue operations extremely difficult. Beyond the damage to infrastructure, the flooding has also created a humanitarian crisis. So many people have been displaced from their homes and are now living in temporary shelters with little access to clean water, medications, clothing, or food. People’s livestock and crops have also sustained heavy damages, which will create a food shortage that may continue for years to come if sufficient aid isn’t received.
unclean standing water
The mass amounts of unclean standing water have given rise to an increase in water-borne diseases such as cholera, as well as directly caused an increase in the amount of mosquitoes which carry a myriad of their own diseases that already plague the country, such as dengue fever. The Pakistani government’s preliminary estimate is that over ten billion dollars will be required to fully rebuild from the floods, but even small donations go a long way to ensuring that those who are currently displaced can access supplies that they desperately need.
