Germany to support climate adaptation in Pakistan with additional €84 million

Germany announced an additional 84 million euros to support Pakistan as part of both countries’ climate partnership at an international conference, in the wake of catastrophic flooding which struck Pakistan in 2022. Germany had already earmarked 67 million euros for reconstruction of infrastructure and alleviation of the social impacts of the flood, but the new funding is to be used primarily to help Pakistan adapt to the impacts of climate change, said the development ministry. This involves, for example, the construction of rainwater retention basins and drainage systems to protect the population from flooding in the event of future heavy rainfall. “The consequences of climate change have shown themselves in a devastating way in Pakistan over the past year: Scorching heat and drought in the spring were followed by severe flooding that completely destroyed parts of the country and deprived millions of people of their livelihoods,” said state secretary Jochen Flasbarth. “This is a crisis that Pakistan cannot tackle alone,” he added.

The heavy rains and floods that hit Pakistan in the summer of 2022 claimed the lives of 1,700 people, Pakistan’s prime minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif wrote in an op-ed for The Guardian, in which he called for more support from international partners. At the support conference today (9 January), European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said Europe was quick to react and support Pakistan last year, but that “more support is needed.” She said the EU would supply 500 million euros for reconstruction efforts, which included 172 million euros for humanitarian support.