The climate change debate has shifted from questioning whether it is a myth or a reality to recognizing it as an existential threat to humanity. The disastrous consequences of climate change are felt in every sphere of life. It is no longer an environmental concern, but with each passing year, it is becoming more catastrophic and poses serious threats to humans and other forms of life. Broadly, a changing climate is resulting in and intensifying natural disasters, damaging infrastructure and economies, harming fragile ecosystems, and putting traditional food systems at greater risk. Beyond these adverse impacts, climate change is producing urban vulnerabilities and disrupting social health, which can be termed a constructive relationship among people.
The devastating flash floods in Nepal last month killed over 1,300 people and damaged infrastructure and the economy. Many villages and towns were flooded, and some people are still missing. The climate-induced melting of the glaciers in the Himalayan region is a wake-up call to reassess our development models and curb carbon emissions, which take a heavy toll on human populations.
Similarly, in recent years, cities in Pakistan, such as Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore and Karachi, have become more vulnerable to climate change effects. They face increasing warming trends, shifts in seasonal patterns, and changes in rainfall. This year, Lahore and the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi experienced heavy rains, during which several people died, and roads were submerged. Lahore is also expected to receive more rain from 14 to 17 September 2026. Besides, the city is also experiencing its fifth season of smog. The changing climatic patterns not only produce physical health challenges but also disrupt meaningful social relations.
Rapid urban expansion coupled with reduced green cover, greenhouse emissions, and unsustainable development are turning our megacities into concrete jungles. On one hand, the cities are trapping heat and warming, and on the other, we observe the breaking of social networks and people-to-people contacts. In this context, climate change is producing vulnerabilities and reshaping the lives of people in urban spaces.
A recent study titled Climate Change and Social Health, published in Nature, a weekly international research journal, puts a spotlight on the interlink between climate change and social health. It highlights how climate change is increasing the severity of slow-onset hazards (droughts or sea-level rise) and extreme events (floods, wildfires, heatwaves). These climate events displace communities, disrupt social networks, and weaken social relations. It points out that extreme climate scenarios limit social participation and negatively impact family and community life. More urgently, the relationship between climate change and social health is two-way. The study shows that climate change not only produces poor social health, but it is also intensified by weak social ties. It reveals that strong social relations and community support are essential for the execution of effective climate strategies and collective action against climate change.
Rapid urban expansion coupled with reduced green cover, greenhouse emissions, and unsustainable development are turning our megacities into concrete jungles. On one hand, the cities are trapping heat and warming, and on the other, we observe the breaking of social networks and people-to-people contacts.
As we look at cities in Pakistan, the interlink between climate change and social health is more visible. For instance, the fisher communities along the coastal belt of Karachi are experiencing the dual impacts of climate change. Due to frequent cyclones and coastal flooding, many fisher families shifted from the Indus Delta to Karachi in search of a better life. While living in Karachi, they witness sweltering temperatures, heatwaves, and urban flooding.
As a result, these families are trapped in a difficult situation. They can neither return to the Indus Delta nor secure adequate resources to sustain a dignified life in Karachi. This has serious implications for social stability and cohesion among the people. What they lost in these dynamics is social support and community ties. These emerging climate scenarios have disrupted their social relations and networks. These social disconnections also deter their capacity to address natural disasters or unwanted situations in urban spaces. Climate change-related events have consequences for mental health. In Pakistan, the 2022 floods and widespread rains have created anxiety and panic among people, especially children and women. As they see lightning or hear thunder, they are scared and stressed. Children do not go out or play with friends while seeing the clouds. Women are more worried about food, housing, and the safety of their families. Even light rain or thunder creates a sense of insecurity, fear, and uncertainty among people.
There are forecasts about the occurrence of a strong El Niño emerging in the Pacific Ocean. According to climate experts, this phenomenon will impact weather systems across Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas in late 2026 and early 2027. Though it is too early to assess the harms resulting from this event, experts predict that it can lead to extreme climate events such as storms, droughts, widespread rains, or sweltering heatwaves in South Asia, including Pakistan. But with flash floods in Nepal, can we say El Niño has started impacting South Asia?
As Pakistan is already grappling with the harmful impacts of the 2022 floods and recent urban flooding and a series of heatwaves, are we well prepared for another heatwave or flood-like situation resulting from a potential El Niño? What steps can be taken to deal with the future climate catastrophe? Do we have the required resources that can be offered to the vulnerable communities in our cities? These are the important questions that need serious thought and attention.
To address escalating climate impacts and vulnerabilities, Pakistan should focus on improving the green cover in cities, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and implementing climate-resilient development projects. We should also ensure the availability of drinking water and emergency services for poor communities. It is also high time to integrate social health into climate change policies and frameworks. This will help enhance social cohesion, improve climate resilience, and prepare state agencies, NGOs, and local communities to better respond to climate change-related disasters and address the negative impacts of climate change.