Mental Health in the Era of Climate Change: A Rising Emergency for Pakistan

Abstract

Climate change has transformed over the past decades from a distant environmental issue to an immediate existential problem. Pakistan, which consistently ranks in the top ten most climate- vulnerable countries in the Global Climate Risk Index, stands at the forefront of this reality[1]. Heatwaves in Karachi, recurrent droughts in Sindh and Baluchistan, the devastating floods in 2022 affecting over 33 million people, and in the year 2010 super floods have highlighted the urgent threat. The psychological effects of climate change on Pakistan’s population are still not well understood, despite the fact that attention is frequently focused on the loss of infrastructure and physical health effects. The additional pressures of climate- related issues call for urgent attention to mental health policies and services, which are already under strain.