The Vulnerability of Pakistan's Water Sector to the Impacts of Climate Change: Identification of gaps and recommendations for action

This report analyzes the vulnerability of Pakistan's water sector to climate change, finding that while total water volume in the Indus River Basin may remain stable until the 2050s, variability in flow timing and increasing per capita water demand will exacerbate scarcity. It identifies a critical lack of hydrological data for the Upper Indus Basin and recommends modernizing monitoring networks, improving agricultural irrigation, and elevating water scarcity as a primary non-traditional security threat in national policy.

• Climate change is expected to have a limited effect on the total volume of water in the Indus River Basin in the near and medium terms. Before the 2050s, the primary impacts will be increased variability of flow volume and changes in the timing of peak flow, driven mainly by less predictable monsoon precipitation patterns rather than changes in snow melt or glacial sources.
• Water scarcity on a per capita basis in Pakistan is projected to increase in the coming decades due to rising water demand, a trend that would occur even without the influence of climate change.
• Current capacity to estimate future water availability is hindered by a lack of knowledge concerning the complex hydrological regime of the Upper Indus Basin.
• To address water management gaps, the report recommends modernizing the streamflow monitoring network, creating a repository for water data and analysis, strengthening post-secondary education on climate change, and increasing the adoption of sustainable irrigation practices among smallholder farmers.
• Water scarcity and climate change are identified as the most significant non-traditional security threats facing Pakistan, yet they receive less attention in policy and political circles than traditional threats such as terrorism, extremism, and energy security.

APA

Ahmed,, J.-E. P. O. T. A. A. (2017). The Vulnerability of Pakistan's Water Sector to the Impacts of Climate Change: Identification of gaps and recommendations for action. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/vulnerability-pakistans-water-sector-impacts-climate-change-identification-gaps

Chicago

Ahmed,, Jo-Ellen Parry,Hisham Osman,Anika Terton,Saeed A. Asad,Toqeer. The Vulnerability of Pakistan's Water Sector to the Impacts of Climate Change: Identification of gaps and recommendations for action. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2017. https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/vulnerability-pakistans-water-sector-impacts-climate-change-identification-gaps.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Ahmed, |first1=Jo-Ellen Parry,Hisham Osman,Anika Terton,Saeed A. Asad,Toqeer |title=The Vulnerability of Pakistan's Water Sector to the Impacts of Climate Change: Identification of gaps and recommendations for action |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=11 June 2017 |url=https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/vulnerability-pakistans-water-sector-impacts-climate-change-identification-gaps |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{ahmed2017vulnerability, author = {Ahmed,, Jo-Ellen Parry,Hisham Osman,Anika Terton,Saeed A. Asad,Toqeer}, title = {{The Vulnerability of Pakistan's Water Sector to the Impacts of Climate Change: Identification of gaps and recommendations for action}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2017}, month = jun, url = {https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/vulnerability-pakistans-water-sector-impacts-climate-change-identification-gaps}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }