ISLAMABAD: The European Union&rsquo;s climate monitor has said on Friday that ocean temperatures are edging toward record highs as conditions shift toward a potentially powerful El Nino weather pattern.&nbsp; Samantha Burgess from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) said sea surface temperatures in recent days were just shy of the all-time highs of 2024, and May looked set to break its own record. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a matter of days before we are back in record-breaking ocean SSTs (sea surface temperatures) again,&quot; Burgess, strategic lead for climate at ECMWF, told AFP. The Copernicus Climate Change Service said daily sea surface temperatures in April &ldquo;gradually inched&rdquo; toward near-record highs, reflecting the transition to El Nino expected in the coming months. Copernicus, overseen by the ECMWF, said sea surface temperatures in April were the second-highest of the measured, with marine heatwaves breaking records across the tropical Pacific and the United States. Last month, the World Meteorological Organisation said El Nino conditions could develop as soon as May to July. One phase of a natural climate cycle in Pacific Ocean temperatures and trade winds, El Nino influences global weather and increases the likelihood of drought, heavy rainfall and other climate extremes. It also adds heat to a planet already warmed by burning fossil fuels. The last El Nino helped make 2023 and 2024 the second- and first-hottest years on record, respectively. Some weather agencies forecast the coming event will be even stronger, possibly rivalling a &ldquo;super&rdquo; El Nino three decades ago. Zeke Hausfather, a scientist at Berkeley Earth, an independent climate research organisation, wrote last week that a strong El Nino could significantly raise the chances of 2027 becoming the hottest year ever recorded. Burgess said it was still too early to predict the event&#39;s intensity with confidence, as forecasts made during the Northern Hemisphere spring could be unreliable. But she said, regardless of its strength, this El Nino would not go unnoticed. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re likely to see 2027 exceed 2024 for the warmest year on record,&rdquo; she said. El Nino&rsquo;s impact on global temperatures typically comes the year after its peak, she added. Extreme sea temperaturesCopernicus said the upturn in ocean temperatures over March and April indicated the transition from neutral conditions to El Nino was underway. Scientists stress that El Nino alone is not driving the extraordinary ocean warmth or its knock-on effects, such as coral bleaching and marine heatwaves. The phenomenon is unfolding against a backdrop of long-term global warming, caused primarily by greenhouse gas emissions, with oceans absorbing around 90 percent of the excess heat generated by human activity. In its monthly bulletin, Copernicus said April was the third-hottest globally and 1.43 degrees Celsius above the 1850-1900 pre-industrial benchmark. Arctic sea ice remained near record lows in April while Europe endured varied conditions that set the stage for a hotter and drier summer at risk of drought or wildfires, it said. &ldquo;We just keep seeing extremes. Every month we have more data that the climate change impact is creating these extreme events,&rdquo; said Burgess.

Climate

Samantha Burgess from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts said sea surface temperatures in recent days were almost all-time highs of 2024, and May looked set to break its own record.


Sea temperatures near all-time highs as El Nino looms: EU monitor

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Minister Musadik Malik on Wednesday proposed a &ldquo;Green University&rdquo; initiative and wider international research partnerships to empower young innovators to tackle the country&rsquo;s mounting environmental challenges. He announced the plan while addressing the opening session of the Breathe Pakistan International Climate Change Conference in Islamabad. He said the initiative would focus on applied and commercially viable climate research developed in collaboration with Italian academic institutions. Malik said discussions with Italian officials in recent months had laid the groundwork for joint research programs in which Pakistani and Italian students would work together under the supervision of leading international scholars, including Nobel laureates. Pakistan&rsquo;s large youth population, about two-thirds of the country, represents a major opportunity to drive innovation in climate solutions, Malik said. While students at top universities have strong ideas and technical knowledge, they often lack the resources and pathways to turn those ideas into practical outcomes, he added. Opportunity to work with renowned professors, Nobel laureatesReferring to recent discussions with Italian officials, Malik said Pakistani and Italian students would jointly conduct research projects under the initiative, with internationally renowned professors, including Nobel laureates, supervising the work. &ldquo;It was a rolling conversation in Italy that I had just a few months ago, and now we are putting together a framework,&rdquo; he said. The minister said Pakistan&rsquo;s young population possessed the imagination, scientific understanding and determination needed to develop climate solutions, stressing that the government was committed to providing them with resources, platforms and institutional support.&nbsp; Malik noted that about two-thirds of Pakistan&rsquo;s population was youth and lauded the quality of education provided by several universities across the country. &ldquo;Our young people have ideas, technology, science and passion. Most importantly, there are still stars in their eyes and they still believe the world can be changed,&rdquo; he said. He said students graduating from institutions including GIK, LUMS and other leading universities had strong ideas and innovative thinking, but often lacked opportunities and pathways to implement them. &ldquo;We have to give them that pathway,&rdquo; he added. The minister announced that the government would organize quarterly competitions to support students and young innovators working on climate-related technologies, applied science and sustainability solutions.&nbsp; Funding availableAccording to him, young researchers and entrepreneurs would receive funding to pursue ideas that could help address challenges related to water, environment, clean energy and climate resilience. &ldquo;It is their air. They are breathing; they will find the solution,&rdquo; he remarked while referring to the younger generation&rsquo;s ability to tackle environmental challenges. Encouraging experimentation and innovation, the minister said young people should be allowed to take risks without fear of failure.&nbsp; The minister said the government was also working on a &ldquo;Greenfield Pakistan Pitch&rdquo; initiative to connect innovative climate ideas with investment opportunities and commercial support. He said Pakistan&rsquo;s climate-related challenges could become the foundation for globally relevant solutions.&nbsp; &ldquo;The child who solves Pakistan&rsquo;s water problem can solve Africa&rsquo;s water problem too,&rdquo; he remarked, adding that billion-dollar ideas could emerge from Pakistani youth. Highlighting the unequal global impact of climate change, Malik said Pakistan contributed less than 1% to global carbon dioxide emissions despite being among the countries most severely affected by floods, environmental degradation and worsening air quality.&nbsp; Speaking about the impact of air pollution on life expectancy, he cited studies suggesting that polluted air could reduce average life expectancy by several years. &#39;Those suffering are not causing it&#39;The minister said around 10 countries were responsible for nearly 78% of global emissions, while communities in areas such as Gilgit-Baltistan continued to suffer the consequences despite contributing almost nothing to the problem. &ldquo;Those suffering are not causing it, and those causing it are not suffering,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp; Questioning the global response to climate change, Malik asked whether the issue was one of &ldquo;rights, justice or political will.&rdquo; The minister said climate change was not only a question of environmental policy but also one of imagination, responsibility and commitment toward future generations.

Environmental protection (File Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

Climate minister Musadik Malik announces global research partnerships to empower Pakistani youth to develop practical climate solutions and drive innovation.

Govt to empower youth-led climate innovation through Green University initiative: Minister 

BANGKOK: Already reeling from the effects of conflict in the Middle East, Asia is now facing the prospect of strong El Ni&ntilde;o conditions that could spike energy demand, sap hydropower, and damage crops. El Ni&ntilde;o is a naturally occurring climate phenomenon that brings worldwide changes in winds, air pressure, and rainfall patterns. Last week, the United Nations&#39; weather and climate agency said El Ni&ntilde;o conditions could develop as soon as May to July. The World Meteorological Organization, meanwhile, said early signs indicated the event could be particularly strong, with some dubbing the impending event a &quot;super El Ni&ntilde;o&quot;, although the term is not used by scientists. That is not good news for Asia, parts of which are traditionally heavily affected by the heatwaves, drought, and heavy rains that El Ni&ntilde;o can bring. The phenomenon essentially shifts traditional weather patterns around, for example, moving rain that normally falls over Indonesia out to sea, leaving the country vulnerable to drought and wildfires. El Ni&ntilde;o occurs around every two to seven years and is forecast based on sea temperatures. &quot;The subsurface anomaly that we&#39;re seeing so far is pretty strong,&quot; said Peter van Rensch, a climate scientist at Australia&#39;s Monash University. &quot;It does look a little bit like what we saw in the 1997/98 event, and that was probably the strongest El Ni&ntilde;o,&quot; he told AFP. There are still plenty of uncertainties, and van Rensch cautioned that an El Ni&ntilde;o might not develop at all. Catastrophic impacts&nbsp;But the 1997 El Ni&ntilde;o brought catastrophic impacts, including extreme drought and devastating wildfires in Indonesia that burned through millions of hectares and created regional air pollution. Authorities there have already identified peatlands at risk, and warned the country could see its lowest rainfall in 30 years. The warnings come amid Asia buckling under the strain of an energy supply crunch and fears of shortages of fertilizer and other industrial and agricultural components that pass through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has effectively closed the strategic waterway since the United States and Israel launched attacks on the country on Feb 28, disrupting global fuel supplies. Hotter weather will strain energy grids already facing fuel shortages as populations seek to cool homes and workplaces, warned Haneea Isaad, an energy finance specialist at the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis. &quot;For countries that are highly dependent on the Strait of Hormuz for oil and gas deliveries and other trade, strained supply will lead to further fuel rationing, demand-side management, and a reduction in economic activities ... impacting overall GDP growth,&quot; she told AFP. The droughts that El Ni&ntilde;o can bring to parts of the region also pose a threat to countries that are highly dependent on hydropower, said Dinita Setyawati, senior energy analyst for Asia at the Ember thinktank. &quot;Most ASEAN countries use a lot of hydropower,&quot; she warned, highlighting Mekong countries, Nepal, and parts of Malaysia as particularly vulnerable because of their dependence on the sector. The risks were laid bare in 2022, when a heatwave in China saw hydropower generation in Sichuan fall by over 50%, creating shortages that impacted households and industry alike. Agriculture risks&nbsp;Hotter, drier conditions will also pose new risks to agriculture, already under pressure as the ongoing conflict raises the costs of fertilizer and fuel for farming equipment. &quot;If crop prices do not rise enough to offset these higher input and shipping costs, producer margins will be squeezed, raising the likelihood of lower fertilizer application and weaker yields,&quot; warned BMI, a unit of the Fitch Solutions research company. &quot;This would intensify food price inflation and worsen food insecurity, especially in import-dependent and climate-vulnerable markets.&quot; In some parts of Asia, an El Ni&ntilde;o can bring bouts of heavy rain and trigger flooding, which could affect sectors such as southern China&#39;s late-season rice harvest, added Isaad. How climate change affects the emergence and strength of El Ni&ntilde;os remains poorly understood. But research shows climate change itself will bring more frequent, intense heatwaves, as well as sudden heavy rainfall that can cause flooding. So experts said countries across the region should further insulate energy systems against more frequent disruptive weather events by diversifying and greening their grids. &quot;Solar and wind, coupled with batteries, provide a more resilient infrastructure than a centralized fossil infrastructure,&quot; said Setyawati.

Farmers harvest carrots at a field on the outskirts of Lahore on April 19, 2026 (AFP)

Asia

Already reeling from the effects of conflict in the Middle East, Asia now faces the prospect of a strong El Niño that could spike energy demand, sap hydropower, and damage crops.

Asia faces ‘super El Niño’ risk as conflict strains energy, food supplies

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Saturday called for collective action on climate change ahead of Earth Hour 2026, urging citizens to adopt more sustainable habits. This year&#39;s &quot;Give an Hour for Earth&quot; campaign, which is observed globally through a symbolic lights-off hour, encourages people to consider how their everyday decisions impact the environment and to take action beyond the gesture. President urges reflection, sustainable livingIn a message issued to mark the occasion, the President of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardari, said environmental protection requires&nbsp;collective effort,&nbsp;emphasizing that individual acts, when combined, can have a significant impact. He noted that a country responsible for less than 1% of global greenhouse gas emissions continues to bear a disproportionate share of climate consequences.&nbsp; &quot;The pressures we place on natural systems are steadily reducing the space in which life can sustain itself,&quot; the president said.&nbsp; The statement pointed to recent floods, heatwaves, and droughts as clear indicators of escalating environmental stress, affecting agriculture, water availability, and urban life. Zardari called for development strategies that stay within environmental limits, pointing to the need for more responsible energy use, sustainable consumption patterns, and climate-conscious industrial and agricultural practices.&nbsp; He reiterated Pakistan&rsquo;s commitment to the Paris Agreement and said climate resilience remains a key focus of national planning. He also referred to ongoing initiatives such as the Upscaling Green Pakistan Programme, Living Indus, and Recharge Pakistan, which aim to expand forest cover, restore ecosystems, and improve water management. Citizens were encouraged to switch off non-essential lights on March 28 and use the occasion to consider long-term changes that reduce environmental impact. PM encourages Earth Hour participationMeanwhile, Pakistan&#39;s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif urged citizens to take part in Earth Hour by switching off unnecessary lights between 8:30 pm and 9:30 pm, or at least minimizing electricity use during the hour. He said the initiative serves as a reminder that protecting the environment is a shared national responsibility, particularly at a time of &quot;serious environmental challenges&quot;.&nbsp; He stressed that decisions taken today to address environmental degradation would shape the future of coming generations. Senate chairman stresses policy and coordinationIn a separate statement, the Chairman of the Senate of Pakistan, Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani, underscored the urgency of a coordinated national response, warning that climate-related threats are becoming more frequent and severe. He pointed to accelerating glacial melt, growing water stress, and recurring extreme weather events as key challenges requiring stronger policy alignment and institutional accountability.&nbsp; Describing climate change as &quot;a profound intergenerational obligation,&quot; the Chairman called for tighter policy integration, stronger institutional accountability, and a coordinated response spanning federal and provincial governments. Describing Earth Hour as a symbolic but important initiative, he said it serves to reinforce the need for efficient energy use and more sustainable consumption across society. He added that legislative efforts would continue to prioritize environmental protection, renewable energy, and conservation of natural resources. Notably, the chairman expanded the circle of responsibility beyond government, calling on civil society and the private sector to engage meaningfully. The transition to sustainable consumption, he reiterated, cannot be legislated into existence alone.

Climate & Environment

President Asif Ali Zardari, PM Shehbaz Sharif, and the Senate chairman call for sustainable practices, warning that climate threats demand collective action, policy coordination, and long-term environmental responsibility.

Pakistan observes Earth Hour, leaders urge climate responsibility

ISLAMABAD: Over half of Yemen&#39;s population is sliding toward life-threatening hunger in what aid agencies are calling the country&#39;s most&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-expresses-solidarity-with-saudi-arabia-urges-regional-peace-and-stability" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">dangerous</a>&nbsp;food security phase in years, with famine-like conditions expected in multiple districts by early 2026. The dire warning comes from the International Rescue Committee&#39;s (IRC) latest policy briefing published in January 2026, which reveals that 18 million people are expected to experience worsening levels of food insecurity by early 2026, with an additional one million people facing life-threatening hunger. According to the IRC report titled &quot;Starving in Silence: Surging Food Insecurity in Yemen,&quot; the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/saudiled-coalition-says-targeted-shipments-in-yemen-unloaded-from-vessels-from-uae" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">crisis</a>&nbsp;is being driven not by conflict escalation, but by a collapse of household purchasing power and a sharp decrease in humanitarian assistance in 2025. By the end of 2025, the humanitarian response was less than 25% funded, with the Nutrition Cluster at less than 10% and the Food Security and Agriculture Cluster at 15%, effectively paralyzing lifesaving services. Unprecedented service collapse The IRC&#39;s assessment reveals devastating impacts on the ground. Following major donor funding withdrawals in early 2025, nutrition service reach declined by 63% within one year in IRC-supported districts in southern Yemen. Health facilities and therapeutic feeding centers closed, mobile teams were overstretched, and admissions for severe acute malnutrition fell&mdash;not because children were healthier, but because fewer who were sick could access <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/ship-ablaze-after-projectile-strike-off-yemens-gulf-of-aden-coast" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">services</a>. Nearly 80% of households assessed by IRC reported severe hunger, and half of households with children under five reported at least one malnourished child. Worst outlook since 2022 The latest IPC (Integrated Food Security Phase Classification) projections for September 2025&ndash;February 2026 show Yemen now carries the highest burden of IPC Phase 4 globally. Pockets of famine affecting over 40,000 people are expected in four districts within the next two months&mdash;the worst outlook for the country since 2022. IRC assessments conducted in Taiz, Al Dhale&#39;e, Abyan and Al Hodeidah in August 2025 revealed that half of all households with children under five had at least one malnourished child during the previous three months, while 1 in 4 households had at least one malnourished pregnant or breastfeeding woman. Nearly 97% of respondents cited food security as their number one need. Crisis drivers The IRC report identifies four key factors driving the crisis: 1. &nbsp; &nbsp;Funding collapse: The current contraction is historic in scale, with less than 25% of the Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan funded as of December 2025&mdash;the lowest levels of funding in a decade. Critical nutrition and food security pipelines have been heavily disrupted, removing the last safety net for millions. 2. &nbsp; &nbsp;Economic shock: Currency depreciation, inflation, reduced remittances, and banking disruptions have sharply eroded purchasing power in a country that imports most of its food. Even households that briefly stabilized after the 2022 truce are now resorting to crisis-level coping strategies such as skipping meals and selling productive assets. 3. &nbsp; &nbsp;Climate change: Flooding in August 2025 affected nearly half a million people, destroying homes, farmland, water systems and health facilities across 20 governorates. Yemen ranks as the world&#39;s third most climate-vulnerable country, with temperatures set to rise by up to 3.3&deg;C in the next 40 years. 4. &nbsp; &nbsp;Fragmented <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/un-chief-strongly-condemns-houthis-detaining-nine-more-un-personnel-in-yemen" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">governance</a>: The ongoing conflict has eroded state capacities to enforce laws regulating land, water and natural resource management. Yemen receives 80 to 90% less climate finance than the average for countries with the lowest climate vulnerability despite high needs. Surveillance systems collapsing The IRC warns that food security and nutrition surveillance systems are collapsing, masking the true scale of hunger. As data gaps widen, needs go undocumented, assistance is not triggered, and preventable deaths risk going unseen. In 20 districts across 7 governorates where IRC had to withdraw or severely shrink nutrition programming due to funding cuts, levels of food insecurity have climbed on average by over 7%, with over 148,000 people moving into crisis or worse levels of food insecurity in 2025 alone. Window for action closing &quot;People still remember when they didn&#39;t know where their next meal would come from. The fear is that we are returning to this dark chapter again,&quot; said Caroline Sekyewa, IRC Yemen Country Director. The IRC states that without immediate donor action to restore and scale integrated food security and nutrition assistance, famine-like conditions are expected in multiple districts by early 2026. However, the report states that timely funding in the next three to six months can still prevent mass loss of life, protect recent humanitarian gains, and stabilize the most at-risk communities. The IRC is calling on donors to restore and scale integrated food security and nutrition funding, fully fund lifesaving nutrition treatment, and re-establish joint food security and nutrition surveillance systems. The organization has also urged Yemeni authorities to facilitate safe, principled, and unhindered humanitarian access and support economic relief efforts.

Middle East

Over half of Yemen’s population faces life-threatening hunger as aid funding collapses, economic shocks deepen, and climate disasters worsen, pushing millions toward famine-like conditions by early 2026.

18 million Yemenis facing starvation as humanitarian funding collapses to historic lows

ISLAMABAD: Climate change and natural disasters are driving an unprecedented wave of human displacement worldwide, reshaping migration patterns and challenging governments&rsquo; ability to respond.&nbsp;According to the Geneva-based Internal Displacement Monitoring Center (IDMC), in 2023, nearly 47 million new internal displacements were recorded globally, with 53% triggered by disasters, including storms, floods, wildfires, and earthquakes.&nbsp;The report notes that by the end of 2023, nearly 8 million people were living as internally displaced persons (IDPs) due to disasters across 82 countries and territories.&nbsp;In his message on International Migrants Day (IMD) on December 18, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif highlighted Pakistan&rsquo;s commitment to addressing climate and disaster displacement, saying:&nbsp;&ldquo;Climate change is one of the defining challenges of our time. Pakistan &mdash; one of the countries most affected by extreme weather events &mdash; stands ready to deepen regional cooperation, strengthen early warning systems, and expand disaster-resilient infrastructure to protect affected populations and support those forced to flee their homes.&rdquo;&nbsp;Conflict and broader displacement crisisWhile disasters drive mobility, conflict remains the primary driver of displacement. Oxfam reports that more than 82 million people worldwide are currently forcibly displaced, the highest number since World War II.&nbsp;Five countries, Syria, Venezuela, Afghanistan, South Sudan, and Myanmar, account for two-thirds of cross-border displacement, with Syria alone responsible for 13.2 million refugees, asylum seekers, and internally displaced persons, Oxfam notes.&nbsp;Climate change as a driverThe UN&rsquo;s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) first warned in 1990 that climate impacts such as shoreline erosion, coastal flooding, and agricultural disruption could force millions to migrate.&nbsp;According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), climate and environmental stressors, ranging from slow-onset events like desertification and water scarcity to sudden disasters such as floods and storms, will increasingly shape migration trends in the coming decades.&nbsp;Impacts and protection gapsForced migration, whether climate- or conflict-driven, undermines development by placing pressure on urban infrastructure, slowing economic growth, increasing conflict risk, and negatively affecting health and education outcomes for displaced populations.&nbsp;However, climate migrants remain largely outside international refugee protections, leaving a significant legal and humanitarian gap.&nbsp;According to IOM, addressing climate- and disaster-driven displacement requires integrated planning that combines disaster risk reduction, infrastructure resilience, legal protections for migrants, and international cooperation.&nbsp;With extreme weather events projected to increase, the scale of displacement is likely to rise, making policy responses more urgent than ever, the IOM notes.

Climate and disaster-driven displacement are reshaping global migration

PARIS: Thousands of glaciers will vanish each year in the coming decades, leaving only a fraction standing by the end of the century unless global warming is curbed, according to a study published on Monday.&nbsp;Government action on climate change could determine whether the world loses 2,000 or 4,000 glaciers annually by the middle of the century, according to the research.&nbsp;A few degrees could be the difference between preserving almost half of the world&#39;s glaciers in 2100 -- or fewer than 10%.&nbsp;&quot;Our results underscore the urgency of ambitious climate policy,&quot; said the study published in the journal Nature Climate Change and led by glaciologist Lander Van Tricht.&nbsp;Researchers usually focus on the loss of mass and area of the world&#39;s ice giants, but Van Tricht and his colleagues set out to determine how many individual glaciers could melt away annually in this century.&nbsp;While the melting of smaller individual glaciers may have less impact on sea-level rise than larger ones, their loss can significantly harm tourism or local culture, the scientists said.&nbsp;&quot;The disappearance of each single glacier can have major local impacts, even if its meltwater contribution is small,&quot; Van Tricht from ETH Zurich and Vrije Universiteit Brussel, told reporters.&nbsp;Co-author Matthias Huss, also a glaciologist at ETH Zurich, took part in a symbolic funeral for the Pizol glacier in the Swiss Alps in 2019.&nbsp;&quot;The loss of glaciers that we are speaking about here is more than just a scientific concern. It really touches our hearts,&quot; he said.&nbsp;&#39;Peak extinction&#39;The scientists examined satellite-derived outlines of 211,490 glaciers from a global database to determine the year in which the largest number will disappear &mdash; a concept they coined &quot;peak glacier extinction&quot;.&nbsp;They used glacier computer models under several different warming scenarios, ranging from a world in which temperatures rise by 1.5&deg;C from pre-industrial levels to one in which they climb by 4&deg;C.&nbsp;Today, the world is losing around 1,000 glaciers every year, but the study warned that the pace is set to accelerate.&nbsp;The number of glaciers disappearing annually will peak at 2,000 by 2041, even if warming is limited to 1.5&deg;C -- the threshold countries pledged to pursue under the Paris Agreement to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.&nbsp;At that pace, 95,957 glaciers would remain around the planet by 2100, or just under half.&nbsp;The United Nations, however, has warned that warming is on track to exceed 1.5&deg;C in the next few years.&nbsp;Using projections showing temperatures would rise 2.7&deg;C under government policies, around 3,000 glaciers would disappear every year between 2040 and 2060, the glaciologists said.&nbsp;By 2100, only one in five glaciers, or 43,852, would have survived in a 2.7&deg;C world.&nbsp;Under a worst-case scenario in which temperatures rise by 4&deg;C, as many as 4,000 glaciers could disappear each year by the mid-2050s.&nbsp;Only 9% of glaciers, or 18,288, would remain by the end of the century.&nbsp;Almost zeroThe timing of peak glacier disappearance varies between regions, depending on their size and location.&nbsp;In areas with predominantly smaller glaciers, such as the European Alps and subtropical Andes, half could be gone within two decades.&nbsp;In parts of the world with larger glaciers, such as Greenland and the Antarctic periphery, peak glacier disappearance will occur later in the century.&nbsp;The researchers stressed that while glacier disappearances will peak in every scenario, the pace of decline will only begin to slow because there are fewer glaciers left. The bigger ones take more time to melt away.&nbsp;For example, Van Tricht said, the loss rate in the Alps will fall to almost zero by the end of the century, &quot;just because there are almost no glaciers left.&quot;

Thousands of glaciers will vanish annually in the coming decades, a study shows. Limiting global warming to 1.5°C could preserve nearly half of the world's glaciers by 2100; a 4°C rise would leave fewer than 10%, underscoring the urgency of climate action.

Thousands of glaciers to melt each year by mid-century: Study

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Dr. Musadik Malik on Friday said environmental degradation posed serious systemic risks to the global financial system, calling for stronger international cooperation and more accessible climate finance for vulnerable countries. The minister was speaking at a high-level leadership dialogue titled &ldquo;The Bottom Line: Why Tackling Environmental Degradation Is Critical to the Future of the Global Financial System,&rdquo; held on the sidelines of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) in Nairobi, said a press release issued by Pakistan&rsquo;s Ministry of Climate Change on Saturday. <div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1999383452609839614&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=84e8dd3fdc87506bdfe0cb5416312fca06eeba51&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 832px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>Dr. Malik&nbsp;highlighted the stark disparity faced by nations like Pakistan, noting that countries most affected by climate change have contributed the least to global emissions yet require substantial financial support to build resilience and protect development gains. &quot;Addressing climate change is a matter of collective global responsibility,&quot; Dr. Malik stated during his address, stressing the need for equitable financial flows and strong international cooperation. The dialogue brought together global leaders, policymakers, financial regulators and experts to discuss system-wide approaches aimed at redirecting private finance towards environmentally sustainable pathways. According to the press release, discussions focused on aligning financial flows with climate action, biodiversity protection, land restoration, pollution reduction and sustainable waste management, while strengthening long-term economic, social and environmental resilience. Participants underscored the importance of policy coherence, sound regulatory frameworks and whole-of-government approaches in creating enabling conditions for sustainable finance.&nbsp;Emphasis was also placed on mobilizing private capital for the transition of high-impact sectors and integrating environmental risks into financial decision-making. The minister reaffirmed Pakistan&rsquo;s commitment to climate-resilient development and to supporting global efforts to align financial systems with environmental sustainability.

Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, Dr. Musadik Malik, participated in a Leadership Dialogue held on the sidelines of the United Nations Environment Assembly in Nairobi, Kenya. (PID)

During the UN Environment meeting, Pakistan warned that climate change threatens global financial stability and called for stronger international cooperation and equitable climate finance to support countries most affected despite contributing least to emissions.

At UN, Pakistan urges climate finance to counter financial risks

ISLAMABAD: Afghanistan risks losing 40% of its farmland due to the country&#39;s worst drought in decades, a new monitoring report warned. According to the latest Afghanistan Seasonal Monitor from the Famine Early Warning Systems Network, the country is experiencing below-average rainfall and above-average temperatures that have triggered soil moisture deficits across the nation, The crisis marks the sixth consecutive year of poor weather conditions. Farmers are abandoning fields as irrigated crops struggle to survive and rain-fed wheat production continues to fall. Northern and central Afghanistan face precipitation deficits of up to 100 millimeters through December 2025, according to the monitor. Water shortages are exacerbating the crisis in these regions, which are seeing widespread crop failures, particularly in wheat farming, with soil moisture at critically low levels. In the northeast and central parts of the country, where rain-fed crops are vital, many farmers are unable to plant or maintain crops. Even irrigated areas are struggling with declining groundwater levels. A survey released in November by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime found that traditional irrigation systems, such as &quot;qanats&quot;, are failing, forcing farmers to dig deeper wells. Climate change has made droughts more frequent and severe, with above-average temperatures intensifying the situation. Snow water volumes, essential for irrigation, are at their lowest levels in years, the monitor said. Many farmers are seeing their income collapse as 40% of farmland remains unused. Even in irrigated areas, people face difficulties due to water scarcity and climate change. More than 75% of rural households depend on agriculture, and many are struggling with food insecurity, according to the report. The report warned that unless conditions improve, food shortages could worsen, causing higher food prices and economic instability. It predicted that if the situation persists, farmland abandonment and declining crop yields will continue, worsening the crisis for the country&#39;s farmers. The Famine Early Warning Systems Network was established by the US Agency for International Development in 1985 and provides early warning and analysis of acute food insecurity worldwide.

Afghanistan

Afghanistan’s worst drought in decades has led to widespread crop failures, with severe water shortages exacerbating food insecurity and economic instability, a new report warns.

Afghanistan at risk of losing 40% of farmland in worst drought in decades

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan called on the international community on Sunday to ensure quick,&nbsp;grant-based and predictable financing for climate-vulnerable developing countries, Secretary for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Aisha Humera Moriani said. Moriani spoke at a high-level side event titled &quot;Operationalizing Loss and Damage: Financing Resilience and Recovery in Vulnerable Countries,&quot;&nbsp;warning that repeated extreme weather events were deepening debt distress and slowing development progress in nations least responsible for global emissions. She stated that Pakistan was investing heavily in strengthening national climate resilience despite contributing less than 1% to global greenhouse gas emissions. The devastating floods of 2022 and 2025 displaced millions, destroyed large-scale infrastructure, and caused multi-billion-dollar economic losses.&nbsp; &quot;The scale and frequency of such disasters in developing countries underscore the disproportionate climate burden placed on nations that played almost no role in heating the planet,&quot; she said. The Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Ministry and UNICEF organized the event at the Pakistan Pavilion during the UN climate summit.&nbsp; Representatives of the newly created Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage, government officials, development partners, and experts attended the event. They discussed practical steps for operationalizing the global Loss and Damage architecture. Panel speakers noted that repeated climate shocks had pushed many vulnerable economies into what they described as a &quot;debt emergency.&quot; Countries are forced to borrow for recovery and reconstruction in the absence of adequate grant-based support. New, additional, and concessional financing is essential if Loss and Damage assistance is to be transformative rather than short-term, they argued. Speakers noted how the children bore the heaviest share of the crisis. Pakistan has nearly half of its population below the age of 18.&nbsp; Moriani warned that recurring disasters were undermining nutrition, health, schooling, and mental wellbeing. &quot;Climate disasters are not only destroying infrastructure, they are also robbing a generation of its right to safety and opportunity,&quot; she said. Speakers stated that the Barbados Implementation Modalities must be prioritized to ensure timely and equitable financing for countries with limited fiscal room. This includes simplified application procedures, faster disbursement mechanisms, and flexible financial windows. They called for mechanisms that could respond effectively to slow-onset threats such as glacial melt, sea level rise, and desertification, in addition to sudden disasters. The Spokesperson for the Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, Saleem Shaikh, said a major focus of the discussion was directing support toward the most vulnerable segments, particularly children and young people. He stated how non-economic losses, mainly trauma, cultural disruption, displacement, and the breakdown of community structure, remained under-addressed in global policy frameworks. He said that Pakistan was ready to submit two proposals under the FRLD&#39;s initial funding cycle. The proposals aim at the reconstruction of critical social infrastructure and strengthening resilience in key sectors, including agriculture, community systems, and water resources. He noted how, while Pakistan continued to mobilize domestic resources, the scale of loss far outstripped national capacity. The country&rsquo;s climate ministry called the Loss and Damage finance a matter of national survival rather than an environmental concern. Pakistan asked for adherence to the principles of climate justice and common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities. &quot;Climate justice demands immediate access. Our people cannot wait,&quot; the ministerial statement said. It called on developed economies and multilateral institutions to move from political commitments to on-ground financial delivery. Moriani stated that Pakistan was committed to working with the UN, international partners, and climate finance bodies to create a fair global framework for climate recovery. The aim is to ensure that vulnerable states receive the resources needed to recover, rebuild, and thrive in a world experiencing accelerating climate impacts. &quot;Climate justice demands immediate access. Our people cannot wait,&quot; she said. The secretary called on international partners to translate political commitments into concrete financial support for the most vulnerable.

Pakistan calls on international community to provide rapid, grant-based financing for climate-vulnerable countries, highlighting the disproportionate climate burden and ongoing disasters affecting vulnerable populations.

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