Pakistan could be losing billions of dollars every year as a result of the impacts on climate change according to the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) has forecasted.

In its most recent report “Pathways to adaptation as well as Resilience within South and South-West Asia,” UNESCAP has stated that Pakistan could be able to recover $26 billion annually due to the effects from climate-related change. This is the largest loss in terms of GDP of the region, which is 9.1 percent.

The report states that from 2020-2059 South as well as South-West Asia could lose a total of $161 billion in the conditions of the climate. The number could be higher than $217 billion in the moderate temperature change. The estimate could go up to $322 billion under the worst case temperature change scenarios.

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With the present conditions of the climate, Pakistan could lose $16.3 billion each year over the next 40 years. The loss in proportion of the GDP as in this instance would be 5.76 percent. The nation could lose around $22 billion every year in the event of a moderate change in climate. The loss in percentage of GDP under this scenario is 7.78 percent. Pakistan could be losing $26 billion every year in the event of a worst-case climate change scenario. The loss in percent of GDP could be 9.1 per cent in this scenario.

The report predicts that Pakistan will see more heatwaves, glacial lakes outburst flooding, severe monsoons and cyclones, as well as the intrusion of saline.

43 million residents in the country are at risk of the adverse effects of climate change. Under the current climate conditions. 22 million are at risk in the event of an average climate change scenario and 30 million are at risk in the event of a worst-case climate change scenario.

Read more about the UNESCAP report.