Disaster risk reduction

Pakistan’s experience mirrors global challenges, urging international cooperation on mitigation while building local resilience. In the blistering streets of Karachi, the human cost of inaction is measured not just in degrees, but in lives and livelihoods under threat.

The combination of erratic rainfall and rising temperatures is expected to increase both drought and flood risks during the same season.

For now, development agencies, implementing partners and beneficiaries across Bangladesh face an uncertain future as one of the country’s most significant sources of international development assistance comes to a sudden halt.

As the world reflects on lessons from COVID-19, this development arrives at a critical time. It signals a future where science, powered by AI, stays one step ahead of nature’s unpredictability.

If Sri Lanka is to prevent a permanent underclass from forming in the wake of the 2022 crisis, economists argue that the focus must shift aggressively from mere stabilization to equitable growth.

For Asia’s rice bowl, the coming months will be critical. Farmers, traders, and policymakers must prepare for a potentially volatile period that could test food security across the region.

As Karachi battles these shortages, the episode serves as a stark reminder of the fragility of urban infrastructure in rapidly growing megacities facing governance and maintenance challenges.

While buffers exist, the interplay of El Niño with other climatic factors underscores the growing importance of climate adaptation in India’s agriculture-dependent economy.