Integrated climate risk management for strengthened resilience to climate change in Buner and Shangla Districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, Pakistan

In the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province of Pakistan, observations indicate an increase in pre-monsoon rainfall, reflecting shifting and increasingly variable rainfall patterns. The 2022 flooding event was one of the most catastrophic natural disasters in the country's history. Climate change is expected to worsen existing inequalities, disproportionately affecting vulnerable and marginalised groups such as women, children, and people with disabilities. These groups are likely to suffer more from floods due to their limited adaptive capacity, particularly their inadequate access to social protection and adaptation mechanisms.

To address these challenges, the project aims to enhance flood early warning and anticipatory action by strengthening the value chain and dissemination of climate information services and early-warning systems. This includes the installation of automatic weather stations, automatic river gauges, and automatic water level stations. The project will also improve climate-sensitive anticipatory action through better protocols and simulation exercises. Additionally, the project will enhance local adaptation plans, support livelihood diversification, and improve knowledge management and learning.