The United Nations has launched a comprehensive Heatwave Emergency Plan targeting 38 districts across Pakistan, as the country continues to face intensifying climate-related challenges, particularly in urban centres ill-equipped to manage extreme heat.

The plan, developed by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), aims to strengthen early response efforts and enhance preparedness in coordination with Provincial Disaster Management Authorities (PDMAs) and other humanitarian partners.

A total of $829,728 in pre-arranged fuel funding has been secured to support preparedness activities in 2025, with the UN aiming to reach approximately 776,000 people in 12 high-risk districts of Sindh, Balochistan, and Punjab in the initial phase.

According to the UN, the plan is part of a broader Intersectoral Heatwave Emergency Plan, with OCHA playing a key role in joint planning, mapping of response efforts, and collective preparedness.

Pakistan, currently ranked fifth on the Global Climate Risk Index, remains one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change. The ranking underscores the nation’s exposure to extreme weather events — including heatwaves, which continue to grow in frequency and intensity.

Based on the UN’s heatwave criteria, temperatures exceeding normal levels by three to five degrees Celsius for at least three consecutive days are considered a mild to moderate heatwave. Such spikes can lead to severe physical and mental health issues, including fatalities and hospitalisations.

Local factors such as humidity, air pressure, and population density also play a role in amplifying the effects, with urban areas particularly at risk. Cities with populations exceeding one million, such as Karachi, Hyderabad and Sukkur in Sindh, and Jaffarabad, Sohbatpur and Naseerabad in Balochistan, can experience temperatures up to three degrees higher than surrounding rural areas.

“The absence of effective early warning systems and public infrastructure like cooling centres and hydration stations continues to increase heat-related risks,” UNOCHA noted, citing Karachi as a major concern given its recurring exposure to heatwaves without adequate mitigation measures.

The emergency plan will cover a population of more than 36 million across all four provinces, with Sindh projected to be the most affected, followed by Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan.

Despite repeated warnings and past heatwave incidents — including the deadly 2015 heatwave that claimed over 1,200 lives in Karachi alone — urban centres continue to suffer from poor heatwave management. UNOCHA has called for urgent interventions, including government-subsidised cooling technologies, the establishment of public cooling centres in high-density areas, and the installation of water outlets in both urban and rural settings.

The UN stressed that public awareness campaigns are essential in helping vulnerable populations understand how to cope with rising temperatures, particularly as climate change continues to exacerbate weather extremes in the region.

The contingency plan is designed to be triggered based on pre-determined temperature thresholds and implemented through coordinated efforts between the UN, government authorities, and local partners.

Officials have expressed hope that the plan will not only mitigate the immediate impacts of heatwaves but also contribute to long-term climate resilience in one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable nations.