Pakistan water week 2025: Experts warn water & climate must be tackled together

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Water Week 2025 opened today with experts warning that Pakistan cannot build real resilience unless water, food and climate are addressed together, not as isolated sectors.

The conference, themed “From Scarcity to Sustainability: Collaborative Pathways for Water, Food, and Climate Resilience,” brings together scientists, academics, government officials, development partners, and policy specialists from Pakistan and abroad.

Dr. Mohammad Ashraf, Country Representative (IWMI Pakistan), welcomed participants, stressing the importance of addressing Pakistan’s growing water challenges through science-based and inclusive solutions.

The event is organised by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) Pakistan in collaboration with PCRWR, CGIAR Policy۔

Innovations, CGIAR Climate Action, with support from the EU, FCDO, UNICEF, and ICIMOD. Former irrigation and finance minister Muhammad Mohsin Khan Leghari, the chief guest, said Pakistan is already experiencing climate change through water, from extreme droughts to unprecedented flooding, yet water remains politically under-prioritised and fragmented in climate negotiations. “Collaboration is the force multiplier that turns scarcity into sustainability,” he stressed.

In her keynote, IWMI Deputy Director General Dr Rachael McDonnell said the conference comes at a critical moment: floods in June killed more than 1,000 people and affected nearly seven million.

“The water crisis is a climate crisis,” she said, adding that water must be placed at the centre of COP processes and global climate negotiations. Pakistan now has only 900 cubic meters of water per person, a stark reminder of the need for urgent action۔

IWMI Director Water, Food and Ecosystem, Dr Mohsin Hafeez, warned that Pakistan’s rapidly rising population is placing unprecedented pressure on already fragile water systems, with agriculture and fast-growing cities outpacing available resources. Pakistan is shifting from “water-stressed” to “water-scarce” at a dangerous speed, he said, calling water security one of the country’s emerging national security risks.

Dr Hafeez said climate-resilient solutions will require innovation, but also collective action across government, science, markets, and communities. “Water security is vital for Pakistan’s future,” he noted.

Pakistan Water Week 2025, now in its 5th edition, will feature 24 sessions and events through Thursday, including a High-Level Panel ahead of COP30 in Brazil. Key themes include the media’s role in communicating climate, smart solar irrigation, water accounting, groundwater governance, and climate-resilient agriculture.

The conference is also available to attend online, free of charge.