1.          Background

Pakistan is placed 7th on the list of countries most vulnerable to climate change in “The Global Climate Risk Index Annual report for 2020”, released by the think-tank Germanwatch.^[1] One of the reasons Pakistan continuously ranked high in the long-term index of the report is mainly due to its geographical location. According to the report, Pakistan lost 9,989 lives, suffered economic losses worth $3.8 billion, and witnessed 152 extreme weather events from 1999 to 2018. Based on this data, the think-tank has concluded that Pakistan's vulnerability to climate change is increasing.

One of these hazards compounded by climate change is Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOF), it’s growing at a particularly alarming rate. Due to rising temperatures, a total of 3,044 glacial lakes have been formed in Pakistan’s northern mountain ranges, of which at least 33 have been assessed to be prone to hazardous GLOF events (UNDP). This hazard is considered a priority since it will continue to grow as the effects of climate change intensify. A UNDP assessment found 5 districts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) to be particularly at risk of GLOF – the project focused on two of these i.e., Chitral, where GRC has already supported the PRCS KP branch in setting up a district branch and implementing humanitarian DRR activities, and in Swat, which at the most central of the northern KP districts, is in a strategic position to support disaster response efforts in neighboring districts.

The project aimed to reduce the vulnerabilities of the natural disaster-prone region by pivoting to strengthening disaster risk reduction capacities of the disaster-prone communities. The project was designed to build on the ongoing UNDP-funded GLOF II project in these areas, being implemented by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) with the support of relevant government departments.  Key project results exclusively target communities and schools utilizing a three-pronged approach of awareness-raising, provision of small-scale mitigation measures, functioning of community-based committees, and coordination with relevant stakeholders. For the holistic strengthening of the disaster response capacity of PRCS, the project also aimed to amplify knowledge and preparedness capacity (plans, protocols, and training) so that the Host National Society can cope with natural disasters effectively in the future.

The Results chain that the project contributed to is as follows:

Outcome: Target communities in high-risk urban & rural areas and the Host National Society have the capacity to effectively prepare for, withstand, respond and recover from stresses and shocks and to adapt to the humanitarian consequences of climate change.

Output 1: Target communities have increased knowledge and awareness about hazards and climate change and know the developed [or existing] community action plan.

Output 2: The communities have carried out small-scale mitigation measures and know how to maintain them.

Output 3: The communities have to function community-based committees and procedures for effective humanitarian Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation action in coordination with all relevant stakeholders

Output 4: The targeted schools (enrolled students and teachers) have awareness, knowledge, and functioning school-based structures and procedures for effective humanitarian Disaster Risk Reduction.

Output 5: The Host National Society at the targeted local level has the knowledge and procedures in place (plans, protocols, training curricula) to respond to humanitarian crises.