Pakistani man selling fruit on the street.

Most climate disaster deaths in Pakistan go uncounted as heat and floods strain health care

A new Amnesty International report reveals that the majority of climate-related deaths in Pakistan are not recorded, obscuring the full human toll as extreme weather events worsen and overwhelm the country's fragile health system.

Keerti Gopal reports for Inside Climate News.


In short:

  • Pakistan’s health system, already stretched thin, is unable to track the true number of deaths caused by climate disasters such as floods and extreme heat.
  • Most deaths occur after the initial disaster, often due to disease or lack of access to health care, yet they are rarely classified as climate-related or recorded at all.
  • The report criticizes both Pakistan’s government and wealthier, high-emitting countries for inadequate responses and support amid escalating climate health crises.

Key quote:

“You’re only getting a tiny piece of the picture of who’s dying.”

— Laura Mills, Amnesty International

Why this matters:

What's happening in Pakistan reflects a larger global crisis: the failure to measure and address the true human cost of climate change. With over 95% of deaths in Pakistan going unregistered, the lack of data hinders both disaster response and public health planning. Poor and marginalized populations — children, the elderly, people with disabilities — are often the most vulnerable and the least likely to have their deaths recorded or linked to climate impacts. As floods and heat waves increase in frequency and intensity, they amplify risks of disease, malnutrition, and displacement, deepening poverty and health inequities. Wealthier nations, while historically the biggest polluters, are retreating from international aid and climate commitments, leaving frontline countries like Pakistan to bear disproportionate burdens.

Related: Extreme heat arrives weeks early in India and Pakistan as climate change accelerates

Bird specimens carry a toxic legacy.
Credit: Photo by engin akyurt on Unsplash

Animals can tell us what pollution is left behind

Preserved birds, fish, and coral are helping scientists reconstruct decades of toxic pollution, filling in environmental data gaps and pointing to hidden health risks today.

Kiley Price reports for Inside Climate News.

Keep reading...Show less
People in white lab coats stand outside with a large blue banner reading "science makes america great."
Credit: Geoff Livingston/Flickr/https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

Trump’s anti-science crusade threatens America’s climate readiness

President Trump is gutting climate science programs across the government, crippling our ability to track — let alone respond to — the unfolding climate crisis.

Scott Waldman reports for E&E News.

Keep reading...Show less
A series of row houses with stairs leading to porches and a swing set in the front yard.
Credit: Photo by Bonté Ineza on Unsplash

New homes in B.C. are cutting rent, carbon, and ER visits

After moving into an energy-efficient social housing unit in New Westminster, Margaret Wanyoike’s family saw not just lower rent — but better health and clean air too. They're not alone.

Shannon Waters reports for The Narwhal.

Keep reading...Show less
A birdwatcher with binoculars in a forest.

Citizen science apps like iNaturalist are reshaping wildlife research and conservation

In April, tens of thousands of volunteers worldwide recorded millions of wildlife sightings through apps like iNaturalist, generating vital biodiversity data now being used in environmental research and policymaking.

Kiley Price reports for Inside Climate News.

Keep reading...Show less
Nuclear energy towers in front of a green field.

Trump removes nuclear safety commissioner in unusual shake-up

President Trump removed a Democratic member of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission late Friday, a move the commissioner says violates federal law protecting independent agency officials.

Rachel Frazin reports for The Hill.

Keep reading...Show less
A screen closeup of the FEMA website.

Federal agency cuts freeze climate research, stall disaster prep, and disrupt clean energy projects

The Trump administration’s workforce reductions and budget restrictions are hobbling key federal agencies, stalling climate research, disaster preparedness, and clean energy development.

Zack Colman reports for POLITICO.

Keep reading...Show less
Hands holding a small green plant.

New strategy aims to unlock private investment for climate action in developing countries

An international development bank plans to buy green energy loans in poorer nations using public funds, aiming to draw trillions from the private sector to support climate goals.

Fiona Harvey reports for The Guardian.

Keep reading...Show less
From our Newsroom
Multiple Houston-area oil and gas facilities that have violated pollution laws are seeking permit renewals

Multiple Houston-area oil and gas facilities that have violated pollution laws are seeking permit renewals

One facility has emitted cancer-causing chemicals into waterways at levels up to 520% higher than legal limits.

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

"The reality is, we are not exposed to one chemical at a time.”

Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro speaks with the state flag and American flag behind him.

Two years into his term, has Gov. Shapiro kept his promises to regulate Pennsylvania’s fracking industry?

A new report assesses the administration’s progress and makes new recommendations

silhouette of people holding hands by a lake at sunset

An open letter from EPA staff to the American public

“We cannot stand by and allow this to happen. We need to hold this administration accountable.”

wildfire retardants being sprayed by plane

New evidence links heavy metal pollution with wildfire retardants

“The chemical black box” that blankets wildfire-impacted areas is increasingly under scrutiny.

Stay informed: sign up for The Daily Climate newsletter
Top news on climate impacts, solutions, politics, drivers. Delivered to your inbox week days.