Recharge Pakistan
Building Pakistan’s resilience to climate change through ecosystem-based adaptation for integrated flood risk management
© Nyal Mueenuddin WWF Pakistan
Recharge Pakistan supports integrated flood risk management and ecosystem-based adaptation by bringing nature-based solutions to Pakistan's Indus River Basin. Estimated to impact 7 million people and their livelihoods, the grant is aligned with the Government of Pakistan’s national climate change goals.
© WWF
Project background
Recharge Pakistan represents a historic investment to improve the resilience of some of Pakistan’s most vulnerable communities and ecosystems affected by climate change, responding to an urgent need to expand the amount of investment and types of adaptation action in the country.
This need has been felt since the super floods Pakistan experienced in 2010, the aftermath of which called into question the capacity of the country’s built infrastructure to manage flood volumes. The issue was again brought to the forefront following the catastrophic flooding the country experienced in 2022.
In 2022, Pakistan received more than 190% of its normal rainfall in July and August, with some especially vulnerable areas reaching up to 450% more. This led to devastating floods—labeled a “climate catastrophe”—that saturated flood basins, severely damaged the majority of water systems in the affected area, and wiped out the communities in their paths, along with the farmlands central to local livelihoods.
Impacts to property
More than one-third of the country submerged
2 million homes damaged or destroyed
4 million acres of agricultural land destroyed
Impacts to people
33+ million impacted
8 million displaced
10 million left without access to safe water
1,700 killed
About the project
Recharge Pakistan aims to reduce climate vulnerability and contribute to Pakistan's climate adaptation efforts. The project is expected to directly benefit more than 620,000 people and indirectly benefit more than 7 million.
Current flood and drought events in Pakistan are surpassing the capacity of the country’s existing water infrastructure to prevent large-scale economic damages and loss of human life. The actions proposed under Recharge Pakistan are primarily designed to keep more floodwater from reaching agricultural and community lands by slowing run-off and making use of wetlands to hold and absorb it.
Local communities are expected to see additional benefits from these nature-based solutions to mitigate flooding—including reduced erosion and landslide risk—as increased vegetation stabilizes the soils, enhancing the recharge of groundwater supply and improving the base flow of rivers and springs in the dry season. These measures ensure that local communities are expected to receive stronger protection from drought, as well as flooding. In addition, restoring riparian and wetland areas will also benefit local wildlife—such as fish in Manchar Lake and the migratory birds that depend on them.
Ultimately, Recharge Pakistan seeks to create a paradigm shift in the country’s flood and water resource management efforts by establishing proofs of concept for ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) and green infrastructure interventions in the Indus Basin. The project will reinforce this shift by validating the cost efficiency, benefits, and sustainability of these adaptation and resilience measures.
Updated government procedures for integrating EbA and green infrastructure interventions to reduce flood and drought impacts will be developed using the evidence gathered so that government agencies can apply the approaches more broadly across the country. The project will also train government staff and communities in the design and management of these interventions for use in future country-driven projects.
Project interventions
To transform the country’s approach to flood and water resource management, Recharge Pakistan will:
- Demonstrate the effectiveness of EbA and green infrastructure.
By restoring 29,937 acres of degraded forests in DI Khan district, restoring 21 miles of flow paths in Ramak Watershed (DI Khan) and Manchar Lake (Qambar Shahdadkot District) and building 127 green infrastructure projects in DI Khan, Ramak, Manchar, and Chakar Lehri, Recharge Pakistan will maximize the flood reduction benefits to vulnerable communities. - Create an enabling environment for climate action in Pakistan.
Recharge Pakistan will promote integrated strategies, planning, and policymaking that make EbA and green infrastructure a vital part of Pakistan’s National Water Policy, National Adaptation Plan, and Provincial Adaptation Plans. With well-documented procedures backed by a rigorous scientific base in place, the Government of Pakistan can channel future investments into EbA and green infrastructure interventions to complement its existing grey infrastructure network. - Enhance community resilience in Pakistan's Indus Basin.
Recharge Pakistan will support farmers in transitioning to agricultural practices that can better withstand future climate scenarios and support small businesses in providing alternative revenue-generating opportunities. The project will also reduce ecosystem degradation from the traditional livelihoods directly dependent upon natural resources.
Project impacts
This seven-year initiative represents the largest investment to date in an ecosystem-based approach to flood and water resources management at the national level.
The progress of key metrics will be tracked throughout the project’s lifespan:
Lend to the restoration and reforestation of 29,937 acres of forests and wetlands
Undertake the rehabilitation of 21 miles of water flow paths and channels
Develop 127 recharge basins and retention areas
Strengthen the climate resilience of 2 local businesses in the agriculture and forests sectors
Project implementation
Made possible through partnership
Recharge Pakistan is a collaborative effort of Pakistan’s Ministry of Climate Change (MoCC), the Federal Flood Commission (FFC) under the Ministry of Water Resources, Provincial Governments of Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh, local communities in DI Khan, the Ramak Watershed, and Manchar Lake, Chakar Lehri, the Green Climate Fund (GCF), The Coca-Cola Foundation, and WWF.
What our partners are saying
“Recharge Pakistan marks a significant milestone for Pakistan. Its approval will enable ecosystem-based adaptation interventions across priority sites, which will store floodwater in wetlands, floodplains, and depressions, building community resilience against climate change. We extend our gratitude to all stakeholders for their rigorous efforts and consultations in making this project a reality. Together, we will create a greener, more resilient Pakistan.”
Senator Sherry Rehman, Minister for Climate Change, Pakistan
“I’m pleased to see the approval of Recharge Pakistan. This was the culmination of a months-long effort to develop the project, including support from GCF’s Project Preparation Facility. Recharge Pakistan closely aligns with the GCF’s commitment to initiatives that catalyze climate change benefits by creating enabling environments for climate action. This project has the potential to help accelerate climate innovation while also demonstrating the importance of scalable and replicable adaptation projects.”
Henry Gonzalez, Executive Director, The Green Climate Fund (GCF)
“Addressing climate change's vast impacts in a populous nation like Pakistan requires collective creativity, unwavering commitment, and collaboration. As an inter-generational challenge, it's our duty to invest and work tirelessly for lasting solutions. Through Recharge Pakistan, we aim to improve the lives of 7 million people and support communities vulnerable to floods.”
Saadia Madsbjerg, President, The Coca-Cola Foundation