ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Maritime Affairs Minister Junaid Anwar Chaudhry warned on World Environment Day of an “underwater heat emergency” in the Arabian Sea, urging urgent climate action to protect coastal communities and fisheries, his office said.
An underwater heat emergency is a rapid rise in ocean temperatures that stress marine ecosystems. Often described as a marine heatwave, it can damage coral reefs, reduce oxygen levels, and force fish to migrate or die, threatening fisheries and coastal livelihoods.
Pakistan is considered one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change, despite contributing less than one percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Scientists have linked increasingly erratic rainfall, heat waves, glacier melt, and extreme monsoon events in South Asia to rising global temperatures.
In a statement on World Environment Day, Chaudhry called for urgent action to protect ecosystems, citing that sustained sea-surface temperatures in the northern Arabian Sea have in recent weeks exceeded the 90th percentile across more than 30 percent of the region.
“Warmer waters are a known factor in both cyclone formation and intensification,” the maritime ministry quoted him as saying.
“These events highlight the growing vulnerability of communities worldwide and the need for immediate action,” it added. “We must respond collectively to protect future generations from escalating environmental risks and ensure sustainable development policies.”
The statement said Chaudhry linked the marine heatwave to increased tropical cyclone activity in the North Arabian Sea, warning that more frequent cyclones could strain ports, fishing fleets, and coastal infrastructure.
The ministry highlighted a westward shift in monsoon moisture that could increase the likelihood of heavier-than-normal rainfall in southern Pakistan, particularly Karachi and Sindh, between mid-August and mid-September.
It quoted Chaudhry as saying that increased chances of intense rainfall due to the warming of the Arabian Sea could overwhelm urban drainage systems, raise flood risk, and lead to coastal erosion and saltwater intrusion, which could damage agricultural land.
“The ocean has absorbed a large share of excess atmospheric heat,” he was quoted as saying. “We are at a critical moment.”
The ministry said Chaudhry called for strengthening early-warning systems for marine heatwaves, cyclones, and extreme rainfall, along with supporting alternative livelihoods for fishing communities.
He also urged accelerating mangrove restoration and shoreline protection, improving port and shipping preparedness, and enhancing real-time ocean monitoring through scientific collaboration.
Pakistan remains on high alert for extreme weather events linked to climate change, less than four years after catastrophic floods in 2022 submerged large parts of the country, affected 33 million people and killed more than 1,700. Last year, unusually heavy monsoon rains and flash floods killed over 1,000 people and affected around seven million.
