By Azeem Ahmed Khan

Pakistan is strengthening its disaster preparedness and climate resilience framework through international academic partnerships, advanced research initiatives, early warning systems and community-based measures, according to the latest report released by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).

The report, titled Global Best Practices for Disaster Mitigation & Management 2026, was launched during the 2nd Pak-China Symposium on Early Warning for Hydrological and Geological Disasters held in Islamabad.

It highlights Pakistan’s increasing shift from reactive disaster response toward proactive preparedness amid rising climate-related threats, including floods, earthquakes, heatwaves, glacial lake outburst floods, avalanches, droughts and cyclones.

In his message carried in the report, Chairman NDMA Lieutenant General Inam Haider Malik HI (M) said the National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM) was being transformed into a modern national think tank to help the country better address emerging environmental and disaster-related challenges.

He said NIDM was collaborating with nearly 400 universities worldwide to adopt advanced research, innovation and global best practices in disaster mitigation and management.

According to the report, these reforms were designed to address operational shortcomings exposed during recent disasters, particularly the devastating floods of 2022.

Under the revised strategy, NIDM is focusing on three core pillars — “Know Risks,” “Know Early,” and “Pre-emptive Preparedness” — aimed at strengthening disaster anticipation and response capabilities.

The report stated that NDMA is also introducing an e-library and an online volunteer registration portal to improve research access, information sharing and community engagement nationwide.

According to the document, NIDM has conducted 356 training sessions across the country, providing disaster management skills to more than 19,656 individuals and helping strengthen institutional response capacity.

The report further noted that NIDM had established partnerships with 462 international universities, think tanks and research institutions to support collaborative research and knowledge sharing.

These partnerships link mountainous, coastal, and plains regions with peer institutions across the globe that confront comparable environmental hazards.

According to the publication, NDMA is increasingly incorporating scientific research, academic expertise and innovation into national disaster management planning to improve preparedness, response and recovery mechanisms.

The report added that NIDM’s research efforts focus on key challenges such as glacial lake outburst floods, urban flooding and smog, while supporting policymakers in developing evidence-based disaster risk reduction strategies.

Highlighting broader climate resilience efforts, the publication stated that Pakistan is also promoting afforestation, renewable energy, climate-smart agriculture and sustainable urban planning to reduce environmental vulnerabilities.

Federal institutions, including the Pakistan Meteorological Department and NDMA, were recognized for improving coordination in disaster response, heatwave management and early warning systems.

The report also emphasized the growing role of the private sector, academia, think tanks, NGOs and local media in supporting climate adaptation and disaster resilience efforts.

Universities and research institutions are contributing through policy recommendations and innovation, while local media and early warning centres are helping vulnerable communities respond more effectively to extreme weather events.

The report further highlighted the importance of biodiversity conservation and ecosystem restoration, encouraging communities to adopt sustainable farming practices, restore soil fertility and protect national parks, wildlife reserves and conservation zones.

According to the report, Pakistan’s evolving disaster management framework reflects a broader commitment to combining global best practices with local expertise to build a safer and more climate-resilient future while improving preparedness for natural disasters and environmental risks.

Credit: INP-WealthPk