Climate and disaster resilience: ADB approves $500mn loan to support Pakistan

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Tuesday approved a $500-million policy-based loan to support climate change and disaster risk reduction and resilience in Pakistan.

“The Climate and Disaster Resilience Enhancement Program (CDREP) will strengthen Pakistan’s institutional capacity for planning, preparedness, and response; increase inclusive investment in disaster risk reduction and climate resilience; and support the scale-up of disaster risk financing using a risk-layered approach,” the Philippines-based lender said in a statement.

Apart from funding for CDERP, the bank also approved a technical assistance grant of $1 million for Pakistan to support implementation of the program.

The ADB noted that Pakistan is among the most vulnerable countries to climate change and disasters triggered by natural hazards in Asia and the Pacific, with average losses from disaster events exceeding $2 billion per year.

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“This program builds on ADB’s longstanding work in Pakistan to understand and reduce climate and disaster risks and support effective disaster response,” said ADB Director General for Central and West Asia Yevgeniy Zhukov.

“We are proud to support an integrated and comprehensive approach to climate and disaster risk management, including a portfolio of disaster risk financing instruments for timely and adequate funding for disaster response.”

CDREP supports enhanced capacity for disaster risk mapping and modelling for investment and development decisions. It enhances coordination for disaster monitoring and response.

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“It supports enhanced planning and prioritization of gender-sensitive and resilient public investments, including integrated flood risk management and nature-based solutions,” ADB said.

It also supports mobilisation of climate finance from public and private sources. This includes issuance of a domestic green sukuk (Islamic bond).

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“A key innovation of the program is the use of ADB’s Contingent Disaster Financing option for the first time in the Central and West Asia region. This will provide quick disbursing budget support in the event of a disaster,” the lender said.

Moreover, the program will support the establishment of a solidarity fund to facilitate the uptake of risk transfer solutions such as agriculture insurance. The program also supports shock-responsive social protection to deliver cash assistance in the event of a disaster.