Pakistan's Vanishing Forests Fuel Climate Crisis Amid Rapid Urbanization

As of November 2025, Pakistan's subtropical, dry, and temperate forests are confronting severe challenges. Rapid urbanization, industrial expansion, and indiscriminate tree cutting, especially in the province of Punjab, are intensifying heatwaves, localized flooding, and soil erosion. The consequences are already evident in cities like Multan, Faisalabad, and Gujranwala, where disappearing green cover is putting residents at risk and creating cascading impacts on community health, agriculture, and economic resilience.

Pakistan loses approximately 11,000 hectares of forest each year, resulting in forest cover of only around 5% of the total land area. Punjab, the most populous and industrially active province, has emerged as a critical hotspot, with the rapid development of housing societies, factories, and industrial zones systematically depleting mature trees and urban green spaces.

The knock-on effects of this deforestation are far-reaching. Degraded land makes floods more destructive, while disrupted water cycles add to the cost of maintaining infrastructure. Farmers in rural Punjab point to declining canopy cover as a reason for faster soil drying and higher input costs. Families who once collected fodder or fuelwood nearby now spend more time and money to obtain these resources.

Effective regulatory enforcement and urban planning that incorporates mandatory green zoning and tree retention requirements are crucial to address this crisis and build Pakistan's climate resilience.