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Nearly a still remains submerged after catastrophic flooding. The country’s administration has for the crisis and blamed wealthier nations that produce the for the unfolding climate disaster.

Rich nations must be and humanitarian aid should be redefined as . The must also be recognized. However, the Pakistani state, too, remains culpable for the dispossession of its people in the wake of the floods.

Like many countries, Pakistan’s population centres are . Just a few weeks ago, I spoke with Ali, a resident of northwestern Pakistan. He described how his family has been struggling to meet their daily expenses amidst . Since then, the floods have and he is currently in a . Twelve years ago, Ali’s family was similarly forced into a camp where I first met him.

This is not the first time Pakistan has experienced flooding of this scale. In 2010, . I worked in the disaster response following the floods and have since across the country.

were learned from the floods in 2010. Unfortunately, to use them to shape national policies.

Marginalized areas hardest hit

Most notably, the devastation from the floods is taking place in some of the country’s poorest and politically repressed regions, such as Balochistan, where an . Images of inundated villages cycle with images of .

Southern Punjab, another heavily impacted region, is also marked by .

were flagged as a significant impediment to disaster recovery after the floods in 2010.

In my work with the United Nations, I have argued that , of which security of land tenure is key.

Little progress has been made since then to strengthen land tenure. is about the relationship between people and the land where they live and work. In Pakistan, land ownership is deeply .

Many in the heavily affected provinces are who work for landed elites. Many of these elites as a reward for facilitating colonial rule.

Contract farmers pay rent to landowners in exchange for the right to stay and plant crops. There is little incentive for the landed class to make any improvements to the land that could mitigate the impacts of flooding. Farmers who rent that land are not allowed to make significant changes.

Those with land tenure, however, more effectively utilize reconstruction assistance to build resilient housing following floods and earthquakes in the country.

Climate action needs investment and empowerment

Despite a disaster management authority at the federal and provincial levels, have not been prioritized. The country’s details the necessity of early warning systems, disaster-resilient infrastructure, and evacuation plans. These recommendations have yet to be implemented.

The destructive effects of the flooding are exacerbated by . Underdevelopment has become a chronic problem in flood-prone regions. And due to the absence of zoning or relocation policies, communities continue to reside in marginal areas dangerously close to waterways, accumulating the recurring costs of climate change. Where laws exist, has been difficult.

Some of the most crucial lines of defence against flooding are many of which are in a state of disrepair.

Reparations and accountability

Pakistan omits less than one per cent of global emissions but is among the most affected by climate change. The Pakistani Minister of Climate Change has argued that wealthier countries .

Climate reparations were a in Glasgow last year. The U.S. and EU opposed climate reparations.

While climate reparations from the global north may assist Pakistan in recovering from the current crisis, to prepare the country for the next climate catastrophe. This requires substantial .

Pakistan spends billions on servicing debts to foreign lenders. It paid on payments this year alone. That is over .

Ammar Ali Jan, a member of the in Pakistan, argues that the twin crises of indebtedness and climate catastrophe . The grassroots collective aims to hold the Pakistani government accountable for rights promised in the country’s constitution.

There are growing calls for as a form of climate reparation. Similar calls were .

Frames of used to pursue accountability following war and conflict .

Climate reparations make sense for Pakistan because of the much . Climate reparations are also colonial reparations.

It won’t be surprising that national authorities, , and high carbon emitters will all be on the list of those culpable for the floods in Pakistan if such mechanisms are implemented.

Conversations on climate reparations should be pursued in relation to Pakistan’s internal record of letting its people down. These two aspects cannot be disentangled but must be viewed together through the prism of justice and accountability.

While the lives lost and affected can , centring accountability and empowerment in reconstruction efforts offer a path forward.