Flood-protection measures: Pakistan is in for a long haul

Pakistan needs to employ another 435 years of flood-protection measures to mitigate flood-like situations in future, according to a 2021 study.

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In this context, mitigating future flood risks becomes essential. The study estimated the global cost of employing adaptive flood control measures — depending on local economic scenarios and cost adaptation measures —  to quantify the cost of residual flood measure (RFD).

RFD refers to unavoidable increases in flood damage, even under an adaptation strategy based on feasible adaptation costs. Adaptation strategy, in the context of a flood, implies infrastructural measures employed to mitigate the risks posed by floods.

But while a high RFD means higher adaptive costs, the benefits definitely outweigh the costs. RFD in south Asia is estimated to be around four million, while adaptation costs about three million, according to the study. But the benefits from the measures employed attune to over $50 million under the RCP8.5/SSP5. On a global scale, the benefits run into $74 billion.

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