New research from WaterAid <\/a>and the Universities of Bristol and Cardiff shows how El Ni\u00f1o is likely to disrupt or intensify rainfall patterns in some of the world\u2019s biggest cities across Asia an East Africa. In cities like Phnom Penh (Cambodia), a strong El Ni\u00f1o can bring unusually low rainfall for the typically flood-prone region, and with it the threat of drought; meanwhile cities like Colombo (Sri Lanka), could see significantly higher rainfall, raising the risk of flooding and major urban disruption.<\/p>\nFor my own Pakistan, cities like Faisalabad and Karachi are curiously situated in a “transition zone” of El Ni\u00f1o, where both higher and lower rainfall could occur, the data finds. Practically, this means El Ni\u00f1o is bringing even more climate uncertainty, making the coming months extremely challenging for governments to prepare for.<\/p>\n
Yet, as a country on the frontline of the climate crisis, we are accustomed to this insecurity. Water stressed countries like my own have had no choice but to find solutions to our chaotic new climate \u2013 often pioneering approaches that the rest of the world can learn from.<\/p>\n
![\"Commuters](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/2290528862...jpeg\")
Commuters wade through a flooded street after heavy rainfall in Rawalpindi, Pakistan (AFP\/Getty)<\/p>\n
One method which can act as a critical lifeline is rainwater harvesting and artificial groundwater recharge; systems which collect and divert rainwater before cleaning & storing it for future use. This can be used to replenish depleted underwater reserves, while reducing pressure on freshwater supplies. <\/p>\n
This simple but effective system works across Pakistan\u2019s diverse landscapes: capturing 400,000 gallons of water each year in Karachi, in a coastal megacity facing water shortages and urban flooding. In Islamabad, WaterAid Pakistan and its partners developed a water recharge site at Kachnar Park. <\/p>\n
Since 2022, it has recharged nearly 40 million gallons of water \u2013 equivalent to more than 18 Olympic size swimming pools every year \u2013 and contributed to an almost 5 metre rise in the local groundwater levels. This isn’t a small-scale solution. It’s the future.<\/p>\n
Just before the monsoon of 2026, Islamabad passed new legislation making rainwater harvesting mandatory for new buildings, in a step which will have transformative impacts on future water security.<\/p>\n
This will be a game-changer for Pakistan, helping communities capture rain, replenish rapidly declining groundwater and build a more secure water supply for generations to come.<\/p>\n
As aid budgets come under pressure globally, these are exactly the kinds of proven water solutions that overseas finance and climate funding should prioritise, backed by local expertise and delivered through long-term partnerships.<\/p>\n
As we all wake up to this new era of climate instability and start to truly comprehend the consequences on our water security, perhaps it’s worth taking note of the solutions pioneered by countries who’ve had no other choice but to adapt to survive.<\/p>\n
London is no stranger to rain. After England\u2019s fifth heatwave of the year, I wonder how different Greenwich Park would look during this hot, dry, summer, if we’d learn lessons from countries like my own.<\/p>\n
I hope \u2013 and urge \u2013 world leaders to use this summer as a lesson in the importance of climate adaptation, and preparation ahead of the upcoming El Ni\u00f1o. Now we have the data to predict the impact, and the solutions to cope. Next, we need the investment \u2013 before the next storm inevitably arrives.<\/p>\n
Dr Shakeel Hayat is a climate change & WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) specialist at WaterAid Pakistan<\/p>\n
This article has been produced as part of The Independent\u2019s Rethinking Global Aid<\/a> project<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1159542,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[3843],"tags":[17943,7029,728,129734,44888,70,17944,16,15],"class_list":["post-1159541","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-environment","tag-bestof","tag-climate","tag-environment","tag-essential","tag-horizontal","tag-science","tag-topix","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1159541","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1159541"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1159541\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1159542"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1159541"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1159541"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1159541"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}