Assessing Flood Impacts:
Flooding poses a substantial disaster risk in Pakistan, with the Mianwali District being especially susceptible during the monsoon season. This district has consistently ranked among the most severely impacted regions in the nation, leading to considerable damage to both infrastructure and the overall welfare of its residents. The flooding in Mianwali caused harm to approximately 6% of the total estimated affected population in the district and affected about 29% of the geographical area in Punjab. Figure 3 illustrates the impacts of floods on three tehsils in Mianwali. It reveals that Tehsil Isa Khel suffered severe devastation, particularly in terms of the affected population. According to the survey findings, some households responded to the floods by relocating from rural to urban areas as an adaptive measure.

Figure 3: Impacts of flood 2022
Analyzing Adaptive Measures:
It is conceivable that these changes can be attributed to rural-to-urban migration, especially in Isa Khel. It seems that the decline in household sizes observed during the post-flood period could be a result of people adapting to mitigate the impact of floods. This could be a strategic response to effectively deal with the challenges posed by flooding.
Public Responses:
The phase of Adaptation:
The process of climate change adaptation can be divided into three stages. The first stage is understanding, where specific issues are identified and defined. The second stage is planning, where different options for action are identified and evaluated. And finally, the third stage is implementation, where selected approaches are put into practice, monitored, and evaluated [17]. Figure 4 displays the feedback from individuals when they were asked about the stage of adaptation, they are currently engaged in. The majority of people mentioned that they are currently not involved in climate change adaptation. However, a small number of individuals responded that they are well aware of the impacts of changing climate and are actively working on implementing adaptation measures.
Perceived Threats and Vulnerability:
Barriers to Adaptations:
The IPCC's fifth assessment report describes barriers to adaptation as "factors that make it more difficult to plan and implement adaptation activities or that restrict available options" [18]. Many researchers worldwide have begun identifying barriers that individuals may encounter while attempting to cope with climate change. Some examples of these obstacles include vulnerability, the cost of mitigation strategies, limited awareness, lack of information, inadequate national attention to climate change, preexisting beliefs, and a poor understanding of the potential impacts of climate change [19].

Figure 4: Response of People against the phase of Adaptation
The limited awareness and utilization of adaptation strategies indicate that the local community faces several constraints in climate change resilience. The local community was surveyed and interviewed to gather information about the challenges they encountered in implementing adaptation strategies. Figure 5 displays the feedback from individuals regarding the barriers they encounter in implementing adaptation strategies. Many people expressed that the lack of financial resources is a significant hurdle in implementing coping mechanisms. Approximately 36% of the respondents identified the lack of finance as a major constraint, while 31% mentioned the lack of awareness about climate change. Additionally, 18% expressed concerns about trying new coping techniques, and 15% cited other constraints.

Figure 5: Barriers to Adaptation
A whopping 91% of the respondents shared that their union council in Mianwali does not have any plans to accommodate climate changes in place to address the impacts of environmental change. It's really concerning to see such a significant level of irresponsibility in managing the overwhelming effects of environmental changes in Mianwali. It appears that there is a dearth of climate change planning and awareness sessions focused on adaptation strategies in Mianwali, Pakistan. This implies a pressing need for the development and implementation of comprehensive plans and educational initiatives to effectively address the challenges posed by climate change in the region.
Adaptation Strategy for Crops:
In Figure 6, a significant percentage of respondents indicated that they are employing the adaptation strategy of crop diversification to combat the effects of climate change. The majority of people are indeed using crop diversification as their primary adaptation strategy against climate change. Additionally, other strategies such as using short-duration varieties, hybrid varieties, and practicing organic farming are also being implemented by some individuals. Farmers might choose to focus on crop diversification as an accommodation strategy due to factors such as limited awareness, skills, and financial resources.

Figure 6: Response of people against adaptation strategy for crops
Climate Change Awareness:
It turned out that a significant number of respondents, around 60%, were unaware of the concept of climate change. This means that out of the 200 respondents, only 80 had knowledge about climate change. Out of the questionnaires filled, 25 of them were actually completed by local officials. This indicates that the level of awareness about climate change among the people of Mianwali District is relatively low. Table 1 presents the responses of the individuals regarding their level of awareness regarding climate change phenomena. Mianwali district has a higher proportion of rural areas compared to urban areas. Interestingly, all respondents from rural areas were unaware of the concept of climate change. On the other hand, those who claimed to have knowledge about climate change had limited understanding beyond just the term itself.
Table 1: Extent of climate change awareness in the District Mianwali

Public Awareness and Knowledge:
Awareness to Climate Change and Education:
Education plays a crucial role in raising awareness about environmental issues, such as climate change. According to Raudsepp (2001) [20], people with higher education tend to be more concerned about environmental issues and have a better understanding of climatic crises. Pakistan lags behind many countries in terms of providing access to environmental education. unfortunately, the quality of the education that is available is quite low. This study suggests that the respondents who were aware of climate change had slightly higher levels of education compared to those who were unaware. Figure 7 indicates that there are more respondents with a master's degree among those who are aware of climate change. However, overall, both categories of respondents seem to have low levels of education. This probably reflects the general low level of education and literacy in Mianwali.

Figure 7: Educational level
Community Resilience:
Response of Local Community Against Adaptive Strategies:
The local community in Mianwali was surveyed through questionnaires and interviews to gather insights on the adaptive strategies they are employing against environmental issues. Table 2 provides the breakdown of responses received from the local community regarding their stance on climate change.
Table 2: Percentage distribution of responses

Changes in Household Sizes:
While studying climate, researchers often focus on the financial impacts, they tend to overlook important demographic factors such as household size, living arrangements, and age structures. These factors are crucial for understanding adaptive responses to climate change and assessing the vulnerability and resilience of populations facing future risks [21][22]. In Isa Khel, the size of households in 2023 decreased by 1.3 persons, as shown in Figure 8. Similarly, other tehsils also experienced a decline in household sizes in the same year.

Figure 8: Changes in household sizes
Climate Change and Agriculture:
Changing climate can have varied impacts on farming and cultivation in Pakistan. For instance, the widespread increases in temperature over a country can lead to a decrease in crop yields amid this climatic condition [23]. Water accessibility is expected to decrease in the future, according to predictions [24]. To minimize the losses caused by climate change, it is crucial to prioritize farmers' resilience techniques. Despite the known impact of climate change, implementing various measures in agricultural management can help mitigate its negative effects [25].
Future Trends for Floods:
There are several models and tools that are used to predict future flood trends and risks. Some of the flood prediction models are; hydrological models, weather forecast models, Geographical Information System (GIS), flood plain mapping tools, and satellite and remote sensing data. These models rely on various data sources and computational methods to make predictions about floods. Although these models and future flood forecast trends are out of the scope of this study, these models are really effective in predicting and minimizing the effects of floods in the future.
Impact of Climate Change on Women:
Women of the region were slightly less aware of the changes in climate patterns. However, they were concerned about the impacts of floods as a repercussion of climate change. Women in Pakistan are culturally encouraged to stay at home, especially women of lower-middle and middle-class backgrounds. This cultural practice is also true for the women of rural regions. However, rural women also participate in agricultural activities, which allow them to move out of their homes Hence, these women of Urban and rural background, along with their children, are the most impacted individual from climate change. Houses serve as the shelter, space for honorable survival, and zone of exercising piety for the women of Pakistan and this region. With the increase in flooding and the threat of destruction of their homes, the women of Mianwali will be unable to feel secure and express their identity. Furthermore, the decrease in water accessibility, a threat to agriculture along with the lack of financial resources, the women of the Mianwali region are expected to face the high impact of inequalities and gender exclusivity. In short, climate change is impacting the women of Mianwali in multiple dimensions; like, socio-cultural, economic, infrastructural, and gender equality, because of which neither it is not possible for them to maintain their individual consent over matters of their lives but also are hindered in adjusting themselves with the cultural norms.
The results of this study align with the hypotheses outlined in our conceptual framework. They highlighted the crucial role of public awareness and knowledge in driving adaptive measures and influencing community resilience. However, the findings also emphasized the need for increased efforts to raise awareness about climate change, particularly in rural areas. The study suggests that public responses to climate change are influenced by a combination of factors, including awareness, education, perceived threat, and access to resources. To enhance resilience and promote policy advocacy, targeted interventions are needed, especially in areas with limited access to adaptive measures.
Overall, the results provide valuable insights into the complex relationships between climate change, public responses, and community resilience in Mianwali. These findings have significant implications for local policymakers and organizations striving to address the challenges posed by environmental changes in the region. For future recommendations, this study suggests that public awareness and climate change education shall be the prime focus of the local authorities. Also, the flood prediction models shall be effectively used to predict and deal with this catastrophe.
Conclusion
In this study, we have evaluated the adaptive capacity of the residents' community in Mianwali, Punjab, Pakistan, specifically focusing on identifying the impacts of climate change in the district and assessing the locals' ability to adapt to these changes. The study involved using questionnaires and conducting interviews with the local community in Mianwali. The findings revealed that a significant number of people in the study area are not familiar with the term "climate change." Due to the high risk of floods in Mianwali district, many people choose migration as an adaptive strategy. The residents were asked about their utilization of different resilience techniques, and the results were documented. Moreover, when the locals were questioned about managing crop patterns, they responded that the changes in crop patterns are attributed to factors other than environmental issues. In the study area, the locals commonly employed the adaptive strategy of adopting new crop varieties along with enhancing the water system. The study further concluded that limited financial resources, low awareness, and the fear of experimentation due to poverty conditions are significant barriers to modifications among the locals in the Mianwali district.
Reference
[1] J. Abid, M., Schneider, U. A., & Scheffran, “Adaptation to climate change and its impacts on food productivity and crop income: Perspectives of farmers in rural Pakistan,” J. Rural Stud., vol. 47, pp. 254–266, 2016.
[2] W. Ullah, M. Nafees, M. Khurshid, and T. Nihei, “Assessing farmers’ perspectives on climate change for effective farm-level adaptation measures in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan,” Environ. Monit. Assess., vol. 191, no. 9, pp. 1–18, Sep. 2019, doi: 10.1007/S10661-019-7651-5/METRICS.
[3] “Global Climate Risk Index 2020 | Germanwatch e.V.” Accessed: Oct. 22, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://www.germanwatch.org/en/17307
[4] A. Gorst, A., Groom, B., & Dehlavi, “Crop productivity and adaptation to climate change in Pakistan. Centre for climate change economics and policy,” Work. Pap. No. 214.change Adapt. Nat. Clim. Chang., vol. 4, no. 10, pp. 867–872, 2015.
[5] P. Wester, A. Mishra, A. Mukherji, and A. B. Shrestha, “The Hindu Kush Himalaya Assessment: Mountains, Climate Change, Sustainability and People,” Hindu Kush Himalaya Assess. Mt. Clim. Chang. Sustain. People, pp. 1–627, Jan. 2019, doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-92288-1/COVER.
[6] A. Jamshed, I. A. Rana, U. M. Mirza, and J. Birkmann, “Assessing relationship between vulnerability and capacity: An empirical study on rural flooding in Pakistan,” Int. J. Disaster Risk Reduct., vol. 36, p. 101109, May 2019, doi: 10.1016/J.IJDRR.2019.101109.
[7] I. A. Rana and J. K. Routray, “Actual vis-à-vis perceived risk of flood prone urban communities in Pakistan,” Int. J. Disaster Risk Reduct., vol. 19, pp. 366–378, Oct. 2016, doi: 10.1016/J.IJDRR.2016.08.028.
[8] F. Ahmad, S. F. Kazmi, and T. Pervez, “Human response to hydro-meteorological disasters: A case study of the 2010 flash floods in Pakistan,” J. Geogr. Reg. Plan., vol. 4, no. 9, pp. 518–524, 2011, Accessed: Oct. 22, 2023. [Online]. Available: http://www.academicjournals.org/JGRP
[9] S. Deen, “Pakistan 2010 floods. Policy gaps in disaster preparedness and response,” Int. J. Disaster Risk Reduct., vol. 12, pp. 341–349, Jun. 2015, doi: 10.1016/J.IJDRR.2015.03.007.
[10] G. of Pakistan, “Annual flood report 2016”. Federal Flood Commission, Ministry of Water and Power, Government of Pakistan, 2016.”
[11] Atta-ur-Rahman and A. N. Khan, “Analysis of flood causes and associated socio-economic damages in the Hindukush region,” Nat. Hazards, vol. 59, no. 3, pp. 1239–1260, Dec. 2011, doi: 10.1007/S11069-011-9830-8/METRICS.
[12] K. Bakhsh and M. A. Kamran, “Adaptation to Climate Change in Rain-Fed Farming System in Punjab, Pakistan,” Int. J. Commons, vol. 13, no. 2, pp. 833–847, 2019, doi: 10.5334/IJC.887.
[13] A. Ali and O. Erenstein, “Assessing farmer use of climate change adaptation practices and impacts on food security and poverty in Pakistan,” Clim. Risk Manag., vol. 16, pp. 183–194, Jan. 2017, doi: 10.1016/J.CRM.2016.12.001.
[14] M. Abid, M., Scheffran, J., Schneider, U. A., & Ashfaq, “Farmers’ perception of an adaptation strategies to climate change and their determinants: The case of Punjab Province, Pakistan,” Earth Syst. Dyn., vol. 6, pp. 225–243, 2015.
[15] D. Ahmad, M. Afzal, and A. Rauf, “Analysis of wheat farmers’ risk perceptions and attitudes: evidence from Punjab, Pakistan,” Nat. Hazards, vol. 95, no. 3, pp. 845–861, Feb. 2019, doi: 10.1007/S11069-018-3523-5/METRICS.
[16] S. Rauf, K. Bakhsh, A. Abbas, S. Hassan, A. Ali, and H. Kächele, “How hard they hit? Perception, adaptation and public health implications of heat waves in urban and peri-urban Pakistan,” Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res., vol. 24, no. 11, pp. 10630–10639, Apr. 2017, doi: 10.1007/S11356-017-8756-4/METRICS.
[17] K. Thomas et al., “Explaining differential vulnerability to climate change: A social science review,” Wiley Interdiscip. Rev. Clim. Chang., vol. 10, no. 2, p. e565, Mar. 2019, doi: 10.1002/WCC.565.
[18] K. Eisenack et al., “Explaining and overcoming barriers to climate change adaptation,” Nat. Clim. Chang. 2014 410, vol. 4, no. 10, pp. 867–872, Sep. 2014, doi: 10.1038/nclimate2350.
[19] R. Biesbroek, J. Klostermann, C. Termeer, and P. Kabat, “Barriers to climate change adaptation in the Netherlands,” Clim. Law, vol. 2, no. 2, pp. 181–199, Jan. 2011, doi: 10.1163/CL-2011-033.
[20] M. Raudsepp, “SOME SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC AND SOCIO-PSYCHOLOGICAL PREDICTORS OF ENVIRONMENTALISM,” Trames. J. Humanit. Soc. Sci., vol. 5, no. 4, p. 355, 2001, doi: 10.3176/TR.2001.4.06.
[21] S. Bartlett, “Climate change and urban children: impacts and implications for adaptation in low- and middle-income countries,” http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0956247808096125, vol. 20, no. 2, pp. 501–519, Oct. 2008, doi: 10.1177/0956247808096125.
[22] A. G. Patt, A. Dazé, and P. Suarez, “Gender and climate change vulnerability: What’s the problem, what’s the solution?,” Distrib. Impacts Clim. Chang. Disasters Concepts Cases, pp. 82–102, 2009, doi: 10.4337/9781849802338.00013.
[23] S. Babar, E. H. Siddiqi, I. Hussain, K. Hayat Bhatti, and R. Rasheed, “Mitigating the Effects of Salinity by Foliar Application of Salicylic Acid in Fenugreek,” Physiol. J., vol. 2014, pp. 1–6, Apr. 2014, doi: 10.1155/2014/869058.
[24] I. Jan, M. Ashfaq, and A. A. Chandio, “Impacts of climate change on yield of cereal crops in northern climatic region of Pakistan,” Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res., vol. 28, no. 42, pp. 60235–60245, Nov. 2021, doi: 10.1007/S11356-021-14954-8/METRICS.
[25] Q. Schiermeier, “Quest for climate-proof farms,” Nature, vol. 523, no. 7561, pp. 396–397, Jul. 2015, doi: 10.1038/523396A.