By Subd-e-Gul
One of Pakistan’s biggest nightmares is what’s going to happen to the country in the future because of global warming – the kind of thing that keeps you up at night worrying about. Rising temperatures, freak weather events, and the general battering of the environment are increasingly affecting daily life, the economy, and long-term prospects. Pakistan is one of the countries that’s most at risk from climate change. It’s not hard to see why – the country’s geography is a perfect storm of vulnerability, its reliance on agriculture is crippling, the population is growing at a barely sustainable rate, and its ability to adapt is woefully limited.
To put it simply, Pakistan only accounts for less than 1% of all greenhouse gas emissions, yet it has a lot to lose. Scientists say Pakistan’s average temperatures are rising faster than the global average, which in turn means we’re seeing more frequent and intense heat waves. Karachi, Lahore, and Jacobabad are already stretched to the limit by long spells of blistering heat, which are straining healthcare, energy, and water supplies. If current warming trends keep going the way they are, you can expect heat-related illnesses to become even more common, workers to be less productive, and power outages to become a regular occurrence.
In rural areas, the impact is just as dire: high temperatures are disrupting crop and livestock cycles, threatening food security and farmers’ livelihoods. But here’s another thing to worry about – the way it rains is starting to change. The monsoon system, rivers, and glaciers that are so vital for Pakistan’s water supply are getting less reliable, and that’s a huge problem. The Himalayan, Karakoram, and Hindu Kush ranges are melting at an alarming rate, likely increasing short-term flooding but, in the long run, reducing water availability. In the past few years, ‘stop-start’ monsoon rains have led to devastating floods – the kind that ruin homes, schools, roads, and farmland and leave millions of people either temporarily or permanently displaced.
Climate change is going to have an enormous impact on Pakistan’s economy too – climate-related disasters are already crippling agriculture, infrastructure, and industry, and that, in turn, is slowing the economy and leaving more people in poverty. Experts say that without a robust plan to adapt to climate change, Pakistan could see a significant portion of its GDP disappear by the mid-century mark. The people set to be most affected are going to be women and children in poor and vulnerable communities, so not only will they suffer the most from climate change, but it will also make social inequalities even worse. But Pakistan isn’t just standing by – the country is starting to view climate change as a significant national security and development issue.
The government is taking steps such as large-scale tree-planting drives, setting renewable energy targets, and implementing policies to help it adapt to climate change. On the world stage, Pakistan is also arguing for climate justice – they want the rich countries that have contributed most to global warming to provide financial and technical help to the countries that are least responsible for it but are suffering the most.
Environmental experts are adamant that policy promises need to be backed up with open governance, implementation that actually works, & real action from the community. It’s the speed & seriousness with which climate resilience gets factored into planning & development that will determine Pakistan’s prospects in a world that’s getting hotter by the day. Investing in innovative farming techniques, saving every last drop of water, designing cities with climate change in mind, preparing communities for natural disasters & getting the education system up to speed can all help mitigate risks & save lives.
They say that if Pakistan seizes the moment, works with other countries & acts fast, it can at least learn to live with climate change and build a safer, more sustainable future for the next generation of Pakistanis, the future of Pakistan in the face of global warming.
About Author
Writer: Subd-e-Gul
Mphil scholar
Punjab University Lahore
