By Ali Nawaz Rahimoo
Pakistan is a country that is highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change due to its geographic location, topography, and socio-economic conditions. Climate change is the most important issue of our age; we are the first to see its early warning signals and the last to have a chance to prevent it from occurring. Living in a bubble of ignorance can only get us so far; our globe is indeed a scene of melting glaciers, rising floods, animal extinctions, extreme weather events and the list continues. Spreading climate change awareness using every way possible, including seemingly insignificant forms such as writing school essays, cannot be overstated. Climate change has put a lot of countries at hazard, and the risk is significantly larger for developing countries. Because of this serious problem, which is having a severe impact on the area, South Asia has grown more disaster-prone. In general, climate change is accelerating and having severe consequences for Pakistan.
Pakistan is geologically located in a region where the effects of climate change are being felt fairly strongly. This climate disaster has had enormous economic, social, and environmental consequences. Statistics from the 2010 floods demonstrate the devastating effects on the 20 million individuals who lost their homes, were injured, or went missing. Similarly, another flood in Pakistan in 2012 wreaked havoc. Climate change puts Pakistan’s income, housing, food, and security at danger. Considering the tough facts, the Pakistani government must take urgent measures to combat the detrimental effects of climate change. Without a doubt, the authorities are paying close attention to this problem, which they see as sensitive and serious. Pakistan faces “significantly higher average temperatures than the global average, with a potential rise of 1.3°C-4.9°C by the 2090s over the 1986-2005 baseline,” according to a study, which also noted that Pakistan had “some of the highest disaster risk levels in the world, ranked 18 out of 191 countries by the 2020 Inform Risk Index.” Under the most optimistic emission scenarios, the global average temperature rise by 2080-99 will be around 3.7°C. Furthermore, changes in Pakistan’s hydrologic regimens, and hence its water supplies, are largely unknown, although dry situations are projected to become more common. Extreme climatic events are expected to become more common and intense, increasing catastrophe risk, particularly for the poor and minority populations. Including an average monthly maximum of roughly 27°C and an average June maximum of 36°C, Pakistan often witnessed some of the world’s greatest maximum temperatures. In Pakistan, the current median yearly likelihood of a heat wave happening in any specific region is roughly 3 percent. As seen by estimates that over 65,000 individuals were hospitalized with heatstroke during Pakistan’s 2015 heatwave, a huge section of the population is at danger. The major impacts of climate change in Pakistan:
Increasing temperatures: Pakistan is already one of the hottest countries in the world, and the average temperature is increasing due to climate change. This is leading to heat waves, which can cause health problems, crop failures, and power outages.
Changes in precipitation patterns: Climate change is leading to changes in precipitation patterns in Pakistan. There is more variability in the timing, intensity, and duration of rainfall, which can lead to floods, landslides, and droughts.
Melting glaciers: Pakistan is home to several major glaciers, including the Siachen Glacier, which is the world's second-longest. These glaciers are melting due to rising temperatures, which is leading to increased water flow in rivers during the summer months, but reduced water flow during the winter months.
Sea level rise: Pakistan has a long coastline along the Arabian Sea, and rising sea levels due to climate change could lead to coastal erosion, flooding, and saltwater intrusion.
Agriculture and food security: Agriculture is a major sector of the Pakistani economy, and climate change is having significant impacts on crop yields and food security. Droughts, floods, and changes in precipitation patterns are all affecting agricultural productivity.
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