Climate Change Issues in Pakistan

Authors:  Awais Amin, Omair Hassan & Sarmad Usman

Introduction:

Climate change is the significant and lasting changes in weather patterns over periods of time, ranging from decades to millions of years.

Climate change is the result of human interference and it may be due to biotic factors as well, like solar radiations and volcanic eruptions.

Scientist work to understand past climate and predict future climate by using observations and theoretical models.

Reasons:
Biotic factors:  

Certain biotic factors are responsible for climate changes like;

Volcanic eruptions:

Earth`s climate has changed over periods of millions of years.

Long term natural changes resulted from volcanic activities releasing heat trapping CO2 into the atmosphere. Volcanic eruptions in the Argentina, Australia, Cameroon, Spain, Colombia and many more countries have emitted a significant amount of CO2 into the atmosphere resulting in the temperature rise globally over decades.

Forest Fires:

Forest fire is an uncontrollable fire in the area of combustible vegetation that occurs in the country sides or wilderness area.

China, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, Israel, Australia, Europe, Poland, Italy and France are some of the countries in which the wild fire phenomenon is common and occurs every now and then.

This wild fire burns down a significant number of trees and green vegetation which not only results in the decline of forest area in the world but a large amount of co2 and other toxic gases are released as well. It takes less time a tree to burn, but a lot to grow.

These wild fires around the globe contribute a major share in the rise of global temperature resulting in climate change.

Human Interference:

Human indulgence in various activities has also proven to be a major contribution in the climate change.

The various factors of human interference contributing to climate change are discussed below.

Industrialization:

Industries are setup all around the world, majority of investors are setting up industries all around the world to earn more and more money, housing a huge number of man power. But neglecting the harmful aspects of an industry.

Industrial wastes are a major cause of pollution, which gives a major part to climate change. The industrial wastes are not disposed of properly.

Certain laws are set up which are to be obeyed before setting up an industry, but unfortunately the developing countries are not following them up properly, which are major cause of the issue.

Deforestation:

Royale designs and luxurious architecture requires wooden work in construction, where does this wood come from? Obviously big guns are involved in the cutting of trees, which cause reduction in the trees population. This wood is transported illegally and is used in the black market.

Wood smuggling is common in third world countries. Which is a crime, a forestation is not done.

Woods are used for house hold purposes too. A huge amount of trees are cut and burned, which emits co2 too, resulting in green house effect.

Over Population:

The population of globe is increasing day by day, especially in the developing countries due to which the resource scarcity is getting common.

Lack of proper legislation on population growth is major factor of this inflation.

The requirements of an indivisual are increasing day by day due to which one tries to acquire more of them. One tries to live luxurious life, buy cars use electric house hold items neglecting the harmful effects of these items, contributing GHG to the atmosphere.

Lack of Awareness:

The public is unaware of the harmful effects of industrialization, technological development.

The only focus is on how to avail and develop new technologies, neglecting the need of how to save our planet earth. Technologies should be developed and adopted keeping in view their harmful and beneficial effects on environment. Energy should be conserved; natural energy sources should be utilized.

Global Problem:

Climate change is not a national or limited problem; it has impacts on the globe, altering the natural equilibrium as a whole.

Some aspects of climate change as threat to the globe are below.

Melting of Ice in Antarctica:

The Antarctic ice sheet covers about 98% of Antarctic continent and is the largest single mass of ice of earth. Approximately 61% of all fresh water on earth is held in the Antarctic ice sheet.

According to a research conducted in 2009, the continent-wide average surface temperature trend of Antarctica is positive and significant at >0.05°C/decade since 1957 West Antarctica has warmed by more than 0.1°C/decade in the last 50 years, and this warming is strongest in winter and spring (Wikipedia).

This melting down of ice results in disastrous floods worldwide.

Depletion of Ozone:

Ozone depletion describes two distinct but related phenomena observed since the late 1970s: a steady decline of about 4% per decade in the total volume of ozone in Earth's stratosphere (the ozone layer), and a much larger springtime decrease in stratospheric ozone over Earth's Polar Regions. The latter phenomenon is referred to as the ozone hole. (Wikipedia)

The above study shows the harmful impacts of climate change on the ozone layer.

Responsibility for climate change:

Individually:

The responsibility lies on each and every individual, waste product should be disposed of properly, the environment and surrounding should be kept clean and this act should be done individually in one’s own capacity.

Energy shall be conserved, wasting of fuel and other resources shall be avoided.

United Nation Organization:

Uno shall devise certain laws and be implemented on responsible agents for climatic change.

Industries should be kept limited, human population shall be managed, forestation laws shall be redefined and implemented, and various green projects shall be launched in collaboration with the authorities of developed countries.

Environmental Protection Agency:

Environmental protection agency shall have thorough check on the various agencies and factors responsible for climate change. Vehicles technology should be changed to hybrid, two stroke engines shall be replaced with four stroke engines. Electric trains, solar and hybrid cars shall be promoted.

Forestry:

Forestry department should promote a forestation projects, and plantation shall be done all over the country.

The natural forests in the northern regions shall be saved, wild life department play an important role in this regard.

Issues in Pakistan:

Diseases:

Enormous amount of diseases have been recorded for the past decades due to the rapid industrialization, climate change.

Cancer, Bronchitis, Asthma, Whooping cough, Heart diseases, Depression, Sun burn, Skin diseases, Eye diseases, are some of the major diseases caused due to climate change.

Famine:

The famine which struck the “Tharparkar” region in Pakistan in 2013 was a huge one, death toll reached 213+.

The food insecurity in Pakistan is common, causing enormous death toll.

Floods:

The devastating flood which struck the northern region of Pakistan in 2010 took lives of 2000 people; 20 million people were directly and indirectly affected by it.

In 2003  Sindh province was badly affected when above normal monsoon rainfall caused flooding in the province; urban flooding also hit Karachi where two days of rainfall of 284.5 millimeters (11.20 in) created havoc in the city, while Thatta district was the worst hit where 404 millimeters (15.9 in) rainfall caused flash floods in the district. At least 484 people died and some 4,476 villages in the province were affected.

The main cause of these disasters is climate change.

Water scarcity in Thar Desert:

The water scarcity in Thar Desert In 2013 affected a huge amount of people in the region. Scientific studies show that such natural disasters were a result of climate change.

Intense Summers:

Weather data of past years have shown that 0.76 degree Celsius increase in temperature is recorded in one decade.

Such rise in temperature would cause abrupt changes in the natural equilibrium as it has already been proven.

Intense winters:

Weather data has shown that winters now a days are more intense than before.

Acid Rain:

“Acid rain” is term used to describe several ways that acids fall out of the atmosphere. A more precise term is acid deposition.

The industries in Pakistan emits green house gases which accumulate in the earth`s stratosphere, with the rain fall these gases specially so2 combines with water to form sulphuric acid, and comes down in form of acid.

Threat to Biodiversity:

Climate change alone is expected to threaten with extinction approximately one quarter or more of all species on land by the year 2050, surpassing even habitat loss as the biggest threat to life on land. Species in the oceans and in fresh water are also at great risk from climate change, especially those that live in ecosystems like coral reefs that are highly sensitive to warming temperatures, but the full extent of that risk has not yet been calculated.

Species drift:

The changes in environmental conditions have caused species drift in various plants.

One Specie is replaced by more competent specie which is more used to the changed environment.

Mega migration:

Due to the climatic changes it can be observed that whole flock of birds and animals migrate from one place to another.

Depletion of Natural Resources:

Natural resources are at great risk and are moving towards annihilation.

Threat to Aquatic Life:

Aquatic life, that is fish and aquatic plants are at major risk due to the changes in climate.

The temperature of water bodies’ rise due to the industrial wastes poured down into oceans, the movement of submarines and cargo ships are also major threat to the aquatic life.

Counter measures:

International and national authorities shall act, and devise plans to face the impacts of climate change and devise plans to counter balance them.