Neither the federal government nor any of the provinces including Punjab took any initiative to face serious challenges of climate change in the year 2015.
Though Pakistan is on 137th number and contributing only 0.47 per cent in global greenhouse gasses (GHGs) emissions, it is at huge risk of losing valuable agriculture yield due to fast depleting glaciers that will ultimately lead to reduced river flows.
The outgoing year remained a nightmare for Pakistan as far as worst effects of global warming is concerned. Peshawar cyclone, Karachi heat wave, Chitral cloud burst and floods in Punjab were outcome of global warming.
Steps to reduce GHGs emissions are likely to make little difference and there is need of taking practical adaptation measures to minimise damage of global warming and the resultant reduced river flows, erratic monsoon, intense floods and droughts. As such mitigation measures and adaptation to changing climate are the issues needed to be addressed simultaneously.
In 2015, the government lacked initiative to control ever increasing pollution while education of growers to adapt to the changing climate was left to civil society organizations.
Meager allocation of Rs39 million for the Ministry of Climate Change showed that the most important issue for the entire globe was not that important for Pakistan.
National Climate Change Policy framed in 2012 could not be implemented during the outgoing year.
The government had established National Climate Change Division after devolution of environment to the provinces in 2010, but without assigning role of a watchdog to ensure that the federal departments and provinces are following guidelines to address the most important environmental issue threatening agriculture based economy of the country.
Like other developing countries, Pakistan, having overwhelming dependence on agriculture, is at a greater risk of facing the adverse impact of climate change in near future owing to unwise use of available resources especially water.
Putting a deaf ear to the hue and cry of organizations working on environment and climate change, none of the province took any step to check pumping of excessive groundwater for agriculture, domestic and industrial use. Excessive pumping and unwise use of available water resources is leading to fast drop in aquifer level in urbanised areas in particular and rural areas in general.
“Pakistan is contributing only 0.47 per cent in global GHGs emission. Mitigation measures will make less significant difference. There is need of making efficient and judicious use of available resources in domestic, agriculture and industry sectors and their conservation for future needs. Improving canal system, introduction of crops needing less water, sprinkle and drip technology in irrigation and building more reservoirs for storage of precious water going waste in sea every year is need of the hour but it remained on the bottom in agenda of political leadership”, said an expert working at Climate Change Division.
According to various researches, considerable increase in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events coupled with erratic monsoon rains is causing frequent and intense floods and droughts.
Projected recession of the Hindu Kush-Karakoram-Himalayan (HKH) glaciers due to global warming and carbon soot deposits from trans-boundary pollution sources is threatening water inflows into the Indus River System (IRS). Rising temperatures is resulting in enhanced heat and water-stressed conditions, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions, leading to reduced agricultural productivity.
Further decrease in the already scanty forest cover from too rapid change in climatic conditions is causing natural migration of adversely affected plant species.
Increased intrusion of saline water in the Indus delta is adversely affecting coastal agriculture, mangroves and the breeding grounds of fish.
Social activists believe that in the absence of concrete measures by the government, it is now the responsibility of the development sector organizations to not only raise the awareness but also build the capacities of masses so as to enabling them for taking step in the right direction.
“Like the previous years, government showed no intention to address the most important issue for the country in 2015. In such circumstances, it is the responsibility of stakeholders to come forward and take the initiative of building capacity of growers. Several organizations are working to build the knowledge base, especially of the urban and rural youth around the concept, causes, impacts and solution of climate change”, said Muhammad Aatif, working with a civil society organization.