Earth is our only home. Fresh and clean air is the right of every person. However, human activities have marred the quality of this planet. Pakistan is no exception. The climate is changing, and it is making Pakistan face storms, dry weather, and more floods.
How we can make it livable and habitable is a matter of deep attention now for the whole world. In our posh areas, the intensity of smog or environmental pollution may be minimal, but in densely populated areas, it is taking a heavy toll on human lives.
Extreme weather events are becoming more frequent in Pakistan. When glaciers melt too fast, at first there is more water, but later the water gets less, leading to droughts. We must recognise that the Pakistani economy is a water economy. Yet, we do not take it as a priority. We must understand that environmental sustainability is a fundamental part of food security in the country.
The adverse effects of climate change include an increase in temperature and an increased frequency of extreme weather. Global warming has affected important sectors of Pakistan. There is economic disruption. It makes agriculture more unpredictable. Agriculture contributes about 22 to 24% to GDP and employs nearly 38 to 40% of the labour force.
Agriculture is dependent on the waters of the Indus River. Climate variability has led to a reduction in agricultural produce and increased crop failure risks. There are fewer crops than there were earlier. In such a scenario, the need to train farmers becomes very important. Apart from the issues of scaling up and producing the right technology, the challenge is how we are going to create the human resource that will train the actual consumers. The important question is how to make them skilled in technology and use it to their advantage — will they be really receptive to learning?
Global warming is increasing health risks due to extreme heat. Eliminating this risk, protecting people from strong heat, and saving lives are important. Pakistan increasingly faces floods, droughts, heatwaves, and occasional cyclones along the coastal belt. There are severe impacts of sea-level rise. Sea-level rise is expected to displace millions of people as it threatens low-lying coastal areas in Sindh and Baluchistan. Because of increased coastal erosion, buildings and farmlands are damaged. Increases in temperature and precipitation also affect biodiversity in Pakistan. Changes in rainfall are disturbing the natural ecosystem. Natural environmental systems and sea species are being disrupted. Because of changing temperatures, many animals are losing their homes.
Rapid urbanisation, reduced green cover, and dense construction have increased the urban heat island effect in Karachi, Lahore, and major cities
If we look at the rising temperature effects on urban areas like Karachi and Lahore, rapid urban growth has outpaced infrastructure. Too many buildings and not enough trees result in stronger heatwaves. Rapid urbanisation, reduced green cover, and dense construction have increased the urban heat island effect in Karachi, Lahore, and major cities.
The role Pakistan has to play in agriculture is highly sensitive to changes in climate. Pakistan depends on agriculture for most of its food, and farming is easily affected by bad weather, making it more prone to risk. Financial and technical resources for adaptation to climate change are required. Limited resources do affect Pakistan’s ability to mitigate the effects of climate change. We have polluted the environment with agricultural waste, but we seldom talk about this. We must start discussing it, as it is an integral part of the economy.
Look at the number of patients who are sick just because of water-borne diseases. Look at the infant mortality rates. This has a direct link to GDP. Water-stressed countries all over the globe impact GDP. We have to really act and make decisions because the way we are managing and governing our water resources is not a solution; it is rather adding to the problem. Wastewater treatment is an area where very few people feel the need for prompt action.
If we look at the quality of water, many Pakistanis do not have access to safe drinking water. Adding to the gravity of the situation is the fact that industrial effluents are contaminating water. Organisations like WWF Pakistan address two areas, basically: environmental advocacy and promotion of improved water management practices.
Under the Pakistan Environmental Protection Act (PEPA) 1997, no person is allowed to discharge effluents, emissions, or noise exceeding the National Environmental Quality Standards (NEQS). But unfortunately, industrial and vehicular emissions are contaminating all the fresh water resources in the country. Water is directly related to the livelihood of the people, so this commodity is precious. We have to switch to the model of access, quality, and equality. We must minimise the waste coming from the agricultural sector. We are wasting 75% of our water resources due to an inadequate water management system. Pakistan loses nearly 40–60% of its available water due to inefficient irrigation and poor infrastructure.
If public institutions are finding difficulties regarding capacity, the government needs to work towards solving this issue to bridge the gap. This can be through public-private partnerships or some NGOs. Even if government intervention is not there, the community itself must gather and try to find solutions to overcome the problems caused by increasing environmental degradation.
Pakistan has to traverse many miles to stand on par with successful countries in the arena of the war against climate change. It is better to start as soon as possible, as delay will only cost us beyond repair
Easy solutions to help stop pollution include making our best effort to keep the environment clean and green. We have to take certain steps. We must make our behaviour environment-friendly, which is our social responsibility. Plants and urban vegetation regulate local area temperature and improve air quality. Awareness and training for farmers are important. Farmers must be asked not to burn crops, as crop residue burning creates smog, which pollutes the air. Connecting people to the grounds and understanding the problems of the marginalised, whether with technology or with AI, is the need of the time.
Bridging the gap is important. It is necessary to know who is going to take up the projects and how to deliver technology to the hundreds and thousands of end-users — this is the real challenge. We should go for standardisation regarding engineering technology in agriculture.
NGOs serve as advocates for the environment. They can also contribute to environmental decision-making. The solutions these NGOs can offer include advocacy for environmental issues, pushing policies that protect it, and raising awareness about the environment with the help of experts on climate. These experts can conduct research and provide data by studying the impact of human activities on the environment.
They report on any violation or shortcoming and organise different hearings, consultations, and public meetings. They can provide training and education to help people understand policy issues and monitor the impact and efficacy of these policies. They can also monitor any violations. By facilitating public participation, they give citizens a voice in the decision-making process, thereby building community capacity. Overall, they play a very constructive role.
We need to work more to streamline the canal irrigation system. Perhaps, as a first step, we should focus on the Potohar region and areas in Baluchistan where there is water scarcity, and people do not have choices.
In Pakistan, PARC (Pakistan Agricultural Research Council) is introducing two new technologies. One is responsible irrigation, which decides when and how to irrigate. Secondly, it is promoting drip and subsurface irrigation systems that increase water-use efficiency, particularly in water-scarce regions.
One new irrigation technology model developed by the US is responsible technology. The water pipes are laid near the roots of crops, so water is always made available to the plant system. This new technology uses a polymer-type system. Water pipes are made with thousands of pores, and when the plant needs water, the pores automatically open. Hence, it is an automated technology, especially for water-scarce areas, and serves as a blessing for poor farmers and vulnerable communities. In this method, greater water efficiency is ensured, and water is available 24 hours for the plants.
Likewise, India has also introduced many irrigation reforms. India has launched national irrigation reforms under PMKSY to improve water efficiency. It has established one authority, an irrigation task force on macro irrigation. With consistent government support, things are changing there.
Pakistan has to traverse many miles to stand on par with successful countries in the arena of the war against climate change. It is better to start as soon as possible, as delay will only cost us beyond repair.