Adapting to climate change

Express Tribune

14-05-2025

The writer is a Professor and Director of Pakistan Study Centre, University of Sindh, Jamshoro. He can be reached at [e-mail]
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The meteorologists measure following average parameters to find out region's climate: temperature, precipitation, air pressure, humidity, and number of sunshine days. The latitude of area significantly affects its climate shaped by amount of solar energy it receives. The temperature significantly differs in areas near equator and areas closer to poles. Thus, geographical location also influences the way of life. People living in plains are normally engaged in agriculture while people residing in coastal areas prefer fishing, tourism and trade.
Nevertheless, abnormal temperature of earth causes global warming and increases greenhouse gases which generate extreme weather and causes hurricanes, droughts and relentless floods. The lack of precipitation over a long time causes droughts, and the precipitation in excess during short span of time causes floods which generate huge economic losses in terms of disrupting economic activities, damaging infrastructure and public property, and causing huge loss of life. It also affects global and domestic supply chain by destroying networks and logistics.
The flood disaster reduces agricultural and industrial productivity causing rise in poverty and unemployment. Further violent weather events caused by higher temperature affect eco-system, disturb biodiversity, and push us to move far beyond the stable conditions specially during hotter and drier summers and allow climate change to shape how we live.
Different forms of pollution - water, air and light pollution - have become the leading causes of greenhouses gases and global warming. Anthropogenic activities have been the main driver of the global warming which has triggered accelerated climate change primarily due to the burning of fossil fuels that produce heat trapping gases. Clearing of land for settlements leads to deforestation and soil erosion affects the water cycle and disturbs the weather patterns.
Excessive use of fertilisers and pesticides in agriculture and industrial waste contaminates water sources, such as groundwater, lakes and rivers, besides polluting the soil. Furthermore, the pollution decreases our green freshwater supplies. Nevertheless, some kinds of pollution, like leaf litter and mud, are natural and unavoidable.
Thus, we need to get serious about protecting the environment following the example of US Environmental Protection Agency which sets the limits on the emissions of sum of air pollutants. China has the largest carbon footprints in the world. Nevertheless, with the increasing awareness about the immediacy of monumental climate shift the Chinese government prohibited setting up of new coal power plants to limit air and land pollution.
Pakistan has been ranked among top ten countries which bear the brunt of rapidly changing climate. Government has launched various programmes for the revival of native forests and wildlife resources in Pakistan to improve their overall conservation and encourage eco-tourism through community engagement.
Pakistan is among the top 10 most vulnerable countries on Climate Risk index. The recent example of extreme weather events is floods of 2022 which affected 33 million people, damaged 1 million houses and increased Pakistan's sense of vulnerabilities. Thus, to live with climate change, individuals and communities need to adopt mitigation strategies like generating power from wind, solar and water which can reduce the burning of fossil fuels as the major source of greenhouse gases.
Using energy efficient electrical goods will also help reduce the demand for more energy. Individuals should avoid wasting energy and care for natural resources at domestic level. They should prefer using vehicles powered by electric or solar energy.
Government needs to impose heavy taxes on those industries which cross the limits of carbon dioxide emissions to discourage the burning of fossil fuels. Furthermore, policymakers should come up with national adaptation plan to promote forestation, invest in renewable energy, health and public transport projects, and legislate new climate laws to ensure that development projects must be free from inevitable effects of environmental degradation.
Plantation must be promoted through youth volunteering. College and university students need to plant trees as one of the requirements for the award of degrees. In the assessment of the individual contributions of civil servants, plantation and community resilience related initiatives should carry weight in their Annual Confidential Reports and their exceptional services must be recognised.
Becoming resilient is as important as action to cut greenhouse gases. Thus, Pakistan is also advised by global financial institutions to implement climate adaptation measures. For instance, the IMF has recently approved $1. 4 billion for Pakistan to support government initiatives in building economic resilience to climatic chaos.
To reduce the unequal risks of climate disaster in the countryside, cultivators should promote organic foods and crops. Practising organic farming can significantly contribute to reducing the pollutants from pesticides, fertilisers and herbicides which have a negative impact on food intakes.
Government should encourage farmers to switch over climate-smart farming by introducing new crops that should thrive under new climatic conditions and that can be planted on rotation basis, and must be drought-tolerant and less vulnerable to extreme climate conditions. The practice of sustainable agro-forestry should be supported to grow trees or shrubs around or among crops. Moreover, promoting ecological industry, restoring coastal wetland and supplying fresh water to shrinking Indus delta will not only increase the economic potential of its mangrove forest for revenue generation through global carbon trading market but also rejuvenate coastal ecosystem and decelerate Pakistan's climate stress.