LAHORE: The delay in the onset of winter in some parts of Pakistan is a clear indication that the country is among those most affected by climate change. Successive floods, heatwaves, rise in temperatures and continuous melting of northern glaciers further strengthen this phenomenon. Mainly due to its geological location on the world map, its physical landscape, natural climate system, endemic poverty, outdated disaster management infrastructure and poor technical and resource capabilities, Pakistan is vulnerable to rapid climate change.
Life in Pakistan is at a much greater risk because of unexpected spells of heatwaves, recurrent floods, cyclones, droughts and scarcity of rains than it is at the hands of possible threats of war, invasion or bombing. The government, however, seems to be indifferent to this looming threat and its efforts towards the mitigation of this stark reality are almost close to naught. The most embarrassing display by Pakistan at the Paris climate change conference 2015 can be cited in this regard. The nation, as per a World Bank report of 2006, bears a loss amounting to $4.5 billion annually from natural disasters induced by climate change but our measures to halt these changes are largely inefficient. There should be a practical and unambiguous policy that should address the line of action and future strategy to save our country from disastrous environmental changes. Our legislative bodies must add this matter to the national agenda and accord it adequate attention.
Ahmed Bilal
Published in The Express Tribune, January 4th, 2016.
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