Ali Safdar
Pakistan is ranked amongst the top ten countries most vulnerable to climate change.Change of climate is related to human activity that alters the composition of the global atmosphere and addition to natural climate variability over comparable time periods, that is also creates the harmful effects.The Leadership for Environment and Development (LEAD) Pakistan signed an MoU with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Government of Punjab and Planning and Development Department (P&DD), Government of Punjab, to formulate the Punjab Climate Change Policy and provide strategic benefits of research, management, training, capacity building and development programs on low-carbon development and economic growth. LEAD Pakistan will assist in the capacity building of members of the P&DD, EPA and members of the extended team for the development of Punjab’s Climate Change Policy. Moreover, the LEAD Pakistan will provide technical assistance in setting up a Climate Cell at the P&DD and if necessary maintain a physical presence at the P&DD office to facilitate and support climate compatible development. Global warming effect are already manifesting themselves around the world in the form of extreme change in weather events like tornadoes, storms, droughts, floods, and all of which have been mounting in frequency and intensity.Millions of people in Pakistan are exposed to dangerous levels of air pollution and vector-borne diseases and millions of people suffer from diseases because they have no access to clean the air at their surroundings, air pollution can alone is the reason for 30,000 child deaths every year. In all major cities, airborne particulate matter exceeds safe levels and causes some 22,700 deaths annually. Climate change is estimated to decrease crop yields in Pakistan which in turn will affect livelihoods and food production. Combining the decreased yields with the current rapid population growth and urbanization in the country, the risk of hunger and food security will remain high. Endemic mortality and morbidity due to diseases primarily associated with droughts and floods are expected to rise. Increases in coastal water temperatures would exacerbate the abundance of cholera. The change in climate will also aggravate the existing social inequalities of resource use and intensify social factors leading to displacement, conflicts, instability, of people and changes in migration patterns.According to the Climate Change Minister Zahid Hamid Pakistan’s contribution to global warming is minimal. We emit less than 1% of total annual global greenhouse gas emissionsPakistan faces several major risks relating to climate change, including glacial melt, variable monsoons, recurrent floods, sea intrusion, higher average temperatures and higher frequency of droughts. Millions of people have been affected and colossal damage has been caused by recurring natural disasters.Global warming throughout the world is being caused by the emission of the greenhouse gases, these greenhouse gases are the major constituent which plays the vital role in the creating of global warming. When we analyze the greenhouse gases it will not be strange to know that almost 72% of the totally emitted greenhouse gases are carbon dioxide (CO2). There are other gases which makes the remaining part of the greenhouse gases which includes 18% of the Methane and 9% of Nitrous oxide (NOx). If we make the analysis of the emitted gases we can easily conclude that Carbon Dioxide CO2 is the most crucial and important cause of global warming. Carbon Dioxide is inevitably created by burning fuels like e.g. oil, natural gas, diesel, organic-diesel, petrol, organic-petrol, and ethanol. The emissions of CO2 have been dramatically increased within the last 50 years and are still increasing by almost 3% each year. The effects of climate change and global warming on Pakistan, the melting of glaciers in the Himalayas, threatening the volumetric flow rate of many of the most important rivers of Pakistan. In Pakistan, such effects are projected to impact millions of lives. As a result of ongoing climate change, the climate of Pakistan has become increasingly volatile over the past several decadesthis trend is expected to continue. ” Global Warming results in sudden and dramatic changes in the climate and due to the damaged ozone layer it further endangers the lives of mankind and their property and can increase the probability of natural disasters.” Ocean circulation disrupted, disrupting and having unknown effects on world climate.” The global warming results in a much higher sea level which increases the chances of flooding and later can cause devastation as the flood passes causing deaths and destruction.” Water shortage is being observed in the water scarce areas which cause the deserts to be increased in desertification.” Sudden climatic and soil changes can lead to food shortages as climatic changes can adversely affect the agriculture and the crops.” Starvation and malnutrition which increases the diseases amongst the humans as well as animals.The solution to the global warming is to reduce the emission of gases which includes carbon dioxide and methane, this can be done through planting more greenery and trees which might intake the maximum carbon dioxide and should exhale oxygen which should contribute in the stabilization of the environment. Burning of fuels should be prohibited and those fumes should be recycled properly so that they should not pollutethe environment and should play the vital role in reducing the Global Warming from the world.
