Sargodha: Experts called for immediate, perpetual and common response to cope with living, dynamic and evolving threat of climate change that cannot be ignored. If the internal and external threats of climate conflicts on national security are left unmanaged, it will create chaos and instability, and this situation is inevitable.
These deliberations were made by experts, who got together for a webinar titled “Climate Change: A Multifaceted Threat to Security of Pakistan” hosted by Sargodha University in connection with UNSDG 13 on Wednesday to reflect upon the progress in dealing with climate change and analyzing its impacts on human health, agriculture and ecosystems.
Addressing the webinar, Dr Sadia Munawar, Deputy Director, Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency, Ministry of Climate Change, deliberated that rural households in semi-arid plains and upper Indus basin are increasingly exposed to environmental and climate changes. Rural semi-arid areas are already adapting modifying agriculture practices with looming climate impacts. Socio economic factors are key determinants of migration such as access to better work opportunities, better wages and to better education facilities.
Dr Muhammad Arif Goheer, Head, Agriculture, Forestry & Land Use/Global Change Impact Studies Centre (GCISC), Ministry of Climate Change said “Due to its geographical location and poor resource management, Pakistan is among the countries who are more vulnerable to climate change. Climate change is a natural phenomenon and was happening at its own pace since the birth of the planet, but it has aggravated in terms of its magnitude because of anthropogenic activities thus affecting the existence of living being through flood, droughts” he added.
“Climate has always been changing and will always change due to natural causes, orbital changes and volcanic eruptions. The world is too complicated to be viewed with one eye, drive investment in renewable resources start addressing the air pollution, it has immediate effect on human health address environmental pollution and the rest will follow” said Dr Derk Bekker Chairman Environmental Sciences Department, Forman Christian College Lahore.
Dr Mohammad Arshad Javed, Professor Institute of Agriculture Sciences University of Punjab expressed that global climate change is a reality now and we have to sort how to face it. “Government should formulate powerful policies, an awareness drive and should promote use of green energy (electric car). Fossil fuels have adverse impact on climate change and should be addressed to avoid adverse outcome," he added.
