Pakistan is very sensitive
under the influence of changes in climate. Pakistan's vulnerability is due to
two reasons. First, Pakistan's geological location on the world map, its unique
landscape and weather condition susceptible to climate change. Second, due to
changing climate, Pakistan's various sectors and aspects are under serious
threat. These are agricultural sector which is under the influence of
temperature and precipitation, sensitivity of population due to water, food,
shelter, and human migration crisis, coastal belts due to rise in sea level,
glaciers due to rising of temperature, ecosystem, biodiversity, and forests
which are highly vulnerable to climate change, according to a research conducted
by Imtiaz Ali at Quaid-e-Azam University Islamabad. The title of the research is
'Climate Change: A Potential Non-Traditional Security Threat to Pakistan.
The research said: "Pakistan is a victim of horrible incidents of climate
change. Though Pakistan's contribution at the global average is minuscule, it is
12th most vulnerable to climate change in the world. Climate change affects
countries more which lies in the temperate zone-below the line of equator.
Pakistan lies in the temperate zone, because of this, Pakistan is very prone to
droughts, low precipitation in lower parts and heavy rainfall in upper parts,
cyclones, heat waves and water shortage for agriculture and drinking purpose are
main repercussions of climate change. Its geographical location, landscape and
climate is particularly vulnerable to climate change.A variety of landscapes
marks the physical geography of Pakistan. Pakistan lie in temperate weather zone
on the world map where temperature increases unexpectedly. It comprises northern
mountains, central plains, southern deserts, western plateaus and hills, coastal
areas and forests. All these features are vulnerable to climate change."
Pakistan is a developing country; its 30 per cent population is living below
poverty line and its technical and financial capacity is insufficient to face
the challenges of climate change. Pakistan's vulnerability to climate change
comes from geographical location, physical landscape, natural climate system,
endemic poverty, outdated disaster management infrastructure, poor technical and
resource capabilities.
By virtue of its natural features and system's incapacities, the most vulnerable
sectors and aspects to climate change in Pakistan are agriculture sector due to
water shortage and dwindling soil, population sector due to disasters,
migrations and worsening human security problems, coastal belts due to sea level
rise, mountainous and glaciers, ecosystem and biodiversity and forestry are
under serious threats.
Imtiaz said in the report: “The IPCC projecting average world surface
temperature would increase from 1.4 degrees centigrade to 5.8 degrees
centigradec over the course of the 21st century. It is evident that the
alteration in the planet's ecological, biological and geological system will not
only continue but also intensify."
He further said: “Pakistan is prone to a range of natural disasters, including
cyclones, floods, drought, intense rainfall, and earthquakes. In Pakistan 40% of
the people are highly vulnerable and are frequently exposed to multiple
disasters”. This exposure to danger is predicted to be exacerbated with imminent
impact of climate change. There has been escalation in the incidence, intensity
and frequency in the climatic events in Pakistan which are more extreme and
heavier precipitation that happened as in 2010 and three successive years. The
deluge of 2010 has broken all past records of extent and force. It affected more
than 20 million populations which is more than those hit by Tsunami in 2004,
earthquake in 2005 in Pakistan and 2009 in Haiti. "Other disasters noticed in
Pakistan are hailstorm, dust, thunder and heat waves have additionally been
watched since recent past. Such natural catastrophes have brought immense
misfortune of many valuable lives, destruction of property and regular assets
loss worth billions of rupees. As per a World Bank Report (2006), the nation
bears a loss amounted $4.5 billion annually from natural disasters induced by
climate change."
Pakistan is a country with ecologically and geographically diverse features and
having large populations living along coastal belts, river deltas and arid
regions, which are at direct risk of flash flooding, sea level rise and droughts
caused by climate change. Climate change raises fears of its tremendous
socio-economic and environmental impacts. Pakistan is frequently exposed to
natural calamities like floods, droughts, earthquakes and cyclones.
Coastal areas are among the most sensitive aspect to climate change in Pakistan.
Projected impacts are included rise of sea level, stronger tropical cyclones,
soaring sea surface temperature and acidification of surface water. The
repercussions of these changes on coastal ecosystem and communities could be
threatening the health, livelihood, destroying infrastructure and displacing
millions of population. “Mounting sea levels can also exacerbate saltwater
intrusion into the rivers and aquifers that furnish freshwater to coastal
settlements”
"The Himalayan-Karakoram-Hindukush (HHK) glaciers are the third largest ice mass
on the earth, after the Arctic and Antarctic. It is reported all over the world
that glaciers are receding since the last century, those in the HHK region are
found to be melting faster than any others. The alarming situation is that if
the present speed of recession continues, the HHK glaciers might become extinct
by 2035. The excess of melting of HHK glaciers are expected to cause flooding in
the Indus and its tributaries for the coming two to three decades than it will
be preceded by reduced river flows as the glaciers retreat. The Indus River is
the only source of Pakistan's water resources and it supply water for
agriculture and hydroelectricity. Any interruption to this hydrological system
will have disastrous impacts on Pakistan's economic and social life," the
research concluded.