Global Warming and Pakistan

Global warming refers to constant increase in World's temperature. We have been witnessing a constant shift in world’s temperature from colder to warmer side. Year ago, scientists predicted global warming but it went unnoticed as it had not impacted our daily lives at then. Now, the global warming is not a threat of distant or near future, it is happening. The world’s temperature is relentlessly increasing. This disruption in temperature encompasses various other problems in the form of heat stroke, water shortages, poor agriculture growth and others.

As it is commonly said that if we want to remove the evil, we must remove it from its roots. The sources of global warming and the factors aiding it, are consolidating global warming and adding woes to our botched counter measures so far. The foremost cause is industrialization. In the current development projects, we have been witnessing countries rapidly establishing industrial zones; countries are vying to lead the world. In order to rule the world, it is a common mantra to secure your economy and follow the old mantra of 'money makes the mayor go.' It is also evident from the fact that the top two economics of the world i.e. the United States and China are also the top two largest contributors to global warming due to carbon omission from their industries.

The second major cause is deforestation. Trees inhale carbon dioxide and exhale oxygen. As oxygen is main constituent of life, the need for carbon dioxide to be inhaled by trees is equally important. Because this very gas affects the ozone layer thus letting harmful ultraviolet rays to enter the earth's crust, further worsening the global warming. Other factors include pollution created by vehicles.

Now the global warming has started affecting the daily functioning of common masses. We have seen scores of people dying due to heat stroke in Karachi. In addition to it, Pakistan is also facing an imminent issue of water shortage. This rise in temperature also leads to rise in water consumption. Wells are drying in Pakistan. As per the latest report, Pakistan will have no water by 2025. The increase in global warming and water consumption is tantamount to adding salt to the injuries.

Deforestation is also a major cause of global warming. At earlier times, it was considered feasible to cut down trees and install industries. This led to sweeping switches of forests to industrial zones. The aim was to uptick development, create employment, increase exports and earn revenue. But this short-sighted approach backfired today. But will we replace industrial zones by the forests again? The answer is off course a big no. The question is how to redress the deforestation that has taken place and how to stop the deforestation which in underway?

Pakistan is also the victim of global warming, as per the recent report, winter season is Pakistan has reduced to two months from four months. Also, as discussed earlier, Pakistan is facing water shortage and summer seasons consume more water than winters, this shows aforementioned issues are interlinked with global warming. Every country needs to have twenty five percent of its land covered with forest; whereas, only two percent of Pakistan’s land is covered with trees – a further dip from previously recorded 3.5 percent. Additionally, the population is also on the higher side and thirdly, Pakistan is considered one of the top five countries who is urbanizing rapidly. These all factors are interlinked in a way that when population is on the rise, urbanization becomes inevitable consequently leading to deforestation. Recently, the incumbent government has also vowed to plant 10 billion trees to counter global warming, we need desperate measures like this to counter in the desperate times.

When the global warming started staring, the international community came to its senses. In a bid to counter it, the 196-member has signed Paris agreement to curb deforestation, associate specific budget for global warming and in next couple of meetings; the Paris Agreement will also erect legal binding on its signatories.

Need to expound that as per the recent report, glaciers are also melting at the highest rate. According to geologists, with the current melting rate, glaciers have 100 years of life left in them. It is also of the grave concern that as no glacier can be interpreted as no life. As recently, Germany has banned the use of car with up to Euro-4 technology diesel engine and up to Euro-2 technology petrol engine and has also set September 2019 the deadline for Euro-4 technology engines in a bid to counter air-pollution. This move by Germany has received praised worldwide but will Germany’s move be enough? The need is to take the collective measures; the global warming is an international phenomenon and cannot be dealt by the individual efforts only.

I believe countries should invest some percentage of their annual budget towards measures countering global warming. Deforestation should be immediately banned. A bi-annual UN conferences and meetings should be held calling statesmen to apprise the world about the measures they have taken so far to counter the hovering threat and the progress made so far in comparison to previous year in particular. The UN should devise a legally binding agreement to ensure the countries are contributing their part. Besides, failing to make any substantial progress, the countries should be slapped with sanctions and non-cooperation measures. As a human being, it is incumbent upon us to leave a better place for the upcoming generations. As they are not responsible for the mess we are creating.

As Chinese Proverb says

"The best time was twenty years back; the next best time is today"