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Pakistan’s Battle Against Climate Change

2 minutes read

Pakistan’s Battle Against Climate Change

2 minutes read

NHS Media held an interview with Dr. Imran Khalid, Director of Governance and Policy at WWF Pakistan, in which environmental and climate change issues in Pakistan were discussed at length.

Key Points:

  • Air pollution, water sanitation issues, and inadequate waste management pose significant environmental challenges.
  • Greenhouse gas emissions, primarily from fossil fuels, drive climate change globally.
  • Rising temperatures lead to glacier lake outbursts, intense monsoons, droughts, and heatwaves, impacting regions worldwide.
  • Transitioning to renewable energy sources like solar and wind power is vital for reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
  • Addressing climate change requires collaborative global efforts as it’s a borderless issue affecting all nations.

He highlighted several key environmental challenges, including:

  1. Air pollution, particularly in Lahore and Islamabad, leading to health concerns.
  2. Poor water sanitation practices, polluting rivers and canals.
  3. Inadequate waste management, with waste often ending up in rivers.

Dr. Khalid explained that climate change is driven by greenhouse gas emissions, primarily from fossil fuels. Pakistan’s contribution to these emissions is relatively small, but efforts are needed to reduce it.

He pointed out that since the 1950s, Earth’s temperature has risen by 1.1°C due to industrialization. Failure to reduce fossil fuel use could lead to a 3°C increase by the end of the century, causing severe consequences.

Dr. Khalid discussed the impact of rising temperatures in Pakistan, including glacier lake outbursts, intense monsoons, droughts, and heat waves. These events are linked to climate change, affecting not only Pakistan but also other countries.

He emphasized the importance of governance and proper mechanisms to address these issues, such as urban flooding in Karachi and Islamabad. Regarding clean energy, Dr. Khalid advocated transitioning to renewable sources like solar and wind power, given China’s expertise in these areas. He noted the need to move away from coal-based energy sources, as global trends shift towards renewables.

He praised Pakistan’s billion-tree plantation project as a nature-based solution to capture greenhouse gases but stressed the need for a holistic approach, including green spaces and governance. Dr. Khalid called for a collective regional and global effort to combat climate change, as it knows no boundaries.

 

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