Global Warming and It's Causes and Effects in Pakistan

Global Warming And Its Causes and Effects In Pakistan

Global warming is the most debated topic nowadays, and our planet is reaping the rewards of the seeds we have sown for a long time.

Causes And Effects of Global Warming in Pakistan

Human activities like fossil fuel burning (coal, oil, and gas), deforestation, and emissions of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere are the outcomes of global warming. These human activities are deadly for the earth because of the emission of carbon dioxide and other dangerous elements that absorb infrared radiation, increase the temperature, and harm the ozone layer. Our planet is experiencing the detrimental consequences of global warming. It is causing severe climatic changes, including extreme weather changes, droughts, low or high rainfall, and frequent heat waves. 

Flood Figures 2022

Pakistan is currently facing severe global warming issues because it is ranked 5th among the most sensitive nations to climate change. Pakistan is a developing country, and it is facing the drastic effects of global warming even though it has less than a 1% contribution to climate change. For the past two decades, Pakistan has consistently ranked among the top ten countries most vulnerable to climate change.

Effects of global warming over

Over time, Pakistan is becoming more miserable because of climatic changes. April and May 2022 were the extremely warmest months in Pakistan's history. Pakistan also experienced an overdriven monsoon season this year (Aug-Sep, 2022). In the middle of 2022, the increased temperature revved ice melting, causing the glacial lake to burst at Shisper Glacier in Hassanabad, Hunza. This year, landslides and wildfires in different regions of Pakistan, especially in northern areas and the Balochistan region, were also reported.

This year seems to be the year of national disasters for Pakistan because this year, Pakistan faced drought-like conditions, a shortage of water for crops, wildfires, glacial lake outbursts, a long-lasting monsoon season, heavier rainfall than average, and landslides. 

The Pakistan Meteorological Office issued warnings regarding the intense monsoon season this year(2022), but high authorities, including many people, dismissed them as unimportant. Pakistan was unprepared for the monsoon season this year, though they had a history of severe flooding in 2010. The intractable political and economic crises in Pakistan exacerbated the situation and hampered the ability of Pakistan to respond to the ongoing fallout. 

Effects of global warming

Extreme weather in Pakistan caused a national disaster, which is staggering and shocking for the world. According to experts, this year's rainfall in Pakistan has been 780% above the average. This monsoon season has submerged one-third of the country, killed over 1,300 people, displaced over 33 million people, and caused damage to personal property and infrastructure. Still, we don't know the full extent of the disaster because these figures are still increasing. Situations in Pakistan are deteriorating, and loss is more than the economy of Pakistan; it will take months and years as Pakistan transitions from relief to recovery and reconstruction efforts.

This time, Pakistan is severely affected by massive rainfall, floods, and infrastructure destruction because we can witness rampant construction across the rural and urban areas of the country. Massive constructed structures are partially or destroyed by floods in Pakistan, like small cities, entire villages, crops, shopping malls, hotels, bridges, dams, and motorways. 

The causes and the factors triggering global warming impacts in Pakistan

Geography

The geography of Pakistan is diverse, with more than 7000 glaciers in the northern region. These glaciers are melting rapidly due to increasing global warming. These melting glaciers are causing landslides and glacial lakes to outburst. The formation of Attabad Lake is the result of a tragedy, and this tragedy of Attabad in the Gojal Valley is due to global warming. In this incident, villages in the Gojal valley were either entirely or partly submerged. In this incident, many people were killed, displaced, and affected.

In Pakistan, arid deserts and fertile agricultural lands are in the center, which can face drought or heavy rains. Both conditions are dangerous for fertile lands, and they could cause food shortages in the future. 

Megacities like Karachi, Hyderabad, and Thatta are close to sea level. Global warming is causing an increase in sea levels in coastal areas and the Indus delta in Pakistan. According to oceanography institute experts, the major cities of Sindh, Karachi, Thatta, and Badin could be submerged by 2060. 

Climate change and deforestation

Climate change is a worldwide issue, and Pakistan is experiencing dramatic weather variations due to these climatic shifts. In some regions, the weather remains dry, hot, humid, and less rainy, while in others, it remains cold and rainy.

Deforestation is another big issue in Pakistan, and it stands second in deforestation in Asia. According to experts, forests should cover 25 percent of the country's area. Unfortunately, Pakistan's forests cover just 5.7 percent of the total land area, and this situation is causing more floods, soil erosion, air pollution, extreme weather changes, and many more. 

Poor governance and political instability

Pakistan is facing problems like poor governance and political instability. Such elements are deteriorating its vulnerability to global warming and climate shocks. The political parties and elected government have failed to take proper initiatives to cope with the problem and lower the severity of its impacts. 

Lack of check and balance

In Pakistan, we have legal laws and control systems, but there is a lack of implementation of these laws. There is a lack of checks and balances on illegal and uncontrolled construction, especially in vulnerable areas, which has exacerbated the severity of the natural disaster.

 

Lack of policy work and coordination

Governmental policy work is lacking in Pakistan, and even when it does exist, there is no implementation. In Pakistan, after 2010's floods, the National Disaster Management Authority and provincial-level disaster management authorities were established under the Act of Natural Disaster Management. The government tasked these organizations with creating plans and policies for upcoming natural and synthetic calamities.

Unfortunately, these authorities have fallen short of helping people in need in this tough time, and there seems to be a gap in coordination and preparedness among them. 

Economic crisis

floods 2022 in Pakistan

The economic crisis in Pakistan is affecting the efforts to mitigate the country's massive

climate challenges and resulting in humanitarian disasters. 
To avoid default fear, Pakistan's new government is facing issues with imposing strict policies under the IMF deal. The emerging crisis due to floods will increase inflation and food shortages, and it will also make conditions worse. 

Crop damage will increase the economic crisis because Pakistan is an agricultural country and an exporter of crops like rice, wheat, and cotton. 

In this situation, it is challenging for Pakistan to take action against global warming. 

Effects of Global Warming in Pakistan

Pakistan is bearing a huge loss and deteriorating effects due to global warming. This year, heavy rainfall and floods have significantly affected crops and other agricultural products compared to the big flood of 2010. Pakistan is a country whose a good portion of its economy depends on agricultural production. Extreme climate change due to global warming has exacerbated food shortages and inflation. The people are experiencing a humanitarian catastrophe that is running them. It will increase with the austerity measures imposed by the IMF program.

Disasters like floods, earthquakes, hurricanes, forest fires, and typhoons do not discriminate against anyone and affect everyone on the planet. 

Women, young girls, and children typically experience the worst effects of disasters. In Pakistan, women are oppressed and have fewer privileges. In such disasters, they face dreadful physical and mental problems like health issues, malnutrition, lack of hygiene and maternity facilities, sexual violence, and many more.

Physical Issues

flood impacts on women in Pakistan

Health

Floods and heavy rains in many districts of Sindh, Baluchistan, and northern areas have destroyed homes and medical facilities. There is no safe place for pregnant women to give birth. Due to inadequate maternal health care, the lives of infants and unborn children and their mothers are in danger. 

According to a UNFPA report this year in Pakistan, there are around 650,000 pregnant women in flood-affected areas, and up to 73,000 women will deliver this month (September 2022), which will need skilled health workers. Due to the lack of health facilities, the maternal mortality rate can increase. 

For women, the lack of latrine pits is problematic and raises the possibility of severe kidney failure. Women and girls in flood-affected areas wait the entire day to urinate or pass stool because there is no facility for a latrine. When the sun sets, they walk to the other side of the road in the dark. 

Global warming is adding more stress that will aggravate women, especially young girls. Disasters caused by climate change have drastic inverse impacts on young girls. They not only struggle with their health issues due to malnutrition and lack of access to hygienic products, but they also face menstrual cycle problems and many other problems.

Skin Diseases

Floods cause skin diseases like redness, swelling, or itchiness, especially in women and children, because of exposure to unclean water. Psychological stress can cause or worsen preexisting illnesses like psoriasis, alopecia areata, and atopic dermatitis.

Diarrhea and fever

Diarrhea and fever are the most common diseases in flood-affected areas. Because of their low immune systems, women and children are particularly affected by this. 

Malnutrition and weakness

Children and mothers in camps

Floods in Pakistan have destroyed almost all crops, and entire villages and cities have vanished, and this situation is causing severe food shortages. Malnutrition in flood-affected regions is a recurring problem for women and children. Lactating mothers and their newborns have few or no food facilities, and these conditions are affecting their physical development and causing weakness. One can imagine the extreme plight of newly born babies and their destitute mothers, who feed their newborns with flood water due to a lack of breastmilk (mother's milk is best for children due to a shortage of food; they are facing malnutrition and lack breastmilk supply) and other feeding items.

Mental Issues

floods in Pakistan 2022

Harassment

Without shelter, women, especially young girls, are not secure. During disasters, forlorn people have to live in tents or under the open sky, where sexual harassment and assault are pervasive. Women in flooded areas can not go to the toilet in peace because if they walk far away from the shelter in search of privacy behind boulders or bushes or on the other side of the road, they are scared of being raped or harassed.

When women dare to speak out against mishaps, they suffer life-threatening repercussions and domestic violence. One case of minor rape was documented recently in a flooded area of Sindh, and there could be chances of more similar unreported cases.

Traumatic Injuries

Flooding might increase the chance of suffering traumatic injuries from hidden objects retrieved from the water, like dangerous electrical hazards, sharp objects, rocks, and displaced animals. Unavailability of health services causes severe consequences for women and children.

Mental health issues

Global warming is causing increasing physical and mental health problems in people. Natural disasters like floods have a profound impact on people's mental health. For example, PTSD, psychological distress, sadness, and anxiety are more common. 

In underdeveloped or developing countries like Pakistan, women and children suffer more health issues. In patriarchal societies where women are bound to four walls, it is difficult for them to live without shelter or in camps. Due to a lack of privacy, women and young girls cope with significant mental health issues.

Homes destroyed in floods in Pakistan

These floods and other disasters are due to climate change, and Pakistan urged the developed countries (responsible for global warming) to come forward to rescue countries like Pakistan that bear the brunt of the disasters. In this intense situation, Pakistan needs more grants and assistance than loans because loans can only exacerbate the country's economic conditions. The UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, also visited the most affected areas in Pakistan and requested the international community to contribute in a flash appeal for immediate assistance. Many international organizations, communities, and countries, including the United Kingdom, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates, are assisting Pakistan in this difficult time, and these countries are sending items in flood relief packages to Pakistan. 

A father taking his children to a safe place

Pakistan will require technical assistance for long-term flood rehabilitation efforts. To mitigate the impacts of global warming, Pakistan has to take some serious actions to make and implement the proper natural climate policies like urgent reforestation, imposing a tax on carbon generation, the building of durable dams and other infrastructure, implementing green fiscal reforms, switching to renewable energy resources, implementing three R's strategies and so on.