Pakistan has been one of the major victims of natural calamities in the world
PESHAWAR: The threats of global warming are probably greater than those posed by large-scale terrorism. The world can stop or reverse the effects of terrorism, but the impact of global warming is unstoppable and irreversible. The fact that nobody is worried about global warming indicates that the public does not have an idea how dreadful climate change can be. The effects of global warming have been becoming apparent. In 2015, the unbearable heatwave claimed the lives of hundreds of citizens in Karachi.
Global warming is caused by the emission of greenhouse gases. The excess of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is partially the fault of humans — they burn fossil fuels. The emission of carbon dioxide has been increased significantly in the last 50 years and is still increasing. This has affected global sea levels, ice sheets and ecosystems. Climate change is projected to cause hundreds of thousands of deaths by 2050 if left unattended.
It merits mention that Pakistan has been one of the major victims of natural calamities in the world. According to the Pakistan Economic Survey, more than 3,000 people were killed and $16 billion loss incurred due to floods of 2010, 2011, and 2012. Bridges were swept away, infrastructure was damaged and people were displaced from their villages. Earthquakes have also become a norm in many parts of the country. Flash floods in Chitral and the drought in Thar cost many more lives. With each passing year, glaciers are shrinking at a faster rate, making the flow of rivers more unpredictable downstream.
Khan Faraz
Published in The Express Tribune, December 12th, 2016.
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