LAHORE:
A few months back, when Pakistan was placed in the top ten most vulnerable countries to climate change in the German Watch Report of Global Climate Risk Index 2021, the then government paid no heed. Neither a plan nor a strategy was devised to cope with the emerging monsoon and heatwave conditions. Now, the situation that spiraled out of control.
What is tragic is the fact that the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) could not even predict the coming storm. The risk of natural catastrophe that was in some ways avoidable has resulted in death and destruction while giving rise to multifaceted challenges. If the PMD had been vigilant and its forecasting measures accurate, hundreds of lives could have been saved, the economic losses that the country will have to pay could also have been reduced. For instance, if there were proper guidance from PMA for the people, they would have evacuated in a timely manner. Similarly, farmers would not have cultivated hydrophobic crops and instead would have gone for hydrophilic crops. The people have nothing to gain from these floods, rather they have to endure losses.
A realisation should prevail that climate change is indeed a reality. It is a modern issue that has the potential to destroy humanity. Pakistan can only mitigate the risks posed by it for now. The government must take it seriously and develop prudent measures. Else, Pakistan will not be able to rehabilitate itself next time such a disaster strikes.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 5th, 2022.
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