KARACHI:
Despite having a minimal carbon footprint, Pakistan is already bearing the brunt of climate change. Earlier this year, most parts of the country were faced with extreme heatwaves and drought-like conditions. This was followed by unprecedented rains and glacier melts that resulted in catastrophic flooding.
In the coming years, climate change will trigger mass migration and displacement across South Asia, which we have already seen a glimpse of. It is about time that our government and all other stakeholders take the climate threat seriously and prepare the country for future climate emergencies. The government should initiate campaigns led by climate and disaster management experts to inform local populations on how to deal with emergencies. Besides building climate-resilient infrastructure, people should be provided with the appropriate apparatus.
We cannot delay climate action any longer and everyone must play their role in trying to alleviate the threat. Citizens in urban areas must cut down emissions by reducing the use of vehicles. Factories should switch to renewable energy. People must undertake afforestation drives as trees are crucial for absorbing carbon dioxide as well as reducing the risks of floods and tsunamis. On a global level, the Pakistani government must continue pressuring the global north to pay climate reparations and assist Pakistan in building climate-resilient infrastructure.
Armaan Ameer
Kech
Published in The Express Tribune, November 12th, 2022.
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