Tackling hotspots and climate change

As temperatures rise in most parts of the globe

Temperatures have been rising in most parts of the globe, and South Asia is no exception. According to a recent study by the World Bank, the province of Sindh has emerged as the most vulnerable hotspot in Pakistan with regard to climate change, followed by Punjab. Sindh has a highly diversified economy and changes in average weather will add another dimension to the future growth of Sindh, given its high vulnerability. Of the six countries investigated by the study, living standards are predicted to be adversely affected by changes in average weather in four: Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

The province of Punjab, which is the most densely populated province, has also been classified as the second-most vulnerable hotspot. Long-term climate vulnerability has implications for both growth and poverty reduction in Punjab. However, Sindh is more prone to climate change due to its geographical location as compared to other provinces. The Indus Delta is a fertile piece of land located in climatically arid zone of intense heat and highly variable annual rainfall.

Climate change impacts include rising temperatures, changing precipitation patterns and intensifying extreme events, such as storms and droughts. All these have profound repercussions for people and planet, from sudden economic disruptions to a longer-term decline in living standards. Rising average temperatures can affect living standards through diverse pathways, such as agricultural and labour productivity, health, migration and other factors that affect economic growth and poverty reduction. They can dampen agricultural productivity, leading to a decline in living standards for agriculture-dependent households. A warmer climate can also increase the propagation of vector-borne and other infectious diseases, resulting in lost productivity and income. At the same time, a warmer climate can increase productivity in historically colder regions, such as mountainous areas. Days of extreme heat are generally correlated with lower worker productivity, especially in areas that are already warm. A changing climate can force people out of their traditional professional domains, resulting in individuals not earning as much income.

Hence, reducing hotspots becomes important and can involve a portfolio of actions aimed at making affected places and the households located in them more resilient. Potential actions include improving infrastructure, introducing market reforms and building individual and institutional capacity. Sindh is a highly urbanised province hence there is a need to curb the population influx of rural to urban by introducing more livelihood opportunities in rural areas. With plans for climate friendly smart and resilient cities along with policies for transitioning to renewable forms of energy and plans for urban smart transportation, Sindh will be able to cope with adverse impacts of climate change.

Given the fact that after the 18^th amendment, climate change and environment have become provincial subjects, the Sindh government must allocate more resources and give high priority to climate change. National climate change policy provides overall framework and each province has its own challenges related to climate change. Consequently, Sindh should devise its own climate change policy, while mainstreaming it in overall development policy. Adaptation to climate change and building resilience among ecosystems and people to respond to climate variability and hazard threats are relatively new concepts. For this reason, networks for sharing experiences and ideas will have a fundamental role in helping address adaptation within specific ecosystems.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 6^th, 2019.

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