Loss of biodiversity

Climate change and environmental degradation has wreaked havoc to an immeasurable extent during the ongoing decade. The much-objected impact of rapid industrialisation in developed countries has also not lessened its pace. Underdeveloped countries with the unavailability of technology are experiencing the extreme impact of the rapidly degrading environment. With the withdrawal of the US from the Paris Climate Accord, the agreement still stands afar from its full implementation.

According to a recent UN draft report, one million species are at risk of extinction due to human activities harmful to the biodiversity of the planet. Since the start of this century, over a dozen species of animals and birds have already been declared extinct. Reduced forest area, loss of agriculture and cultivable land due to seawater intrusion, combined with the uncontrollable increase in human population, have already sketched the picture of a dreadful future for mankind. Steps taken now to avert the threat will still take years to show minimal results.

So far, the countries adversely affected by floods, storms, heatwaves and droughts are still on the outlook of ways to lessen the occurrence of these events alongside the scale of damage. The global temperature, vowed to be curtailed by one degree centigrade under the Paris Climate Accord, can only be controlled if greenhouse emissions are controlled by change of production methods in industrial units across the world. Pakistan, already predicted to be adversely affected by climate change, needs to have a climate ministry doing more than attending the global summits and events on climate change.

With the likelihood of increasing ‘hotspots’ in the country in future, many regions in Pakistan will no longer be able to offer home to the population. Unfortunately, mired in a plethora of other issues, the climate threat does not appear to be on the agenda list of this government.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 25^th, 2019.

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