Deluge and climate change

The recent heavy rains and floods in Pakistan and the occurrence of unusual weather events in different parts of the world have proven beyond doubt that climate change is something not far off. It is here; it has happened. Pakistan is among the 10 countries of the world most vulnerable to climate change. In recent years, we are witnessing excessive heat and excessive rainfall. With every passing year, heat and rainfall have been increasing in intensity so much so that this year what Karachi, the biggest city of Pakistan, and other parts of Sindh experienced were not floods but a deluge. The floods caused unprecedented devastations in most parts of the province. This happened mainly due to years of neglect, indifference and frigid unconcern on the part of those who were in the position to prevent the catastrophe.

Climate change acted as merely a catalyst. In view of the thundering reality of climate change experts and activists have stressed the need for investing in nature-based solutions as they can provide environmental and economic benefits at a low cost. They say healthy freshwater systems are the key to climate change and global warming. Many glaciers are expected to disappear in 2021, and this will affect Pakistan too. Experts have long been warning that in Pakistan more than 80% of rainwater flows into the sea, so there is an urgent need to build dams, mainly small dams, to store water for future use and also to ensure that rainwater returns to the soil. In order to do this it is necessary to adopt methods of harvesting water in a big way. Now in the absence of harvesting rainwater the water table in most places of the country are going lower. At places where formerly it was available at a depth of 50 feet now it is available at a depth of several hundred feet.

Climate change is being caused by human activity. Humans have become weapons of mass destruction.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 29^th, 2020.

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