Climate disturbance

Climate change is often described as disturbance in normal temperature of planet Earth. Most of greenhouse gasses caused by human activities generate warming of the Earth by absorbing heat. Combination of various gases including carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and ozone radiate heat back to the sun by trapping the hot air in the Earth's atmosphere and produces greenhouse effects. These effects are accelerating irreversible chain of climatic reactions to generate events including droughts, floods, tropical cyclones, heatwaves, wildfires, heating of ocean waters and melting of ice-sheets which increase the flow of fresh water into ocean. Melting of permafrost due to global warming has created risks of increasing concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere; and if the process of melting continues, it will also contribute methane from peat bogs that normally remain frozen. This could further destabilise the ozone layer (O3). The damages caused to ozone layer decreases its capacity to protect Earth from ultraviolent rays of the sun. The sun's heat is deadly for humans and hugely problematic for livestock, agriculture, buildings, roads and power houses; and its harmful radiation is equally dangerous for the glaciated part of our planet.

Human activities, mainly responsible for depletion of the Earth's membrane, are turning it into an unlivable planet. Burning fossil fuels is the major source of greenhouse gases. The use of these fuels for the purpose of transport further increases emission of greenhouse gases. Concentration of methane in atmosphere is also increased by agriculture and decaying landfill. Deforestation, biodiversity loss and decline in agricultural productivity due to climate upheaval and its dangerous climate events such as floods and droughts have created geographic disturbance and triggered mass migration.

Climate migration across the world has caused demographic as well as humanitarian disaster. Nevertheless, global climate-driven migration is not protected under international law. The 1951 Refugee Convention does not include environmental factors as rationale for international migration. The United Nations High Commission for Refugees is not in position to encourage climate refugees due to legal, financial and logistic reasons. Nevertheless, things are now changing, the United Nations Human Rights Committee ruled that return of climate refugees can be considered a breach of human rights obligations on the part of the state. Thus, it reinforces the non-refoulement principle which prohibits return of displaced persons facing risk of life due to climate catastrophe. Climate-affected migrants have already outnumbered those fleeing political oppression. The UN's International Organization for Migration has estimated 1.2 billion environmental migrants in 2050. Industrialised nations have massively contributed to climate disturbance. Thus, they must help climate vulnerable countries to advance climate mitigation initiatives and reduce all types of climate migration.

Internal migration is also being increased in climate vulnerable countries. Most people moving amid climatic threats travel within country in search of climate safe places. They often go to urban areas to find economic opportunities and to avoid conflict and insecurity caused by climatic calamities. Internal migration and displacement in various countries including Pakistan are thus forced by regional disparities, marginalisation of communities and unstable economic situations. The likelihood of climate migration depends on population's vulnerability to climate events such as droughts, floods, ocean acidification, earthquakes, cyclones and crop failures which further push the people to migrate from climate-hit regions to climate safe areas for seeking better locations. If this trend continues, climate patterns of migration will pose a significant threat to cities where the settlement and integration of climate migrants has already become a huge challenge.

Pakistan has faced challenges of floods, heatwaves and environmental pollution causing cough, eye irritation, skin diseases and headaches. In the wake of the Covid-19 crisis, the capacity of people to fight with diseases intricately linked to climate has been reduced due to insufficient nutrition and lack of a balanced diet. In addition, our cities and villages are facing environmental pollution caused by sewage and flood's contaminated water. Further cultivable land is shrinking due to excessive use of fertile land to develop farms, pastures and settlements; construct roads; and establish industries. Thus, the government needs to control the process of unplanned urbanisation and address the issue of growing deforestation. However, climate action is not possible without government intervention sustained through national commitments and global initiatives for attaining emission reductions and carbon neutrality which can be achieved through legal framework for protecting forest land against the powerful landed elites.

Floods in Pakistan displaced millions of people, devastated economic resources, decimated farms and killed livestock. Thus, flood-affected migrants moved from one place to another for their safety and security. Intense heatwaves, water and energy scarcity, desertification and coastal erosion have further exacerbated climate induced migration. Diminishing population of many species - including camels, horses, goats and other livestock - also pushed these rural communities to leave their homes. Fisher communities faced long-term economic exclusion and marginalisation. The water quality in rivers, lakes, streams and canals has been affected due to pollution caused by harmful substances, including chemicals, radioactive waste and microplastics - something that has endangered all types of fish including palla, a major source of fisher community's livelihood in Sindh.

There is no other way forward except taking care of rivers; adopt climate smart agriculture; abandon use of fossil fuels for power generation; encourage plantation drives; install energy-efficient domestic appliances; and use electric vehicles for personal as well as public transport purpose. Greenhouse gas emissions by industrial sector in the country must be regulated and alternative sources of energy including wind, solar and water should be exploited to avoid tragic consequences of climate disturbance for humans like the shortage of drinking water; food scarcity; and unbearable heat in polluted cities which already lack features of climate inclusive urban planning.