Climate change leading to food insecurity

Ministry officials say protecting existing infrastructure the biggest challenge

ISLAMABAD:

As much as 37 percent of the country's population is facing food insecurity due to climate change phenomena.

This was disclosed to a National Assembly (NA) Standing Committee by the Ministry of Climate Change on Tuesday during a meeting presided over by Committee Chairperson Shaista Malik at Parliament House.

Briefing the NA panel, officials of the ministry said the National Climate Change policy had been formulated and the National Adaptation Plan had also been chalked out. They added that the ministry was working on climate smart agriculture and the biggest challenge was to protect existing infrastructure from the effects of climate change.

They said as much as 37 percent of the population was facing the issue of food insecurity, that crop patterns were also changing in line with climate change, that climate change had also changed the glacier melting period, and that high carbon release may cause an extraordinary rise in temperature.

The committee's chairperson said the ministry had evolved a Climate Change Policy but the provinces had to get it implemented.

Committee member Sahibzada Sibghatullah suggested that the provinces' representatives should also be called to brief the committee on what the provinces were doing in this regard. Agreeing with the suggestion, the committee chairperson directed that provincial officials be called on the matter.

One of the committee's members, Shagufta Jumani, pointed out that the Deputy Commissioners provide relief goods to the rain-affected people at their own will, saying flood victims should not be left at the mercy of Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners.

Committee member Aqeel Malik also recommended seeking briefings from provincial chief secretaries and provincial disaster management authorities. He lamented, "We are not taking climate change seriously while international donors are ready to provide funds."

Aqeel Malik said, as per US officials, Pakistan is taking no interest in the Green Line project. He also inquired about progress in the Electric Vehicles Policy 2019 and asked about the output of the policy. He also criticized the climate change ministry for doing nothing with regard to electric vehicles.

The committee chairperson said the Supreme Court had also taken up the matter of climate change and the ministry would have to work smartly.

Committee member Owais Jakhar raised the matter of private housing societies, saying thousands of acres of agricultural land were being used to build housing societies. He also pointed out that forest land was being encroached and there was a need to evolve a clear policy.

The areas adjoining Layyah district are flooded, said Owais, adding that South Punjab does not get funds.

Climate change ministry officials said the country faced 44 percent food insecurity after the 2022 floods, adding that Jhal Magsi had experienced 200 millimetres of rain a couple of days ago which was equal to the quantum of annual rainfall in the area in the past.