The millions of residents of Karachi, who rely on the industrial sector to meet their needs, are vulnerable to the hazards of climate change, warned Roland deSouza, a member of the NGO, Shehri-Citizens for Better Environment.
He was speaking at a discussion forum on climate change and its adverse effects on the quality of life at the Urban Resource Centre on Wednesday.
He said that environmental change, which is induced by human activity, is a very challenging issue to deal with. Climate change began after the industrial revolution, which pumped copious amounts of nitrous oxide, methane and carbon dioxide into the environment, interfering with the greenhouse process. Harmful rays that come from the sun have become stronger, as those gases which protect the earth from these rays, have been greatly diminished by human activity.
DeSouza argued that population growth coupled with the growth of the industrial sector are the underlying causal factors behind such a complex change. Two thousand years ago, the population of the whole world was around 150 million and people were dependent on the agriculture sector. However, over the years, the population across the globe has increased greatly and people have become reliant on the industrial sector. Population growth is leading to an increase in the industrial sector, which in turn is leading to an increase in the emission of greenhouse gases.
South East Asian countries are likely to be severely affected in the coming years due to the temperature increase caused by the release of harmful gases by developed nations like the US and Japan, said deSouza.
“Elite countries are the culprits behind climate change, and it is the developing countries which are suffering as a result of this,” he said.
Climate change taking place in urban areas has affected the way of living, as it not only leads to a rise in temperature, but also induces changes in human behaviour, deSouza said. A rise in temperature leads to an increase in criminal activity, he argued. A previous study has shown that there is a positive correlation between the temperature and the crime rate.
Talking to The Express Tribune, deSouza said that natural disasters such as cyclones, storms and floods have increased the phenomenon of ‘climate migration’, which is the displacement of people fleeing disaster zones.
“Poor children and women become especially vulnerable in natural disasters and migration becomes necessary in order to survive,” he said.
DeSouza recommended that municipalities join hands with civil society and local government to deal with climate change. He said that opting for renewable energy sources may reduce greenhouse gases as well.
“By 2030, global energy will increase by 80 per cent along with an increase in slum dwellers in cities. This will lead to terrible environmental conditions,” he warned.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 22nd, 2011.
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