SPECIAL REPORT
Climate concerns trigger
search for solutions
While 192 signatories to the UN Framework Convention
on Climate Change (UNFCCC) gathered for the next
round of climate negotiations in Bonn, Germany this
month, the progress and commitment to resolving the
issue of climate change so far remains unimpressive
and questionable, according to a Greenpeace study.
Fakhra Hassan analyzes Pakistan’s progress in the mit-
igation of unfavourable changes.
T
he effects of climate
change, such as the gradual
disappearance of glaciers in
the north and drought in the
south, are taking root in Pakistan.
Climate change is one of the most
critical global challenges for Pak-
istan, according to the World Wide
for Fund for Nature (WWF) (see
box for definitions).
Global warming is a killer!
Experts say Pakistan’s unique
location and expansive geography
make it particularly vulnerable to
the varied threat of global warm-
ing. Due to the country’s size and
the diversity of its landscape, Pak-
istanis will not experience global
warming uniformly. Some regions,
such as Balochistan, may experi-
Definitions of climate change
According to the inter-govern-
mental panel on climate change (IPCC),
climate change refers to a change in
the state of the climate that could be
identified with statistical tests on its
long-term effects and, the mean
and/or the variability of its properties.
It refers to any change in climate
over time, whether due to natural vari-
ability or as a result of human activity.
32 | NGO World | June 2008
ence an increased prevalence of
drought, while others, such as
Sindh, may experience heavy rains
and flooding.
Experts are already predicting
severe water shortages for agrarian
communities in the upper Indus
river basin. By encouraging disease
and creating extensive water short-
ages, extreme heat will only exac-
erbate the impact global warming
has on the public. The threat, ex-
perts warn, has already arrived.
“There have been some very
obvious incidences in recent years
showing that frequencies of cy-
clones have increased significantly,”
WWF coordinator for programmes
Amna Shahab tells NGO World.
As global warming ap-
proaches, Pakistan is in dire need
This usage differs from that in the
UNFCCC, where climate change refers
to a change of climate that is attrib-
uted directly or indirectly to human
activity that alters the composition of
the global atmosphere and that is in
addition to natural climate variability
observed over comparable time peri-
ods.
Source: IPCC, 2007
Climate change is speculated to trigger extreme weather events in the south
of environmental experts who are
able to implement existing poli-
cies, such as the Environmental
Protection Act of 1997 and the na-
tional water policy submitted to
the federal cabinet for approval in
2004. These policies will improve
environmental conditions and
help the public meet critical chal-
lenges like the reduction of green-
house gas emissions (GHGs).
Agriculture blues
The devastating impact of Hur-
ricane Katrina in the US on 27 Au-
gust 2005 and the 8 October 2005
earthquake in northern Pakistan
are prime examples that natural
disasters almost always affect vul-
nerable populations most severely.
Climate change in Pakistan is
no exception. With 67 per cent of
Pakistanis living in rural areas that
are dependent upon natural re-
sources, poor Pakistanis would be
most severely affected by a dra-
matic shift in weather, the WWF
warns. In fact, the agrarian econ-
omy as a whole is particularly vul-
nerable, says Amna Shahab of WWF.
“Most of the rain would come
in ‘blocks’ in the agrarian regions,”
Global Change Impact Study Cen-
tre (GCISC) executive director Dr
www.thengoworld.com
Arshad Khan tells NGO World.
“Interrupted flow of rainwater
could adversely affect cash crops.
In the next 50 years agricultural
productivity in Pakistan would de-
cline by 10-20 per cent. You need
more reservoirs for water storage.”
As a developing country, Pak-
istan is not alone in its vulnerabil-
ity to climate change, Khan added.
“Due to their location in tem-
perate regions, developing coun-
tries are more prone to negative
impacts due to increased temper-
atures in comparison to the cooler
north where warm temperatures
are favourable for countries falling
in that region.”
Water requirements for thermal power
An estimated 0.4 million
litres of water per MW
installed is required for coal-
fired power plant. A 225 MW
plant would require 8.8 mln
litres of water per day -
approximately 90 per cent of
the water is lost through
evaporation each day.
Source: Sindh Coal Authority
Mitigation or adaptation
By signing the Kyoto Protocol
in January 2005, Pakistan was
obliged to establish a Clean Devel-
opment Mechanism (CDM) cell, a
public organization that approves
projects for the credit emissions
reduction initiative.
The cell is involved in raising
awareness activities for CDM, en-
hancement of capacity in CDM
Melting glaciers – Only source of drinking water
and irrigation in the south
Height /Area
Glacier
(above sea level)
Himalayas 5,600 – 6,000
metres
Luggye 1,317 sq.km
Imja 5,010 metres
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ENVIRONMENT
project development, and review- How could forests alleviate climate change?
ing of CDM projects of the indus-
try’s stakeholders. While there are As globally important second highest in Asia after
a lot of projects in the pipeline, the storehouses of carbon, forests Afghanistan, according to the
process of getting approval for a play a critical role in influenc- Food & Agriculture Organization.
CDM project is long and compli- ing the Earth's climate and In a Pakistan Forest
cated that could take two to three
years from developing a project
idea to gaining approval from the
CDM Executive Board.
“There are a 1000 CDM proj-
help retard global warming by
storing and sequestering car-
bon.
Carbon sequestration is
the process through which
agricultural and forestry prac-
Institute’s 2004 report titled
“National Forest and Range
Resource Assessment Study
(NFRRAS)”, total forest cover of
Pakistan has decreased to
3.317 mln hectares.
ects being implemented world- tices remove carbon dioxide Rangelands cover approxi-
wide but only one project so far in (CO2) from the atmosphere. mately 23.546 mln hectares
Pakistan has received approval of Pakistan’s annual rate of with total vegetation cover of
the CDM Executive Board,” says deforestation from 2000-2005 26.863 mln hectares.
was 2.1 per cent, which is the Source: WWF, 2008
Shahab.
To date, according to WWF,
the government has spent PKR thermo power plants fuelled by development programmes to alle-
38.94 mln ($573,000) for the pro- such heavy pollutants as furnace viate climate change.
motion of CDM in Pakistan. oil and sulphur-laden domestic “In spite of its large population
The question remains, how- coal (see table for details). Pakistan accounts for only 0.43 per
ever: are investments in environ- “We have three main sources cent of the total global carbon
ment protection appropriate at a of energy, i.e., coal, gas and oil dioxide emissions,” she says. But
time when the country is energy- which are carbon-laden. Foreign she warns that low emissions do
starved? Khan, of GCISC, declines investors are reluctant to help you not necessarily signal relief in the
to say. develop the freshly found coal re- years to come. Shahab suggests
He believes that Pakistan, as a serves in Thar since the govern- the corporate sector should be en-
member of the Kyoto Protocol, is ment could not even provide couraged to become climate neu-
committed to reducing climate them access to water for the ex- tral so that they contribute to en-
change. But considering that the traction of coal,” Khan argues. vironmental conservation.
country is simultaneously en- Shahab, of WWF, could not “The government and the pri-
gaged in an uphill struggle to agree more. She says that the cli- vate sector should adapt current
meet its power shortages, Khan mate change problem facing Pak- policies taking into account the
says energy security should be an istan is adapting its resources and impacts of climate change.” u
immediate priority for the govern-
ment as well as the private sector. Ongoing thermal power plant deals
“We have global responsibili- Capacity Agreement Financial
Project Location
ties and then we have a national re- (MW) signed on close
sponsibility,” he says. “We can only
meet global responsibilities once Engro Power 227 Near Daharki, 29 Oct – 07 Apr – 08
Sindh
we meet our national demands.”
Rushing to meet its power Orient Power 225 Balloki, Punjab 10 Nov – 06 Dec – 06
shortages, Pakistan is creating Sapphire Power 225 Muridke, Punjab 07 Mar – 07 Jun – 07
Saif Power Project 225 Sahiwal, Punjab 13 Jul – 07 Sep – 07
Atlas Power 225 Sheikhupura, 18 Sep – 07 Nov – 07
Punjab
Country Meltdown rate Halmore Bhikki 225 Bhikki, Punjab 23 Oct – 07 Apr – 08
Fauji Mari Power 202 Daharki, Sindh 30 Aug – 07 Sep – 07
India, Pakistan 50-60 metres Nishat Chunian Power 200 Lahore, Punjab 15 Sep – 07 Jan – 08
per year
AttockGen Power 165 Rawalpindi 24 Aug – 07 Sep – 07
Bhutan 160 metres
per decade New Bong 84 Azad Jammu 31 Aug – 07 –
Kashmir
74 metres
Nepal (2001-2006) Source: Private Power & Infrastructure Board (PPIB), Islamabad
June 2008 | NGO World | 33