National Defence University

ENG-108: English-2 , Semester 2 –2022

Dept. - Government and public policy
Assignment 6- Article
Student name - Khadeja Adil
Student ID - ndu-bs/gpp-21/f-016
Instructor - Ms. Iqra Imtiaz
Climate Change and Our Future
Khadeja Adil; 23/05/22

Climate change is a word we often hear touted about and, as it becomes, is on the forefront
of issues that are majorly impacting our world today. That said, while the adverse rise and
fall in temperature affects every individual across the globe, its effect seems to appear to be
more catastrophic for countries in the Global south than anything else.
In a nutshell, ‘climate change’ is defined to be a shift in normal climate conditions. We know
that for the most part, post-industrial revolution our climate has gradually been affected and this
culmination of the past hundred or so years of human interference in the natural workings of the
world is leading us to irreversible change and catastrophic effects. Effects that had been
predicted by scientists in the past that would result from global climate change are now
occurring: loss of sea ice, accelerated sea level rise and longer, more intense heat waves, and as
years go by the impact seems only to increase.
We know that for the most part the main culprit for this disturbance in normal climatic
temperature, beyond human activity, is the rise of greenhouse gas (GHGs) emissions in our
atmosphere. And after more than a century and a half of industrialization, deforestation, and
large-scale agriculture, the quantities of GHGs present in the atmosphere have risen to record
levels. Thus as populations, economies and standards of living grow, so does the cumulative
level of greenhouse gas (GHGs) emissions.
As suggested by the Fifth assessment report, from the period of 1880 to 2012, the average
global temperature was observed to have increased by 0.85°C. From 1901 to 2010, the global
average sea level has risen by 19 cm as oceans expanded due to rising temperatures and ice
melted. The sea ice in the Arctic has shrunk in every successive decade since 1979, with 1.07 ×
106 km² of ice loss per decade. Furthermore, with the continued emissions of GHGs the global
mean temperature is predicted to continue well above the pre-industrial level. Above all. Most
importantly this change is anticipated to persist for many centuries, even if emissions are
stopped.
There is troubling evidence that crucial tipping points in significant ecosystems and the global
climate system have already been reached or crossed. Warming and precipitation may be
reaching alarming levels in ecosystems as diverse as the Amazon rainforest and the Arctic
tundra. Mountain glaciers are rapidly melting, and the downstream implications of reduced water
availability during the drier months will have long-term consequences.
Since may 2022, record increase in the occurrence of heat waves has been observed in Pakistan,
with severe heat waves predicted to occur every three years. Beyond the increase in the mean
temperature of Pakistan, the rise in sea levels across the Karachi coast is estimated at 1.1 mm per
year for the period of 1856 - 2000 according to the National Institute of Oceanography, Pakistan.
Pakistan is considered to be among one of the top ten most vulnerable countries to the effects of
climate change. Jacobabad, one of the hottest cities in the world, in Pakistan's Sindh province, hit
51 degrees Celsius on Sunday, and 50C the day before, this may. Outlining the necessity of
action to combat such catastrophe.
Moreso, according to a report published by Climate Action Network- South Asia (CANSA)et al.,
it is expected that even with aggressive emissions reductions, the number of climate migrants
linked to slow-onset impacts of sea-level rise, water stress, crop yield reductions, ecosystem loss,
and drought in Pakistan will displace upwards of 600,000 people by 2030. Without aggressive
action, that number is expected to be closer to 1,200,000.
As a developing country with limited resources, it is vital to implement carbon reduction
measures before it is too late. Pakistan's northern regions are critical to the country's strategic
importance, offering not just water but also links to agriculture and tourism. There has been a
recent surge in tourism due to development in the infrastructure. However, increased human
traffic in these areas has resulted in record exploitation, endangering not just the regional
biodiversity but also our own survival.
Each region within Pakistan, in their own capacity is making do with these changes. Melting
glaciers in the himalayas and increasing water scarcity within the region of sindh and balochistan
suggest the importance for the government to work closely with field experts and locals to
combat such issues.
However despite all such empirical data that necessitates immediate aggressive action, and
resultant legislation done on this climate crisis.The population mostly still remains apathetic to
such findings and several reasons could be considered for this present inactivity. Beyond the
country’s unstable politico-economic conditions a vast majority of the population especially
those residing in urban areas are not directly affected by it and as such while they may realize
that climate change equates impending doom especially for the future generations, the
‘out-of-sight-out-of-mind’ principle could be applied here, said phenomena was observed during
the pandemic where people denied its existence until a relative or friend was affected by it.
Moreover, the population that has to do with climate change comes from underdeveloped or rural
areas of pakistan. Where effects are more observable with soil erosion, water scarcity…etc.
With all that said, a key to saving ourselves could be self responsibility, this could be done
through the encouragement of recycling, reduction in middle class consumerism that is
increasing by the day, developing a sense of responsibility to ourselves and our future
generations which could lead us to be potentially more politically participative in terms of
holding legislators accountable on what action plan they have for the crisis, demanding better
public transportation so that the use of private cars and thus GHGs emissions and fossil fuel
consumption is reduced, demanding the endorsement of using renewable energy wherever
possible, promoting the movement of institutions to use paper more consciously with most
activity done digitally. And lastly, decreasing the production of single use plastics and
disencouraging their improper disposal.
References:
https://climate.nasa.gov/
https://www.un.org/en/global-issues/climate-change
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-24021772
https://climate.nasa.gov/effects/
https://www.climate-refugees.org/spotlight/2021/7/30/pakistan
Chaudhry, Q. U. Z. (2017). Climate change profile of Pakistan. Asian development bank.