Daily Times

In view of the current global environmental turmoil and intermittent Elnino effect culminating into unexpected climate change for which the major developed countries are largely responsible, developing countries like Pakistan are badly suffering without having contributed at all.

On our part, it has become extremely important to take active engagement for our environmental sustainability seriously for our very survival. No doubt, the Paris Agreement and Kyoto Protocol are in place at the policy level, but these are of a medium and long term nature and may take up to 50 years to be fully implemented for real effect, if these are made mandatory for all the countries. Additionally, this global warming and climate change is causing premature melting of ice in the glaciers in the Northern mountains; resulting in excessive flows of water now and no water after about 30 to 40 years. Drought and uncontrolled forest fires at a massive scale, tidal waves, cyclones etc., are yet another phenomenon being observed in Canada, the US, Europe, China, the Indo-Pak Subcontinent and even the Far East, to some extent. This is quite alarming and terrifying for the worst-affected country like us.

In the meantime, what can we do in Pakistan to mitigate the adverse effects of major disasters like floods, untimely sudden rains with hail storms, and cloud bursts, which badly damage our crops and destroy our infrastructure? The clear example is that of vast areas of our most productive land in our province of Sindh, which are still under water after heavy rains and floods caused by climate change last year, which also badly affected Southern Punjab, and parts of KPK province, including Chitral. As many as 33 lakh people were very badly affected by these rains and floods.

By mobilizing public opinion through print and electronic media, the Govt in power will be forced to take practical and concrete steps.

We must, therefore, act now and immediately as we cannot afford to wait for the outcome of international agreements. By mobilizing our public opinion through print and electronic media, the Govt in power will be forced to take practical and concrete steps like the construction of large and small dams, dykes to divert and store flood water, raising heights 0f embankments and bridges for roads, railways, or even their realignments, improvement of cross drainage structures, in the most and worst identified vulnerable areas by aerial and ground surveys, and shifting of villages to higher ground. To prevent sheet flows and stagnation of flood waters, training works for diverting the flood waters to the existing drainage channels and rivers will be necessary. For all this, to start with, a master plan will be required along with guess estimates, prepared by a competent and reliable consulting firm. Their execution can be phased out for completion within the next 5 to 10 years, depending upon the availability of resources, by various agencies like WAPDA, Railways, and Provincial Irrigation Departments. We also need to develop new varieties of crops like wheat, cotton, rice etc that can grow in standing water, and draught conditions. These projects will generate more income, reduce unemployment and poverty, the root causes of terrorism, bring about overall prosperity and give a new direction and hope to our people.

To implement all these mega projects, heavy sustainable and consistent funding will be needed. On our part, we should not only carry out necessary surveys and research with the help of new technologies and knowhow, and make a modest start through our affordable budgetary provisions, but also create the interest of foreign aid-giving agencies especially the World Bank whose Country Climate and Development Report (CCDR) for Pakistan calls attention to need for international support. According to Martin Raiser of the World Bank, “The recent flooding and humanitarian crisis provide a wake-up call for urgent action to prevent further devastation to the people of Pakistan and its economy due to climate change…Accelerated climate actions can protect the economy from shocks and secure more sustainable and inclusive growth in Pakistan.”

Martin Raiser, World Bank Vice President for South Asia. Whereas the developed world has the economic resilience to absorb these shocks, we have none. Friendly countries like China, the US, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Qatar could also be persuaded to become our joint partners in these projects as it is not only their moral duty, especially of the developed world who are responsible for global warming but will also give them a better rate of return on their investments (ROI) by improving our communication and transportation network which will facilitate free trade and transportation of goods from Central Asian countries. China, the Middle East, to the West, and from West to the East and North. For us, it is the most alarming and urgent situation that requires political stability, and continuation of policies. good law and order environment and removal of terrorist activities to encourage investments, both local and foreign. The Army could be requested to monitor these projects to prevent the misappropriation of funds, quality assurance as well as to ensure timely completion.

The writer is a former Engineer in- Chief and Founding Rector National University of Sciences & Technology (NUST)