Daily Times

Pakistan is a country grappling with the effects of climate change leading to many environmental issues, ranging from heat waves and floods to earthquakes, which have caused economic and human life losses due to improper management. The latest and equally, if not more, significant crisis is the winter smog that engulfs Central Punjab every year.

This air pollution is a form of particulate contamination suspended in the air that cannot be transferred due to a lack of airflow caused by temperature inversion. It is usually seen as a black, and yellowish fog suspended in the atmosphere or forms a ceiling in the air. According to IQAir’s alarming global report, Pakistan is the second most polluted country, with an AQI value five times higher than that recommended by WHO.

This is highly problematic because of its profound health implications, especially for children and the elderly. Damaging lungs and halting DNA repair result in severe health problems from asthma to lung cancer.  Moreover, constant intake of this harmful smog causes cardiovascular disease when the level exceeds PM2.5 concentration and even increases the risk of death by 10%. Lahore currently faces only one type of smog (winter). However, the ever-increasing carbon footprint has strong potential to cause photochemical (summer) smog in the near future too. Each year, 135 000 valuable lives are lost, an economic loss of over five billion dollars is faced, and the life expectancy of my fellow Pakistanis is reduced by five years. This is problematic. We are facing an emergency. We must immediately take measures to mitigate it.

There are multiple reasons for smog engulfing Lahore’s skies and neighboring cities. Emissions from fossil fuel power plants, unregulated industrial units, usage of vehicles and machinery with old internal combustion engines, and uncontrolled burning of crop waste are just some of the causes. The most significant source is the burning of crop residue, which is an ongoing practice in Punjab, especially in Sialkot and Gujranwala. The mushrooming of brick kilns in the peripheral areas of Lahore has also contributed to higher air pollution, as local kilns have a meager rate of adhering to the Environmental Protection Regulation 2000.

For improved resource management and better living conditions by 2050, Pakistan must accept and utilize renewable energy sources on a large scale. The best solution is to quit using petroleum products and switch to clean, environment-friendly sources for essential energy supplies. Acquisition of efficient and eco-friendly technologies utilizing solar power, wind, waves, and geothermal energy are relevant innovations. One such environment-friendly alternative to crop residue burning could be producing hale bales with the residue. Hale bales are made with balers (machinery). These bales can be sold for industrial power generation for energy plants, paint, giant laundries in hotels, and the textile industry. The reason is that these industries require steam for operations and hale bales serve as an ingredient to generate fire for the steam boilers.

This leads to conservation of the environment and lowers economic costs of energy for industries. Countries such as Canada, China, and Australia have been using hale bales, making their crop residue a productive resource for industries. However, countries like India and Pakistan are still resorting to residue burning, which means they are wasting a productive asset and causing irreparable damage to the environment.

At the policy level, an efficient step can be the regulation of carbon emissions from the industrial sector. Carbon footprint or credit are the terms used for a permit representing the right to emit one ton of carbon dioxide. The benefits of such a measure would be the acquisition of efficient and environment-friendly technologies, helping to attain national sustainable development goals. Another critical step is zigzag technology for modern brick kilns, as it has been claimed that this technology has lowered pollution by seventy percent. Other practical measures include just-in-time manufacturing and lean production, which favor frequent deliveries with fewer truck-load shipments so generate less air pollution.

A concerted effort should be made to move towards public transportation and hybrid and electrical vehicles, lowering the use of fuel and diesel vehicles. In this area, decreasing sulfur from three percent to one percent has health benefits of approximately thirty five to forty seven dollars per ton of fuel oil. Low-sulphur fuel must be used in urban areas. Fuel adulteration is another contributor to air pollution, so lowering this is also a mandatory part of a cleaner fuel system and is regulated by environmental agencies with OGRA. The use of catalytic converters, scrubbers, cleaner fuels, and efficient engines is reduced by ten percent.

In addition to better resource management, there is a strong need for improved data collection and organization in Pakistan. Research data can help employ statistical analysis methods to increase the effectiveness of the country’s conservation efforts. In this age of Big Data and related technology, Pakistan lacks the primary data collection instruments with little to no digitization of the available information. Due to these obstacles, there is difficulty determining the exact causes of air pollution and handling them effectively.

Pakistan needs a clear and robust plan to protect its environment and sustain air quality.

The author is a student of A levels in Aitchison College, Lahore.