Daily Times

Three pieces of news items — palpably disparate — seem to have only partially registered upon our collective consciousness in recent weeks. That Pakistan is globally amongst the ten most vulnerable countries in terms of susceptibility to adverse impacts of climate change; that Pakistan will transition from ‘water stressed country’ to ‘acute water scarce country’ in the region within a decade; that agricultural and industrial activities in adjoining India were a major contributor to the highly hazardous ‘smog’ phenomenon that spread across Pakistan’s Punjab region last year.

Between these three impending disasters, a formidable adversary is shaping up at a burgeoning pace, almost unparalleled in country’s history of traditional enemies. That Pakistan of today, with its military and strategic prowess — achieved in no little measure through priceless blood and sweat of our defence establishment — needs to act quickly for counter these impending disasters, which cannot be prolonged. But the million-dollar question is: has anyone — especially our diplomats and climate change think-tanks — thought about ‘out-of-the-box’ solutions to face and steer the nation through these humungous environmental challenges?

Strategically, Pakistan has been shielded and comprehensively hedged against all traditional threats from multiple enemies. Nuclear deterrence has secured our territorial frontiers but the ‘environmental frontiers’ remain largely unsecured. Where we seem to have faltered has been our collective inability to translate our strategic advantages through dispute resolutions to grab the hanging fruits of ‘Green Peace Dividends’; dialogue measures and diplomatic overtures which could lead to ‘climate proofing’ of state against environmental threats. Perhaps, now is the time to consider a ‘Green Peace Offensive’ with India from the high ground.

Taking the Kashmir region for example, which is historically known as a disputed territory but which also encompasses most crucial watersheds and river catchment areas for majority of rivers flowing into Pakistan. Land use practices including deforestation, unsustainable agriculture and over-grazing in whole of the Kashmir region have a direct bearing upon quantity and quality of waters in Indus, Jhelum and Chenab rivers, feeding downstream areas of Pakistan. On a similar note, for over three decades, the Siachen Glacier is known as the highest battle ground in the world, little realising that it’s also of crucial ecological value. Lastly, unsettled Kashmir region on both sides has also been impacting centuries’ old, semi-nomadic lifestyle of Gujjars and other grazier tribes of Kashmiri origin, which for centuries perambulated between alpine meadows and Shiwalik foothills in these valleys, symbolising a unique livelihood system.

Moving downwards, border areas across North Punjab represent precious wild life habitats housing variety of ungulates and migratory or resident game bird species. But persistently receding inflows in Chenab and Ravi are seriously jeopardising the environment. Furthermore, the Cholistan desert is place for a wide variety of antelopes — something that also continues along border areas in southern parts of the country. Even the tail end of Indus River near Rann of Kuch — more famously signified by the disputed Sir Creek region — is home to mangrove forests.

All these hotspots are also “ecological flashpoints” with a potential to lead to environmental cataclysmic events, especially impacting interests of Pakistan. Arbitrary and high-handed exploitation of our shared natural resource endowments by India has been leading to increasingly perilous environmental implications for the masses. Dwindling bio-diversity, poor quality river water flows and increased level of pollution are all are the dual manifestations of environmental degradation and chronically unresolved conflicts. While adhering to our historically legitimate, principled policy stance on all disputes, is there no space for some creative and make-shift ‘Green Diplomacy which could address genuine environment-related concerns of Pakistan in a win-win situation by warding off possible environment-related catastrophes?

Rather than pursuing unending legal battles at international arbitration forums, why not engage Indians over Kashmir in accordance with principles of ‘Integrated Watershed Management’ for ecologically tenable water apportionment and benefit sharing for Pakistan from rivers flowing down Himalayas? Such consensual “Integrated Watershed Management’ regime would potentially enable Pakistan to preferentially re-assert its rights to waters on western rivers besides seeking agreement for ‘essential quantities of “environmental flows’ in the now dried up eastern rivers, massively boosting agriculture prospects. Or maybe — as a starter — allow nomadic Kashmiri herding communities ‘facilitated access’ to pre-1947 era alpine pastures on both sides of the Line of Control (LoC) for multiplying livelihood potential and opportunities? Similarly, experimenting with ‘joint management’ of disputed glaciers including Siachen as ‘ecological landscapes and corridors’ for conserving dwindling wildlife population by appropriately associating wildlife personnel and conservationists? Perhaps, even look into the potential of promoting ‘regulated eco-tourism’ along LoC to discourage existing patterns of environmentally unsustainable tourism.

Thanks to untiring efforts of Pakistan’s troops along border areas, a tree-belt has already been established along wide stretches on Pakistan side of international border. One can see herds of wild animals roaming freely along these green shelter belts — at times, even crossing over the international borders through natural land features. There is no reason for why mutually regulated green conduits and vegetation enclaves cannot be established in these green belts along international borders to jointly establish fauna and flora.

Moreover, the flash point of Sir Creek — also representing final resting wetlands for winter migratory birds in both countries can be potentially converted in ‘jointly managed marine protected area’ for copious growth of mangrove forests and abundant fish production.

Obviously, there is no guarantee that these ‘Green Peace overtures’ from Pakistan would necessarily find a willing listener across the border. But then this will nevertheless be an act, in fullness of Pakistan’s commitment to win global accolades as an environmentally conscientious and responsible nation; a self-assured people and look beyond five or ten years — for warding off environmental disasters for our coming generations. Valiant efforts and exemplary sacrifices by security forces in Pakistan have been the real driving force behind the economic growth and unprecedented development, best represented by the success of CPEC. Pakistan has a historically unique opportunity to reap endless regional benefits from these developments if “Green Peace Diplomacy” is given a chance to ameliorate negative fallout. Sustainable development and protection of our natural resource endowments and climate proofing of our coming generations would be largely dependent upon meaningful engagement with the Indians. This is on the principles of ‘equitable and joint benefit sharing’ covering Himalayan water sources, glacial landscapes, eco-tourism sites, alpine and sub-alpine ecosystems and southern estuaries.

Giving ‘Green Peace Diplomacy’ a fair chance could be a befitting response to prospective escalation of environmental challenges for our motherland which are highly likely to be further compounded by the phenomenon of ‘saffronisation’. A string of jointly managed and globally recognised protected ecosystems and national parks along the border to safeguard our shared environmental concerns on complimentary basis could be a possible outcome of ‘Green Diplomatic Offensive’ for an environmentally secure and resilient Pakistan.

The writer is a public policy and environmental expert