The terms Climate Change and Global Warming have been very popular since the late 20th century. What exactly is climate change? As the name suggests, it is “a change in climate patterns of the world”. Climate defines weather conditions and atmospheric patterns. The repercussions include Global Warming which is one of the most prominent effects of Climate Change.
Pakistan caught up a little late on this issue of Climate Change. The first set of complete National Climate Change Policies was rolled out in 2012. A thorough framework to implement these policies was put forward the next year by the Ministry of Climate Change. However, most of the short-term goals identified in this framework are still incomplete. Pakistan, which has been recognized as the 7th most vulnerable country subjected to climate change, ran its first most noticeable large-scale campaign as late as 2019.
A large proportion of the population in Pakistan still does not have considerable access to information. For most Pakistanis, the primary source of information is the media and unfortunately, our media does not highlight this issue enough. The people who are, in fact, actually aware of the threats of climate change report the internet to be their primary source of information. Sadly, as of now, only 35% of the population has access to the internet and hence 65% of the Pakistanis remain indifferent about the issues that are important but are not emphasized by the media.
Comparatively, Pakistan’s neighboring countries like China and Afghanistan started their combat against climate change way earlier. The ‘ban on Plastic bags’ that has been recently implemented in Pakistan was inculcated in China 10 years ago and in Afghanistan, 6 years ago. Even though Pakistan does not contribute much to climate change but it does still classify as one of the countries that are bearing the brunt of it. According to the UNDP report, if strong actions are not taken as soon as possible, Pakistan will face some very serious consequences in the near future. The most likely consequence is frequent and occasionally very severe flooding; ironically, Pakistan is already known for its history with floods.
It might surprise some people how small and simple steps may actually result in a lot of better conditions.
- Reducing emissions by choosing public transport and bicycling whenever possible
- Saving energy by turning off unnecessary lights and electronic appliances
- Preferring natural sunlight
- Consuming in a more efficient way to increase sustainability
- Recycling and reusing in order to protect nature
- Planting trees in your garden
These are some of the very initial steps that every human must take in order to preserve the planet that has been blessed to mankind.
The youth of Pakistan is already playing a considerable role in creating awareness about this global issue. It is time that every Pakistani rise up against this undeniable problem and help make this world a better place to live.
It must be a priority by the media to make Pakistanis aware; it is not social work rather it’s a primary duty of every person on this planet.
Let’s all make Pakistan a preserver and not a spender.