Daily Times

Sir: According to the Economic Survey 2016-17, Pakistan ranks seventh among the most adversely affected countries by climate change on Global Climate Risk Index (2017). The survey also showed that despite having the high vulnerability of future climatic changes, Pakistan is still among very low Greenhouse Gases (GHG) emissionemitter countries.

Pakistan’s vulnerability from climate change is due to geographic, demographic and diverse climatic conditions. Particularly the environment changes threaten water, energy and food security due to the inherent arid climate coupled with the high degree of reliance on water from glacier snow-melt.

It may be added that the impacts of climate change are being felt through increasing intensity and frequency of extreme climatic disastrous events, as well as small, but incremental changes are insidiously affecting many sectors of government activity.

It is heartening to note that being a responsible state and part of international community Pakistan is planning to take serious steps for playing an effective role in lowering global GHG emissions. Realising the high vulnerability to climate change the government has developed a national policy to combat climate change and an action plan is being drawn up to implement climate change concerns through sustainable planning effectively. The country’s response to the challenges of global warming and climate change has been closely aligned with its strategies for environmental protection, sustainable development goals (SDGs) and objectives of the Convention on Climate Change.

KHAN FARAZ

Peshawar