Climate Change is a global phenomenon caused by Green House Gas emissions due to the use of goods containing carbon like motor gasoline or the commodities whose manufacturing needs carbon-containing inputs. The more such activities by humans, the larger would be the emissions. It is forecasted that the planet would be inhabitable if these emissions are left unchecked. Pakistan has little contribution to global GHGs emissions. However, Pakistan is one of the most vulnerable countries to CC due to its water-dependent agriculture and electricity. Pakistan’s 40 per cent labour force is employed in agriculture and is most vulnerable as they cannot afford to adopt mitigation and adaptation strategies. This population is at risk and requires consistent help for transitioning out from CC adversities. Pakistan, thus, has to save itself through adaptations and by becoming energy-efficient in terms of usage and expanding renewable energy.
Moreover, we must reduce emissions by consuming less as everyone must act to avoid extinction. In this regard, there lies another critical concept when considering the issue of climate change: Ecological Footprint (EF). EF is a measure of the demand that a person makes on the global natural resources. In 2008, humanity’s ecological footprint was 18.2 global hectares whereas the earth’s total bio-capacity was 12.0 billion. It means there is at least a gap of 6.2 billion between the demand and supply. However, the EF of a person is not the same everywhere, or for all persons in one place. It is linked to their consumption levels. An average EF for low-income countries is 1.0 GHA/person, whereas that of high-income countries is 6.2 GHA/person. A study shows that to bring every person of today’s 7.1 billion population to the same level of EF as in the UK (whose per person EF is 4.9 GHA) in terms of resource consumption, we need 2.9 earth-like planets. EF is not only based on consumption but it is also based on the wastage amount a person adds to earth. Less consumption and a modest lifestyle can, therefore, help reduce pressure on earth and reduce EF.
There are two types of intervention at this vital time i.e. Hard Intervention and Soft Intervention. When taking hard intervention into account in the case of Pakistan, the federal government has provided institutional & policy frameworks under Climate Change Policy 2012, Pakistan Water Policy 2018, National Food Security Policy and many Multilateral Environment Agreements, to tackle this massive CC issue.
Pakistan has to save itself by becoming energy-efficient in terms of usage and expanding renewable sources.
But the previous government, under the radiant leadership of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, who has a very keen interest and serious concern about Pakistan’s high vulnerability to the adverse impacts of climate change had gone further by taking initiatives for the promotion of renewable energy and conservation of energy like Renewable Energy Policy of Pakistan, 2019, setting up of Alternate Energy Development Board (AEDB), and National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Agency (NEECA). The focus is not only on renewable energy sources but also on promoting energy conservation like efficient lights and motors etc. Under the vision and policy guidelines by former PM, Imran Khan, the State Bank of Pakistan, through its Financing Scheme for Renewable Energy as a Green Banking initiative, has disbursed PKR 79.7 billion as of February 2022. Thus, there appears an urge on the state level to promote renewable energy sources, particularly given the stringent Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) agreed by Pakistan at COP-26 aiming at the generation of 60 per cent of all energy from renewable sources by 2030.
On the other hand, soft intervention in the form of mass awareness proves a more sustainable, long-term, and efficient yet entirely ignored means from the state institutions’ perspective. Mass awareness via education is the most important part of the strategy for tackling CC because it prepares children in schools and youth in universities to understand CC. Since the issue is man-made and involves the masses, legal and administrative remedies may not be of much help as compared to proper curriculum-based education. And, Education for Climate Change should go beyond science and address values, customs, actions and lifestyles, which are responsible for CC.
The design and methodology of education, however, need to be ascertained. Environmental Education (EE) was previously a discipline to teach Climate Change (CC), and now under Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)’s global framework 2030 for the next ten (10) years, Education for Climate Change (ECC) is integrated with ESD because climate change is not purely a scientific discourse but has socioeconomic, cultural and psychological dimensions as well. China, Australia and Denmark in a top-down approach follow this approach. Australia already had all solar schools by 2016.
(To Be Continued)
Ghania Usman was formerly associated with Army Public School, Bahawalpur, and can be reached at ghaniausman93
@gmail.com. Saud Bin Ahsen is a freelancer and works at a public policy institute. He can be reached at [email protected]