Climate change challenges to Pakistan

Poor People and poor Countries depend on natural resources if some natural resource required to sustain life becomes seriously depleted, The climate change issue has been more frightening towards the healthier expansion of both socioeconomic and agriculture activities of any country. To conserve the natural balance of environment Caritas Pakistan organized session on “Climate change Challenges to Pakistan on 16 March, 2016. 25 People from different field of life joined this session at Caritas Pakistan national secretariat.

Dr. Tahira Aziz Mughal, Head of Departmental Environmental sciences, Lahore University highlighted that the majority of Pakistan’s 190 million people are involved in agriculture. Water and Agriculture are at greatest risk. Pakistan is extremely short of fresh water resources, Shortage of irrigation water for agriculture, water for industrial and domestic sectors. Droughts, floods, Saline water intrusion, Coastal erosion, increased crop water requirement.

While indicating effect of climate change on human life she pointed out that changes occurring in the world’s climate pose significant threats to human health and wellbeing and will have even greater impacts in the future. Elevated temperatures in Pakistan confirmed heat-related deaths more than 1500 deaths in 2015 excess deaths from all caused. Flooding has caused billions of rupees of damage and significant loss of life. The populations most vulnerable—children, elderly people, those living in poverty, people living in certain geographic areas and people with underlying health conditions—are at even greater health risk from climate change.

Planning for climate change provides opportunities to protect human health and well-being across many sectors. Early public action is essential to ensuring that systems are in place to protect people from the impacts of climate change.

Mr. Amjad Gulzar Executive Director Caritas Pakistan said “it’s our responsibility to save blessings of God provided in the form of natural resources and beautiful planet by combating challenges faced by climate”. We should join hands for this noble cause.