By Abid Imtiaz
Bells of climate change have been ringing since a decade and researchers and academics informing the world but they were not taken serious. Resultantly, the monster of climate change has gripped the world ruthlessly. The unfamiliar words like Flash floods, Cloud bursts, Heat wave and Glacial Lake outburst Floods (GLOFs) are now talk of the world media and concern. Climate change is an enormous problem that has been exerting its effects on all parts of the world in one way or the other but some places are certainly more exposed to its disastrous impacts such as Pakistan. Pakistan being a populous developing country largely dependent on its food crops therefore facing more impact of climate change. Heat wave in Europe and in continent North America is going to change the complete construction and living pattern of life of inhabitants.
Effects of Climate Change on Punjab
Punjab is Pakistan’s most important agriculture and one of its most densely populated provinces. Its economy, food production, irrigation system, cities and rural livelihoods are therefore highly exposed to climate change. Major climate risks are rising temperatures, heat waves, irregular rainfall, floods, droughts, water scarcity and declining agricultural productivity. Punjab’s own environmental assessment identifies increasing floods, heat waves, drought and water stress as major climate-related challenges. The provincial climate reports reflects an average temperature rise of about 0.97°C across 57% of the province, with around 20 additional summer days in South Punjab.
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As Punjab covers a large area, therefore, climate change does not affect every part of Punjab in the same manner but have different aspects. Northern Punjab is affected by rainfall variability, drought, flash floods and soil erosion. Central Punjab by heat waves, urban flooding, agricultural and water stress. Eastern Punjab by heavy monsoon rainfall, river flooding, urban flooding. Southern Punjab by extreme heat, drought, water scarcity, river flooding and Cholistan by severe heat, drought, water evaporation/ shortages.
It is pertinent to mention that waters of all rivers (Indus, Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi and Sutlej) flowing all through Punjab are managed under Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) signed between Pakistan and India in 1960. Moreover, water available under IWT is then distributed among provinces of Pakistan under 1991 interprovincial Water Accord. Therefore, any changes in the flow of these rivers due to climate change occurring in the Himalayas mountains region of KPK and GB is going to affect directly to the food security of Pakistan.
The change in seasons in Punjab is also affecting the traditional cultural activities and living habits including the social gatherings. Punjab is already facing both water scarcity for agriculture and also for clean drinking water due to large scale ground water depletion and impurities. According to Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources Islamabad (PCRWR) survey about 60 % ground water in Punjab is unfit for drinking purposes. This creates a health hazard in the most populous province of Punjab that becomes worse with the addition on factors of Climate change. Yearly water floods in Punjab since a decade had played damaging effects on the overall economy of Punjab. Billions of rupees (Punjab Disaster Management Authority) worth of standing crops, roads / infrastructure went in drain and with loss of hundreds of human lives.
Measures taken by Punjab government
Punjab’s Agriculture Department has identified climate-smart agriculture, drought and heat-tolerant crops, early-warning systems, using remote sensing (SUPARCO Pakistan), improved irrigation and stress-tolerant breeding among its climate actions. Other related Punjab Government departments are also taking measures to counter the adverse effects of climate change.
Way Forward
Key actions include afforestation, groundwater regulation, climate-smart crops, efficient irrigation, flood early-warning systems, resilient urban drainage, solar energy, and disaster preparedness to shift from reactive to proactive climate adaptation and mitigation. Punjab therefore needs to move from a largely disaster-response approach to climate-resilient development, with particular emphasis on water conservation, climate-smart agriculture, flood and drought preparedness, heat wave protection, resilient cities and use of technology like Geographic Information System (GIS) based climate-risk planning.
Conclusion
The bells of climate change are no longer a warning about the future they are ringing across Punjab today resulting in loss of billions of rupees to its economy every year with food security and health hazards. Therefore, mitigation plan has to be very diverse and multipronged involving all policy makers with regular monitoring mechanism. It is only through a concerted efforts of all related departments of Punjab to yield results otherwise an economic disaster is hovering on the horizon in the food basket of Pakistan.
The author is retired govt officer from MoD & GIS Consultant
