Poverty stricken people, living in the rural and coastal areas of Pakistan, are more prone to the devastating effects of climate change.
It has been noted in various studies and researches that people linked to agriculture and fishing may be the worst hit by global warming and food security issues. The rising temperature and non-consistent precipitation are feared to affect them, resulting in falling agricultural produce and rising sea levels.
Cognisant of the situation arising out of climate change and environmental degradation, the government and Environment Ministry declared 2009 as the National Year of Environment, wherein a number of activities have been organised in this regard.
As special emphasis has been repeatedly laid on adaptation measures to combat climate change, the Environment Ministry took a number of initiatives to cope with the situation.
After a regional conference on climate change earlier during the current year, one important activity of the series is a two-day workshop on ‘Impacts of Climate Change on Agriculture in Pakistan’ starting tomorrow (Monday), where experts and environmentalists will deliberate upon this important issue, highlighting its affects on agriculture and rural communities as well as future steps and measures to meet the challenge.
Meanwhile, a recent study of an international NGO has also mentioned the vulnerability of poor people in Pakistan in the wake of the rising temperature.
Millions people living in the Sub-Sahara region and in South Asia’s rural and coastal areas are under threat due to the rising temperature and sea level, with Pakistan among the top 12 most threatened countries across the world.
The study, carried out by Oxfam in three provinces of Pakistan, revealed the worries of inhabitants and suggested more efforts to deal with this imminent threat. “Climate change, along with local environmental degradation, is pushing vulnerable farming and fishing communities in Pakistan towards increased poverty and suffering,” the study noted.
Findings of the community based research ‘Climate Change, Poverty & Environmental Crisis in the Disaster Prone Areas of Pakistan’ reveal that inhabitants of these areas are not only aware about the changing climate, but are also acutely perceptive about its adverse impacts on their lives and livelihoods. They are also well aware of the expansion of sea and shrinking winters, with temperature rising every year and summers staying for a longer period.
The study highlights the strong correlation between the findings from community surveys and the climate trends and predictions by climate scientists. It also focuses on how the changing climate along with the depletion of natural resources is rapidly aggravating the risk to the lives and livelihoods of communities, mostly dependent on natural resources for their survival.
The study concluded with stress on adaptation to climate change to help people secure their lives and livelihoods; developing new agriculture, water resource and rangeland management systems; and upgrading the fishing practices.
It also recommends developing further technologies for water recycling and disaster risk reduction programmes, and emphasises that people-centred resilience should underpin all these activities and help farmers and fishermen to achieve food security and adapt to climate change.
“This report demonstrates clearly how climate change is already affecting the most vulnerable people of developing nations,” said Neva Khan, Oxfam GB Country Director for Pakistan. “It is important that rich countries commit sufficient resources to support adaptation. A fair and adequate climate deal next month in Copenhagen summit is a must,” Ms Khan said.