Urgent shift

The UN’s recent report on climate change is an eye-opener. As per the findings of the researched-based study, the UN has warned that 2023-2027 would be the warmest five-year period ever recorded on earth. The planet’s mean temperature would cross the two-degree Celsius threshold as set in the Paris Accords. At present, the global average temperature has already reached 1.15 degrees Celsius in 2022. Climate change patterns around the world are clearly emergent in the form of heatwaves, glacial melting, floods, droughts and forest fires.

With reference to Pakistan, the 2022 flash floods bear witness to the repercussions of climate-related disasters. In the wake of such alarming developments, there is a dire need to comprehend the gravity of the matter. The use of nonrenewable energy resources, such as fossil fuels, should be phased out gradually. Instead, environment-friendly energy sources, such as wind, solar, or biomass, should be incorporated. Despite having the requisite capability of extracting energy from renewable sources, Islamabad’s development of such eco-friendly sources is scant. Both federal and provincial governments should act now or else it will be too late.

Muhammad Aftab Ahmad

Faisalabad