Dealing with climate

In 2022, when apocalyptic floods left one-third of the country underwater, there was a sense of urgency among government representatives. The floods did what scientists’ warnings could not do: forced the government to think about a future protected against climate change. But all this enthusiasm was short-lived. Close to two years have passed after the unspeakable tragedy, and no significant steps have been taken to mitigate the impacts of climate change. Now, during a hearing filed by an advocacy group, the Public Interest Law Association of Pakistan (Pilap), the Supreme Court has ordered the federal government to prepare a report on the steps taken so far to tackle the climate challenge. The court has also asked provincial attorney generals to prepare a report about the steps taken by provincial governments to mitigate the harmful effects of climate change.

Pakistan is the fifth most vulnerable country to climate change, but, surprisingly, successive governments have not shown commitment to keep the country protected. Debates on this topic usually revolve around the responsibility of rich nations to fund developing countries affected by the impacts created by the activities of the developed world. While this argument holds ground, Pakistan also has to come up with home-grown solutions to tackle the phenomenon of global warming. In 2020, when Karachi witnessed urban floods, political parties were quick to politicize the issue. Instead of realizing that our urban landscape is not climate-friendly, the blame was shifted from one party to another. Even though it is true that delays in government work exacerbate the problem, stakeholders have to realize that flooding will become the new normal unless we bring changes in our consumption habits.

The large-scale use of plastic – from food delivery to grocery shopping – leads to heaps of non-biodegradable waste that lines the country’s cities, blocking nullahs and drains and leading to flooding. Masterplans for home construction approved without any considerations for proper drainage, etc also lead to unavoidable catastrophes. But the government has not shown any will to right these wrongs. This lack of willingness on the part of the government is not limited to Pakistan. During the last two climate conferences, rich nations also showed that they were not interested in footing the bill for the developed world. Although some amount was pledged to the Loss and Damage Fund, its distribution remains a big mystery. Pakistan has to realize that it is on its own when it comes to dealing with the climate challenge. And the sooner this realization is, the better. Reining in our ill-thought-out consumption and lifestyle habits is the first step towards a safe future.