Climate challenges mount for Pakistan due to sea-level rise, experts warn

KARACHI: The frequency of tropical cyclones’ formation in the Arabian sea has increased 10 times during last 20 years due to continuous rise in the sea-surface temperature and in the years to come the occurrence of more intense tropical cyclones in feared due to increase in the sea temperature. “In addition to more frequent formation of intense tropical cyclones, rise in seawater temperature is resulting in sea-level rise which can seriously affect coastal ecosystems, destruction of agricultural lands along the coastal belt and may result in mass migration due to loss of livelihood,” former Director General, Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) and Regional Program Manager Center for Mountain Development (ICIMOD) Dr. Ghulam Rasool said on Tuesday.

Briefing on the implications of sea-level rise and increasing frequency of tropical cyclones in the Arabian sea to the coastal infrastructure and the Indus delta, Dr. Ghulam Rasool asked Pakistan meteorological scientists to use data from sea-level observations and future projections for applications to coastal climate impact research and risk assessment.

He was speaking at a three-day online training workshop on “Sea-level rise and implications for Pakistan” jointly organized by the UK Met Office and International Center for Mountain Development (ICIMOD) in partnership with Pakistan Meteorological Department. Director General PMD Dr. Muhammad Riaz, acknowledged the threat to Pakistan’s coastal areas due to to sea-level rise in the near future. Daron Joseph, the lead of UK Met Office team spoke about the contents of the training including both science and projections. This training workshop is supported by the Asia Regional Resilience to a Changing Climate (ARRCC) programme funded by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). Dr. Ghulam Rasool, who is one of the organizers of the workshop, said this training event is aimed supporting the use of data from sea-level observations and future projections for applications to coastal climate impact research and risk assessment.

“The participants of the training have come from diverse range of academic background from 18 scientific institutions including academia, relevant Government agencies, INGOs and research institutes as well as Pakistan Navy.