‘Understanding climate change vulnerabilities need of the hour’

Islamabad : Aisha Khan, CEO, Civil Society Coalition for Climate Change has called for a greater understanding of climate change vulnerabilities and their impact on coastal areas.

Ms Khan was addressing a webinar on ‘How the climate change is threatening the coastal belt of Sindh’ organised here by Institute of Regional Studies (IRS) in collaboration with the Centre of Coastal & Deltaic Studies (CCD), Thatta, and Centre for Environmental Sciences (CES), University of Sindh, Jamshoro.

While highlighting the causes of increasing coastal vulnerabilities, Ms Khan underscored hydrological changes due to global warming as well as the changes in atmospheric pressure that resulted in frequent storms and cyclones as the leading cause of rapid degradation of coastal belts. The situation is alarming as 10 per cent of the total population of Sindh is living in the vicinity of coastal areas along with the heavy presence of industry that is around 40 per cent, she said adding that Sindh’s coastal areas are more prone to cyclones as compared to that of Balochistan. She called for a holistic strategic plan that must include coastal land reforms along with other important elements of coastal resilience such as increasing community capacity, and preserving nature.

Dr Mukhtar Ahmed Mahar, Director at CCD, was of the view that climate change has brought a significant change in the coastline morphology of Sindh’s coastal belts. He observed that reduction in sediments, wave activity, rise in the sea level, pollution and over-exploitation of coastal resources and wind erosions were causing rapid degeneration of deltas. He cautioned further decrease in agricultural activities, livestock and fisheries due to an increase in sea intrusions which he said would ultimately impact the livelihood of the people living in and around the coastal belts. He urged scientific intervention, and enhanced collaboration between the stakeholders to mitigate the adverse effect of climate change.

Dr Amanullah, a faculty at CES, apprised the audience of increased use of fossil fuels stressing that deforestation was primarily causing the environmental changes in Pakistan. Though country’s share in the rising global greenhouse gas emissions is minimal yet its impact is extremely consequential, he added.

In his closing remarks, Dr. Amanullah referred to sea intrusions, cyclones and coastal pollution as the leading cause of coastal degradation along with the reduction in environmental flows and exploitation of coastal resources. He called for strict compliance with the national climate change policy introduced in 2012. He also urged the government and NGOs to join hands in the rehabilitation of environmental refugees in Pakistan.

In his opening remarks, IRS President Nadeem Riyaz stressed the need to rationalise our approach to deal effectively with the climate challenge so that we could minimise the harmful impacts of environmental changes particularly in the coastal areas of Sindh.