• Home
  • Energy
  • Sustainability
  • Climate Change
    • Eco Editorial
  • Environment
    • Environmental Issues
      • Environmental Pollution
      • Global Warming
      • Population Explosion
      • Renewable Energy
      • Species Extinction
      • Sustainable Management of Resources
    • Animals
    • Pollution
    • Environmental Policy
  • Green Technology
    • Green Tips
  • Contact Us
  • Home
  • Energy
  • Sustainability
  • Climate Change
    • Eco Editorial
  • Environment
    • Environmental Issues
      • Environmental Pollution
      • Global Warming
      • Population Explosion
      • Renewable Energy
      • Species Extinction
      • Sustainable Management of Resources
    • Animals
    • Pollution
    • Environmental Policy
  • Green Technology
    • Green Tips
  • Contact Us
Extreme weather conditions in Pakistan due to climate change
September 14, 2021

climate change Pakistan

Pakistan is considered one of the disaster-prone countries in Asia. Natural disasters such as Droughts, Floods, and heat waves have become common in the country. Among these, floods have been recognized as the most severe form of natural disaster

Droughts

According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Report of 2015, Groundwater resources in Pakistan are very limited which has already been reduced from 5,600 m3 (at the time of Independence 1947) to 1200 m3 (per Capita). Due to the low availability of water, the frequency of droughts had been higher in the region of Baluchistan and Sindh, according to climate data. Millions of hectares of the country’s land experience an annual rainfall of less than 30 mm, and some hectares of land which is suitable for agriculture are subjected to wind and water erosion, waterlogging, loss of organic matter and salinity. Several other severe episodes of droughts were recorded in 1967–69, 1971, 1973–75, 1994, 1998–2002, and most recent 2009–15.

Floods

On the other hand Pakistan has a long history of floods and floods of 1928, 1929, 1955, 1957, 1959, 1973, 1976, 1988, 1992, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2001, 2008, 2010, and recent 2020 share the saddest events with tremendous damages in the country. The floods of 2010, resulting from heavy monsoon rain affected the Indus River basin. 1/5th of the country’s total land area was underwater, approximately 796,095 square Km (307,374 sq mi). The floods directly affected about 20 million people, mostly by destruction of property, livelihood, and infrastructure, with a death toll of close to 2,000, according to Pakistan Government data. Data from Pakistan Meteorological Department in 2010, recorded Heavy rainfalls of more than 200 millimeters (7.9 in) in the provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab.

At one time Pakistan faced severe drought conditions due to extremely low rainfall which caused extreme famine conditions affecting 3.3 million families, and at other times country faced the most destructive form of floods. Several factors are responsible for the vulnerabilities of shifts in climatic conditions.

The major dynamic pressures on society causing vulnerability are fragile natural environment, lack of education and awareness, environmental degradation, explosive population growth, poor construction practices, poverty, weak agriculture practices, poor early warning systems, and deforestation. Uncontrolled free grazing of livestock (Tragedy of Commons), and aridity is one of the causes of droughts and deforestation. These play role in the flooding equation because trees strengthen the soil and prevent soil erosion and absorb water efficiently.

Fewer Tress = More Floods

Climate Change and Glacial Melting

According to the Fourth Assessment Report on climate change of the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate change (IPCC) and Copenhagen Conference on Climate Change 2009, “Glaciers have been the most visible indicators of Climate Change”. The northern part of Pakistan occupies glacier in the range of Karakoram, Hindu Kash, and the Himalayas covers around 13,680 Km2 which represent around 13% of the mountainous regions of the upper Indus Basin.

Glaciers are important aspects of climate change because they provide important information and tells about past climate that is preserved in the core specifically trapped in air bubbles, and this scientific information enables the scientist evaluate the past climate change and to predict the future trends. It also analyzes the current situation of climate change, as they are very sensitive to temperature, and unusual weather conditions.

The study of glaciers provides the basis for climate change and global warming. Glaciers are receding and wasting at a global level, which shows the sign of Global warming. On the other hand, it has also been reported that in some cases glaciers are not wasting or receding but the pattern of snow melting and feeding capacity has been increased with the passage of time which is the root cause of Hazards. According to the Government of Pakistan, the global mean temperature due to global warming is expected to increase from 1.5oC to 6oC by the end of this century, and these changes are responsible for a discernible increase in floods, storms, forest fires.

Some glaciers in Pakistan are growing due to rapid change in seasonal variations and summers and winter seasons are becoming shorter. The major sources of fresh water in Pakistan are glacier, upon which almost 50 million people are dependent, and changes in glaciers definitely affect the population. The bulk of glacier melts coincide with the monsoon rainfall increasing the risks of floods hazards. Climate change in the Indus basin is not uniform; the temperature increase in both summers and winters will be higher in the northern part of Pakistan as compared to the southern part of the country and these changes are the cause of variability in monsoons adding water-stressed conditions in the arid and semi-arid region of the country.

Climate Changedroughtsfloodsnatural disasters
Share

Climate Change

Fareeha Javed

You might also like

Bracing for Impact: How to Prepare for the Impact of Climate Change
October 27, 2021
Is Energy-Efficient Architecture Answer to Our Climate Change Challenge
September 8, 2021
Understanding The Connection Between Climate Change And Infectious Diseases
August 15, 2021
  • Recent Posts

    • 4 Things to Know Before Buying an Electric Car
    • How to Build an Eco-Friendly Home
    • Essential Guide to WEEE Compliance
    • 7 Sustainable Changes for a More Eco-Friendly Business
    • How To Reduce Lagoon Pollution
  • Categories

    • Animals
    • Climate Change
    • Eco Editorial
    • Energy
    • Environment
    • Environmental Policy
    • Green Food
    • Green Technology
    • Green Tips
    • Green Travel
    • Infographics
    • Other Stories
    • Pollution
    • Recycle
    • Sustainability
    • Toxics
    • Uncategorized
  • Archives

    • January 2023
    • December 2022
    • November 2022
    • October 2022
    • September 2022
    • August 2022
    • July 2022
    • June 2022
    • May 2022
    • April 2022
    • March 2022
    • February 2022
    • January 2022
    • December 2021
    • November 2021
    • October 2021
    • September 2021
    • August 2021
    • July 2021
    • June 2021
    • May 2021
    • April 2021
    • March 2021
    • February 2021
    • January 2021
    • December 2020
    • November 2020
    • October 2020
    • September 2020
    • August 2020
    • July 2020
    • June 2020
    • May 2020
    • April 2020
    • March 2020
    • February 2020
    • January 2020
    • December 2019
    • November 2019
    • October 2019
    • September 2019
    • August 2019
    • July 2019
    • June 2019
    • May 2019
    • April 2019
    • March 2019
    • February 2019
    • January 2019
    • December 2018
    • November 2018
    • October 2018
    • September 2018
    • August 2018
    • July 2018
    • June 2018
    • May 2018
    • April 2018
    • March 2018
    • February 2018
    • January 2018
    • December 2017
    • November 2017
    • October 2017
    • September 2017
    • August 2017
    • July 2017
    • June 2017
    • May 2017
    • April 2017
    • March 2017
    • February 2017
    • January 2017
    • December 2016
    • November 2016
    • October 2016
    • September 2016
    • August 2016
    • July 2016
    • June 2016
    • May 2014
    • March 2014
    • February 2014
    • January 2014
    • December 2013
    • November 2013
    • October 2013
    • September 2013
    • August 2013
    • July 2013
    • June 2013
    • May 2011



Home | About | Advertise With Us | Bike The Netherlands | Current Environmental Issues | Eco Editorial | Contact