Environmental scientist Professor Dr. Moazzam Ali Khan stated on World Environment Day today, Pakistan is facing some of the worst effects of greenhouse gases, Even with comparatively fewer greenhouse gases production.
Dr. Khan emphasized that there is just 0.3% towards greenhouse gases from Pakistan but still Pakistan is facing the ‘worst form of climate change fallout across the world’.
Pakistan stands at number eight among 12 countries worst hit by global warming referring to his latest research about effects of global warming.
Carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases act like a blanket, absorbing infrared radiation and preventing it from escaping into outer space. The net effect is the gradual heating of the Earth’s atmosphere and surface, known as global warming, he said explaining the phenomenon of global warming.
Talking about its effects locally, Dr. Khan said severe global warming and rapid climate changes can lead to a rise in our sea level in the coastal areas of Sindh, especially Karachi. He warned that intense heat waves and drought are likely to increase in the future, along with diminished rainfall across the country.
“Minimum rise in the recorded temperature owing to climate change in the country owing to climate change”, he further explained with the help of Global emissions chart.
Dr. Gul Munir, an environmentalist, and infectious control expert said environment-friendly activities encouraged across the world, he grieved but unfortunately, this is not the case in Pakistan.
“More than 62 % of Karachi’s population is living in an unplanned manner. Shortage of water, lack of sanitation facilities, sewerage issues and unavailability of utilities will not only affect people’s lives but also damage the environment as well,” he warned.
Dr. Khan said while commenting on everyday general activities of the public that can help the environment “the easiest way to reduces the challenges of climate change is to encourage plantation of local trees species like Neem, Moringa, and Amaltas and discourage the trend to implant imported species”.
The biggest city of Pakistan, Karachi, according to the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation has over 900 roads, it is mandatory that every road must have a green belt but unfortunately most of them occupied by land grabbers while others destroyed in the name of construction.
Dr. Munir exclaimed another reason for the poor environmental situation of the city is that government is unable to implement the law as a result violators go unpunished. “Public must step forward to pressurize the government into working to save the environment”, he urged.
June 5 designated as the World Environment Day in 1974 by the United Nations. Every year a different global country hosts a World Environment Day. This year the host country is Canada.