No Silver Bullet to climate crisis

There is no silver bullet to climate crisis. Agriculture contribute to 14% of total greenhouse gas emissions. Recommendation to cope with climate change in terms of Mitigation and adaptations to be considered two sides of coin and solution to a single problem.

No Silver Bullet to climate crisis

Individual level : Top 10 recommendations for one self

  1. Be aware and spread the word of climate change reality
  2. Energize your home with renewable like Solar, Biogas etc. & Improved cook stoves
  3. Reduce heating and air conditioning by smart designed home with ample ventilation and control
  4. Use energy efficient appliances, Many appliances have tag of energy consumption status
  5. Reduce water waste and recycle. Flushing in toilets can be done by used water.
  6. Eat simple and balanced food reducing meat consumption and food with less water and carbon footprint prefer to do kitchen gardening.
  7. Use Led bulbs up to 80% efficiency.
  8. Fuel efficient vehicles well maintained.
  9. Go online for most meetings save travel and fuel reducing your carbon footprint.
  10. Bicycling and walking be preferred on use of cars and fuel consuming vehicles.

Institutional Level:

  1. Energy efficient buildings fitted with renewables
  2. Sustainable transport system like BRT, SUBWAY, Electric buses and trains.
  3. Paperless systems and communication in offices and all academics, banks and companies.
  4. Carbon accounting and plan for sequestration/Carbon offsetting by CDM-Clean development mechanism
  5. Tree plantations and green covered areas, vertical greening of walls and greening of roof tops to reduce energy consumption for heating and cooling needs of buildings.
  6. Bicycling paths and walking tracks for short cut and easy access and separated from other traffic.
  7. Carbon farming / Regenerative agricultural practices.

Government considerations for Agriculture sector.

  1. Soil carbon sequestration and No till farming can save major cost on fuel for tillage operations and associated greenhouse gas emissions.
  2. Afforestation esp. fast growing spp. Like bamboo and Nitrogen fixing plantations, kikar, shreen.
  3. Pakistan Automated Agricultural Weather Network (PAAWN) establishment.
  4. Changing livestock feeds to improve digestibility and reduce methane emission.
  5. Slow release fertilizers for enhancing efficiency of inputs and yield while reducing emissions.
  6. Mangroves plantations to cover whole coast lines and expanding it over time.
  7. Sustainable Agroforestry system integrated with livestock for sustainable and diverse income
  8. Replacement of tube-wells and drip irrigation systems on solar power.
  9. 9- Actionable program for climate observation, early warning systems and integration of crop-climate models as analytical tools.
  10. Carbon market activation, carbon credits, C-taxes and carbon accounting system development
  11. Promoting biodiversity esp. in crops by adding more legumes in cropping systems that add to eco-friendly protein supply other than meat.
  12. NAMA- Nationally appropriate mitigation actions , CDM-Clean development mechanism and INDC. Intended nationally determined contributions, National GHG inventory and implementation of National climate change policy to be prioritized.
  13. Capacity building of extension service with ICT based awareness and solutions for implementation and training at farm schools to develop climate smart villages and farmlands.
  14. Funding research on climate resilient crops and breeds.
  15. Implementation of climate smart practices and precision agriculture systems deployment.

Industrial /Other sector recommendation

  1. Promoting wood product or infrastructure than polluting cement industry.
  2. Subways, bicycle paths and walk tracks. With more green area
  3. Industrial emission reduction by electrification through renewable.
  4. Climate resilient infrastructure development.

Conclusively If there is a silver bullet that is to shift on renewable.

By Fahd Rasul

Dr Fahd Rasul is Associate professor of Agronomy working on Agroclimatology lab, department of Agronomy, University of Agriculture Faisalabad. He is Fulbright Scholar and alumni from Washington State University. He got PhD degree from South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China. He works on Rice and major field crops. Serving as Member Rice Research and Development board of Agriculture Department, Government of Punjab.