Climate Change Impact

Stories, Poetry and Local perspectives from Pakistan

Editorial Note

Together with our partner Institute of Urbanism we have supported a cohort of eco-journalists from various backgrounds and various levels of experiences to contribute to this dossier. Each of their stories features their own regional and provincial backgrounds and related thematic focus.

They highlight how climatic change resulting in extreme weather events, affect the people and other species in their locations and how they have found ways to adapt to these changes and challenges.

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Podcast

Climate Change and Its Impact in Pakistan

The show is called SpotLight TALK SHOW by RJ Adil on topic of climate change and its impact on Pakistan.

Mitigation

Tackling Karachi's garbage crisis

Karachi has long been facing an acute waste disposal issue. Successive governments and municipal administrations have come up with different ideas and solutions to deal with this chronic issue but they have not produced desired results. This article discusses the gravity of the issue, identifies key bottlenecks, and suggests short and long-term solutions based on experts’ opinions.

Public transport in Islamabad: A growing challenge for city managers with rapid urbanisation

Islamabad's population is expected to exceed 2.2 million in 2030 from the existing 1.67 million, increasing demand for sustainable public transport

Harnessing Pakistan’s waste

Pakistan generates over 49.6 million tonnes of solid wastes annually and witnesses a 2.4 per cent increase every year. The country has a great potential to produce power and carry out composting, which could go a long way in mitigating impacts of climate change. Effective policies, political will, concerted efforts and adequate investment could turn this dream of environment friendly power generation into a reality but this opportunity is not without challenges.

By Abdul Sattar

Water well managed in Islamabad

An efficient and less expensive technique seems to be working in recharging groundwater and checking flash flood in Pakistan’s capital.

By Ali Jabir Malik

A transforming transport system

Peshawar’s sustainable BRT has made the lives of millions by providing modern, eco-friendly urban mobility service

Tapping solar energy potential

Pakistan, which depends heavily on fossil fuels for power, must find an alternative to its chronic energy crisis.

By Muhammad Arslan

Zigzag way to end brick kiln pollution

With the advent of zigzag technology used to transform conventional brick kilns into more eco-friendly kilns since 2017, black smoke emitting from brick kilns is now accepted to be the result of poor combustion and inefficient burning of coal, which adds to choking air pollution in Pakistan’s cities. White smoke means the combustion process is optimised, hence there is no stream of un-burnt particles, which is good for the environment and also means more profits for brick owners. In May, the Punjab Environment Protection Department announced that conversion of almost all 8,000 brick kilns in the province to zigzag technology would reduce air pollution by about 15 per cent in the future.

By Rina Saeed Khan

Power from animal wastes

An ambitious project to convert cattle dung to fuel for buses may improve Karachi’s pathetic transport system, check heavy pollution and restore soil fertility.

From grey to green

Following the success of Billion Trees Afforestation Project (BTAP) in Khyber Paktunkhwa (KP) province, the Government of Pakistan launched its flagship initiative Ten Billion Tree Tsunami Programme (TBTTP) in 2018 across the country with a view to harnessing the rapidly depleting natural resources and wildlife habitats. Within few years, the ambitious environmental conservation policy has helped turn around many barren landscapes, improve soil fertility, protect environment and wildlife, and, importantly, create livelihood options for local communities. Obviously, the project is attracting global attention.

By Ali Jabir Malik

Biodiversity Loss

A lifeline in peril

Kabul river that emerges from Afghanistan’s mountains and empties into the Indus basin at Pakistan’s plain serves as a lifeline for 20 million inhabitants of both the countries by providing water for drinking, irrigation and livelihood. But increasing pollution due to dumping of untreated waste has turned this useful resource into a serious health hazard for its beneficiaries and aquatic species as well.

Wild boar attack on farm economy

The article sheds light on threats to farming community of Hazara division in Pakistan’s North comprising of seven districts with a population of 5.3 million who are badly affected due to unusual migration of wild boars to mountainous region. A large number of farmers are giving up farming and opting for other sources of earning due to destruction of their crops by herds of wild boars, a rare species, which until 2013 was not found in the area. Environmentalists believe that migration of wild boars from tropical to temperate region is because of global warming and shrinking of habitats due to increasing urbanisation.

Climate change danger to Balochistan coast

Climate change is a global issue, and its adverse effects are emerging in most countries worldwide. Many countries are taking steps to address these serious issues by introducing new climate-sensitive policies or through legislative changes. In contrast, poorer countries have not been able to do the same. Global warming and the rising sea surface temperature are having devastating effects on the local economy and the livelihood of the coastal communities in Balochistan.

By Zareef Baloch

Natural Calamity

Displacement and generational loss in flooded Karachi

This article weaves together an in-depth interview of a journalist and his family’s tribulations of urban flooding in the city of Karachi in Pakistan analysing various dynamics that merge erratic changing climate to faulty urban management. The article further explores the intergenerational loss due to climate change by retelling the protagonist’s experiences with family history and flooding. Socio-political elements are also discussed to shed light on the more sinister and systemic bottlenecks to urban planning and management that is more climate resilient and responsive. Finally, it merges Karachi’s most popular urban myth with climate change projections to show how people use storytelling to either fight against climate change or become complacent to its eventual disasters.

Atlantis Now

As children we are told tales, Interwoven imagineerings of myth, history - Fairytales too. The first pangs of fascination, Felt were from a story because it was more land Than a cultural creation. The legend of ATLANTIS.

Pakistan’s glacial melting woes

There are more than 6,000 glaciers in northern Pakistan, including Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). These are clean water reservoirs that actually irrigate Pakistan. But these glaciers are changing rapidly due to climate change. The ecosystem of these areas is changing. Global warming has accelerated their melting and more lakes have been formed as a result. Flooding due to the melting endangers lives and livelihoods of millions of local people and adversely affects the ecology.

No breathing space in Karachi

The hellish transport system in Pakistan’s largest city heaps physical and environmental miseries on women and stifles their freedom and growth.

By Shabina Faraz

Fossil Fuel

Pakistan’s fossil fuel burden

Pakistan’s contribution to global emission is less than 1 per cent yet it is the fifth most vulnerable country to climate change. Pakistan has pledged to the world that by 2030, 60 per cent of all energy produced will be "clean", generated through renewable sources. A country of more than 220 million people is expected to grow economically by 3.9 per cent in 2021 and by 4 per cent in 2022. This will put pressure on energy demands. Pakistan will definitely require long term consistent policy actions to meet energy demands through clean and renewable sources. It needs to shed its reliance on short term fixes not only to meet its energy demands but also fight climate change.

By Muhammad Arslan

Climate Fellows 2021

Mavra Bari

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Muhammad Arslan

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Adeel Saeed

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Rina Saeed Khan

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Ali Jabir Malik

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Shabina Faraz

Zareef Baloch

Abid Ali

Afia Salam

Adil Munir

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