The Environment versus Us

While experts predict more smog this winter in Pakistan, the actions of those living on this smog strip, spanning across Kathmandu, Dhaka, Delhi, and Lahore, have further exacerbated the environmental concerns in the region. Moreover, with socio-economic and political issues taking center stage, policymakers in Pakistan have turned a blind eye to the up-coming environment crisis.

Pakistan is regarded as the fifth most climate-vulnerable nation in the world. The World Bank estimates also indicate that air pollution in Pakistani cities generates welfare losses equivalent to 6% of GDP. Moreover, the Global Climate Risk Index shows that 10,000 lives were lost in Pakistan due to climate-related disasters.

As both human life and economic output are lost due to changes in the climate, Pakistan has a difficult path to tread in terms of improving environmental sustainability.

Rising Smog Levels

Lahore and Karachi outrank some of the largest metropolitan cities in terms of air pollution levels. According to Greenstone and Fan, consistent exposure to abnormally high particulate matter levels in cities like Lahore can reduce a person's life by 5.3 years.

In addition to industrial and vehicle emissions, crop fires have also emerged as a significant factor contributing to higher pollution levels, especially in Lahore.

Crop fires in Lahore are the highest in four years, and a similar trend is visible across the province of Punjab. With poor environmental governance, this indicates that the Lahore smog season may be longer and more dangerous this season.

Hammad Gilani, Assistant Professor at the Institute of Space Technology, shared a graphical depiction of active fire counts in Lahore from September (2001 - 2020), explaining smog's onset in the next few months.

Moreover, Pawan Gupta, a researcher, and air quality enthusiast shared the last one-week NASA Earth Data on fires across Pakistan's province of Punjab and the two Indian provinces of Punjab and Haryana, indicating that air pollution is a transnational issue that impacts everyone irrespective of their national boundaries.

The Karachi Monsoons

Every year, Karachi's monsoons are more intense and less predictable, causing havoc across the unprepared city. According to Fatima Bhutto, the city does not have a functioning drainage system, a proper emergency response plan, and a reliable healthcare system, except for those who can pay. This has led to more than 100 deaths and the destruction of thousands of homes and settlements, especially those belonging to the city's poorer segments.

Karachi is the country's economic hub, and with more than half of the city submerged under monsoon floods, markets and warehouses reported damages worth Rs.25 billion. According to the World Bank, Sindh loses 15% of its GDP every year to climate change.

Moreover, heavy monsoon rains and consequential urban flooding, particularly in Karachi, have also caused significant damage to existing infrastructure and has led to a 16.6% decline in exports during the July and August period, according to Benazir Shah.

Even though environment laws exist in Pakistan, the regulatory bodies lack the capacity to ensure effective implementation. While there is enormous potential to create and employ unique data in environmental policymaking, there is a growing need to prioritize action against climate change to mitigate the adverse effects of this crisis.