While highlighting serious threats posed by climate change and global warming, scientists have urged the government to take immediate steps in managing the problems being faced by the people.
This was stated by Professor Dr Muhammad Qasim Jan and Professor Dr Muhammad Aslam Baig, president and general secretary of Pakistan Academy of Sciences respectively, while talking to journalists on occasion of launching "Commonwealth Academies of Sciences: Consensus Statement on Climate Change", here on Monday.
They said as a result of global warming started in 1880 after the industrialisation, the global temperature started increasing which now has reached at an alarming level and as a result countries like Pakistan are facing smog like situation in the winter and massive flooding in summer. They said as a result of global warming, glaciers are rapidly melting which poising a serious threats to millions of people living in mega cities, especially on costal lines, just as Karachi and Mumbai.
Professor Qasim Jan said the Pakistan Academy of Sciences has invited science leaders from around the globe to call upon the Commonwealth governments to use the sound scientific method to guide action on climate change.
Qasim said, "The global warming is a phenomenon naturally occurring from millions of years. But this time, the most alarming thing is its anthropogenic (human-made) activities."
While emphasising on release of Greenhouse Gases (GHG), Qasim Jan said, "The rising issue of global warming is mainly due to release of carbon dioxide. Humans throw about 30 billion tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere every year, 100 times as much as volcanoes do."
The call is part of a Consensus Statement on Climate Change, launched by all national academies and societies of science from around the Commonwealth, ahead of next month's Commonwealth Summit in the United Kingdom.
Dr Qasim Jan said greenhouse gases emission reduction commitments agreed upon by 160 parties in the 2015 Paris Agreement are only the first step in a long journey. If all the commitments of the Paris Agreement are met, the latest data shows that by the end of century, the global climate is likely to be 3 degrees above pre-industrial levels. Mitigation measures are needed.
Sea-level rise is one of the most significant effects of climate change. High projected rates of future sea-level rise have captured the world's attention. Particularly, countries which are located in low-lying areas as well as small islands are concerned that their land areas would be decreased due to inundation and coastal erosion and, at worst, a large proportion of their population may be forced to migrate other countries. Therefore, this issue has resulted in heightened attention internationally, as the effects of climate change become apparent.
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