'Pakistan in dangerous zone of climate change'

Pakistan is in the dangerous zone of climate change due to multiple causes including population explosion, emission of greenhouse gases, deforestation, mass migration to cities, low technical and financial capacity and least political will to avoid its adverse impacts.
Chief Meteorologist Pakistan Meteorological department Muhammad Riaz told Business Recorder that the current population of 200 million people has brought the meager natural resources like agriculture land, water and air coupled with ecosystem and civic facilities under unbearable stress. He said Pakistan's natural resources cannot sustain an un-limited population. Further decrease in the already scanty forest cover, from too rapid changing demographic conditions have adversely affected the climatic environment of the country.
He said Pakistan now ranks seventh in the 10 countries that are most affected by climate change globally. The minimum and maximum temperatures during summers and winters have increased throughout the country. The maximum highest temperature in June this year went up to 54 degree Celsius at Turbat while minimum temperature in winter has increased, thus the summer season has become prolonged and winter has become shorter.
He said due to smog in Punjab and fog in Sindh, winter season is being delayed for at least a month across the country for the past few years. The pollutants caused by emissions from the vehicles, factories, power houses etc disperse only when rain cleans the atmosphere or at least a wind pattern reduces the concentration of pollutants.
He said climate changes have caused erratic monsoon rains, frequent and intense floods and droughts. Besides projected recession of the Hindu Kush-Karakoram-Himalayan (HKH) glaciers due to global warming threatening water inflows into the Indus River System (IRS). Severe drought and catastrophic floods in different parts of the country are becoming a norm. Additionally, the intensity and frequency of these events has also increased over the last 10 to 15 years.
He said keeping in view the rapid changes in climate system dynamics, the Met office is be updating the weather outlooks on monthly basis during the first week of each month. Meanwhile agriculture experts have warned that rising temperatures are resulting in enhanced heat and water-stressed conditions, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions, leading to reduced agricultural productivity.
Director General Agriculture Punjab Dr Anjam Ali told Business Recorder that these increasing temperatures, erratic and short monsoon duration rainfall and prolonged droughts have negatively impacted crop yields. This is the main reason for constant decrease of most important cotton crop over past few year and virtually static agriculture production. He said Freshwater availability has also decreased leading to biodiversity loss and less availability of freshwater for the population. Being a predominantly agriculture economy, climate change is estimated to decrease crop yields in Pakistan which in turn will affect livelihoods and food production, Dr Anjum Ali opined.