That climate change is spawning a range of problems to the earth should be of no longer surprise. One cannot afford to have smug complacency on the climate effect. Contrary to some denialists of climate change, its hazards are growing day-by-day.
Punjab and its capital Lahore are shrouded in the haze of deadly smog. Unlike last year, it is quite severe this season by forcing government to act, e.g., power plants running on gas, diesel and furnace oil are being ordered to shut down, thus causing electricity shortages - affecting consumers and industry. Moreover, regulations are enforced not to burn waste and crops stubble in the open; avoid building material lying in open spaces and check transport vehicles emitting carbon dioxide and nitrogen fumes or face penalties. Many train and air flights were delayed, redirected or cancelled due to the blanket of smog in major cities reducing visibility and impeding smooth flow of traffic. Additionally, drivers are asked to be extra wary of driving in face of poor visibility to avoid road accidents.
Smog is fog with added ingredients of smoke and tiny airborne particulates. This becomes pollutant when sunlight causes nitrogen oxides and carbon emitting vehicles or factories in a chemical action result in smog. Carbon emissions also result from coal-fired plants and smoke from factories adds to this.
Smog causes health hazards, especially old and young but generally, it affects all - leading to respiratory diseases, skin eruptions and eye problems. Overall, this affects productivity level, as many hours are lost through sickness and absenteeism from work.
Meteorologists have also factored in burning of crop stubble, waste and uncovered construction material in open spaces; the pollution from adjacent Indian Punjab by crop stubble burning and coal-fired plants. Some attribute it to the Gulf region where sandstorms are normal in this season. So, trans-boundary element cannot be ruled out.
Whatever be the contributing factors, it underscores regional interactivity and the stark fact that climate change is a global phenomenon and not restricted to only few countries. This leads to the logical conclusion that any durable solution cannot be compartmentalized due to interconnectivity. Lately, floods, abnormal weather conditions extreme heat and cold, lack of rain in proper season have affected agriculture, caused drought, led to abnormal rainfall, created floods, and led to displacement of people and incubating many diseases. The US recently faced hurricanes in various states causing untold destruction to life and property.
China is facing the same issue but is taking adequate steps of closing carbon- controlled power plants; regulating traffic in urban areas with odd and even formula and undertaking measures like clean energy transport (solar, wind, electricity, thermal and biogas).
Fast paced industrialization giving short shrift to ecology, denuding of forest cover, dust, smoke and toxic effluents from factories and vehicles are releasing harmful substances in the atmosphere. Cities are becoming hubs of noise, pollution and indiscriminate construction by cutting down trees and vegetation. Desecration of nature takes its toll on both plant and human beings.
South Asia, embroiled in old conflicts would do well to realize the menace and concentrate on issues bedeviling countries: environmental degradation, nuclear war, terrorism, drug and human trafficking, floods, droughts, deforestation, indiscriminate mining, other pollution, earthquakes, refugees and overcrowded and ill-planned cities, and above all, reduction in poverty.
The climate change affects crops, leads to infestation and diseases with consequent loss to farmers. Pollution adds toxins in vegetables and fruits. In fact, it affects all forms of plant and animal life. It also spawns new forms of viruses and diseases.
Greater ecology consciousness has to be promoted by governments, media and civil society; in addition, induction of climate change in school and college syllabi is essential. This should lay stress on conservation of energy, afforestation and search for alternative and clean energy.
China and India are taking necessary steps. Beijing is more serious, however, and is substituting coal-fired plants and taking necessary precautionary measures. While travelling to Beijing by road, a visitor sees on the outskirts a wall of planted rows of trees for miles, which intercept winds from the north causing pollution. Amongst other steps taken are limiting of transport density by enforcing alternative numbers (odd and even) of cars, and lately, electrical cars and bike-sharing experiments to reduce reliance on fossil fuels. Yet the problem remains as, like other mega cities, Beijing too suffers from smog in this season.
Fortunately, some realization on environmental protection is dawning in many countries, including the US. President Donald Trump once derisively and naively replied to a question that there was nothing new about climate change: "climate, he said: "always changes."
Despite pullout from 2015 Paris Climate Agreement Accord, many states in the US and city governments are getting sensitized to the need for pursuing clean energy projects: solar, wind and others.
Instead of blaming other nations, it needs to be realized that planet earth is a common heritage of mankind and intricately inter-connected: any tempering with the eco-system is dangerous as adverse climate conditions do not respect national boundaries.
The solution is greater sensitivity, conservation, monitoring, local and inter-nation cooperation and desisting from violating the Nature. After all, human security forms a vital part of national security.
(The writer is Visiting Faculty, Department of Defence and Strategic Studies Quaid-i- Azam University, Islamabad)