Background: Why So Much Rain?

 Over the past couple of years, in Pakistan there has been an increased frequency of severe rainstorms, which have brought record flooding to the country. Global warming is responsible. As the average global temperature increases, more water vapor is absorbed into the atmosphere causing more intense and prolonged rainfall when it eventually falls. This has Asia where climate change, which is expected to further destabilize monsoon systems, has already caused a number of disturbances.

Global warming results from an excess of greenhouse gasses, such as carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide, being released into the atmosphere and causing them to remain remarkably close to Earth’s surface. Because most of the Earth’s surface is warmed by the sun’s radiation, the greenhouse gasses absorb the sun’s energy, which would normally be dispersed out of the atmosphere, and retain that heat, warming the planet. This in turn alters global weather patterns, making some regions drier and others, such as Pakistan, more prone to intense rainfall.

Areas Most Affected by Rainfall

Pakistan’s southern provinces of Sindh and Punjab have been bearing the brunt of the rotating low-pressure systems and torrential downpours, which brought previously unprecedented levels of rainfall to Pakistan’s biggest city, Karachi, and its unofficial capital Lahore, the capital of Punjab, which saw property destruction and urban flooding.

 Rural areas across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan also continue to be affected, with river overflows and the appearance of flash floods that damage crops, houses and livestock. Communities in mountainous Pakistan, from Gilgit-Baltistan in the north, have been affected by landslides as rains wake up the mountains.

The Human and Economic Toll

These rains have had a devastating effect and thousands of people have lost their homes and livelihoods, hundreds of others have died in flooding accidents and major infrastructure such as roads, bridges and schools have been destroyed.

 Beyond the loss of life, the livelihood of Pakistanis has taken a hard hit; floodwaters have inundated vast tracts of farmlands, destroying crops, food supplies and livelihoods. The economic cost of the floods, running into billions of dollars, has thrown yet another spanner in Pakistan’s already crippled economy.

Addressing the Problem: Mitigation and Adaptation

Heavy rainfalls and their aftermath pose major problems in Pakistan, but can be resolved by a multifaceted approach: 

Climate Mitigation: Reducing the quantity of greenhouse gasses is a must. Pakistan should emphasize on development of renewable sources of energy such as solar, wind energy and hydropower. CO2 absorption from the atmosphere can also be achieved by trying through afforestation and reforestation programs.

 Improved infrastructure: resilient infrastructure needs to be built – better drainage in urban areas to prevent flooding; reinforcing river banks; early warning systems for floods and landslides. 

1) Disaster Preparedness: strengthening the disaster response grid, for eg. training the local community in emergency preparedness, setting up more shelters, quick mobilization of resources at time of disaster.

2) De-congestion: reduced congestion in the city will have drastic impacts on all aspects of life, not to mention the convenience of just moving around.

unsustainable agriculture: Adoption of sustainable agricultural practices, such as crop diversification, soil and water conservation, and agricultural irrigation methods can help to reduce the sector’s vulnerability. For example, farmers can adopt drought-tolerant and saline-tolerant crop varieties.

International Response: The issue of climate change is beyond any country or region’s control. It becomes important for Pakistan to coordinate and interact with international organizations as well as other neighboring countries on this matter. sharing knowledge, technology and resources can strengthen a global response to climatic balance.

Conclusion

 Pakistan’s experience with devastating rainfalls and the catastrophic flooding thereafter tells us that the age of alarm on climate change is now. There is clear evidence of the destructive effects but much can also be done to mitigate damages and adapt more effectively. Fresh resolve coupled with innovative ideas is required to reduce emissions, strengthen climate-resilience in vital infrastructure modules, prepare for disasters, create a new blueprint for agriculture and investment in food security, and cope with extreme weather through international collaboration. Urgent action to implement these measures to

Sources : https://file.pide.org.pk/uploads/kb-085-impact-of-climate-change-on-water-in-pakistan.pdf

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