2. This presentation talks of one naturally recurring disaster
gifted to Pakistan by the Global Warming
namely
Flood
3. Pakistan
Situation: Southeast Asia
Location: City/Province Latitude Longitude
Karachi/Sindh 24.86 N 67.00 E
Lahore/Punjab 31.56 N 74.32 E
Islamabad/Capital 33.71 N 73.08 E
Peshawar/KPK 34.01 N 71.53 E
Economy Major share of GNP comes from agricultureEconomy Major share of GNP comes from agriculture
Irrigation
System: Vast well established canal irrigation
Water
Sources: (i) Five major natural rivers (Indus, Jhelum,
Chehab, Ravi, Sutlaj) spread through
out KPK,Punjab and Sindh.
(ii) Seasonal rains
4. Pakistan Versus Global Warming
Share: Pakistan is contributing roughly 0.34 per
cent of green house gases which are responsible for
global warming [1].
Vulnerability: Inspite of less share to global
warming, Pakistan is one of the eight most vulnerable
country facing climate changes [1].
Reference [1]:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1054435/Pakistans-glaciers-will-melt-by-2035
5. Major impact of Global Warming
on Pakistan
As an obvious major measurable impact of global warming,
Pakistan has experienced increased probability and frequency of
floods during summer monsoon (rainy) season.floods during summer monsoon (rainy) season.
Example is the flood of 2010 [2]. But floods continue, Pakistan
had four consecutive years of flood disasters destroying harvests,
homes and people.
Reference [2]:
Chapter 2 of the Report “Turn Down the Heat: Why a 4 degree Celsius warmer world must be avoided”
6. Pakistan Flood 2010
The flood began in late July 2010, resulting from heavy monsoon rains in Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, Punjan and Balochistan regions of Pakistan, which affected the
Indus River Basin. Approximately one-fifth of Pakistan’s total land area was under
water, approximately 796,095 square kilometer. According to government data, thewater, approximately 796,095 square kilometer. According to government data, the
floods directly affected about 20 million people, mostly by destruction of property,
livelihood and infrastructure, with a death toll of close to 2000. The Pakistani economy
was harmed by extensive damage to infrastructure and crops. Damage to structures
was estimated to exceed US$ 4 billion and wheat crop damages were estimated to be
over US$500 million [3].
Reference [3]:
2010 Pakistan Floods wikipedia.org
17. Floods
to be the
“New Normal”
To climate scientists, the weather event such as the
one witnessed in Pakistan, is the beginning of the new
normal in years to come. The aberration in weather
patterns will be exacerbated by inadequate and poorpatterns will be exacerbated by inadequate and poor
planning and poor governance [4].
Recent monsoon rains and the destruction they have
left in their wake in major cities of Punjab provide a
grim picture of the inability of urban settlements to
cope with intense downpours in a warming world.
Reference [4]:
“No lessons learnt in flood-hit Pakistan”, Daily DAWN article by Zofeen T. Ebrahim-
Published Sep 07, 2014
18. Cause of Miseries
If looked at policies, including the climate policy, one finds
much wisdom there, but then it remains confined to sheaves
of paper.
Newer settlements are mushrooming everywhere but nothing
is regulated and developers are not bound by buildingis regulated and developers are not bound by building
regulations. Many of the new housing development schemes
have no sewage system and if they do have it, it has smaller
drainage pipes which do not have capacity to carry out storm
water.
Perhaps, here in Pakistan we are the best policy makers but
the worst implementers [4].
Reference [4]:
“No lessons learnt in flood-hit Pakistan”, Daily DAWN article by Zofeen T. Ebrahim-Published Sep
07, 2014
19. Is Pakistan ready for a monsoon
catastrophe?
We do need to change our attitudes and take the
global warming very seriously as it has gifted Pakistanglobal warming very seriously as it has gifted Pakistan
with one recurring natural disaster-the flood.
We do need to act urgently to save ourselves and our
generations in years ahead.
