Climate change is the shift in climate patterns mainly caused by greenhouse gas emissions from natural processes and human activities. It is arguably the most drastic nontraditional security issue that threatens the existence of mankind and requires immediate collective action or else the consequences will be more destructive than they have already proved to be.
In recent years, the climate crisis has intensified, causing different effects in different parts of the world including unprecedented rise in sea levels leading to floods, highly destructive cyclones and storms, extreme weather conditions causing cold spells in some countries while heatwaves in others, wildfires etc. which ultimately leads to food and water insecurity.
The effects of climate change are global, multi-fold, and not limited to the environment but also have economic and social implications. The economic loss of billions is disastrous for the victim states, the recovery from which takes years. Moreover, the destruction caused by natural disasters can cause people to lose their homes and livelihood, especially in the rural areas. These dislocated people become environmental refugees who have to take temporary refuge in other areas.
Despite Pakistan being one of the most affected countries by climate change, a large portion of Pakistani population and youth remains unaware of the threat posed by climate change and how to deal with it. Pakistan has been a victim of climate crisis in the form of floods, heatwaves, glaciers meltdown, and droughts resulting in severe water and food insecurity.
For countries like Pakistan, drowned in economic, political and social issues, it is difficult to direct people’s attention to an issue like climate change which is seen by many as just a seasonal issue and not an existential threat. It is crucial that climate change is acknowledged as a threat that urgently needs a response.
Pakistani society generally believes that only governments or official authorities are responsible for playing a role in climate action. Addressing the climate crisis is not the responsibility of just one group, organization or state and instead requires rigorous collective efforts. All members of society, especially youth, need to learn more about the climate crisis, its causes, effects and solutions, and play a constructive role in addressing these issues.
Public campaigning, through the use of print, electronic or social media by writing articles, blogs, engaging with the public and participating in community-based activities, is essential to spread awareness.
The government must make climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies and effectively implement them. Pakistan already has “National Climate Change Policy of Pakistan” which is a comprehensive document underlining various strategies to deal with climate change as well as strengthening institutions to implement those policies and fostering regional and global cooperation to deal with the climate crisis. The policy has been implemented on some levels e.g., more focus on climate activism and installing solar power plants etc. but in most regards, the policy remains unimplemented, which is an issue that the government needs to solve. Lack of implementation is due to lack of political will because the government focuses on immediate problems like economic crises and poverty and doesn’t focus on long-term crises like climate change.
While the role of government and non-governmental bodies is crucial, the significance of individuals and societal level efforts must not be overlooked. The mitigation and adaptation efforts will be futile unless the major stakeholders, including individuals and society as a whole, are not involved in the process.
People can tackle climate change by performing small but impactful actions, like planting trees, water conservation, reducing carbon footprint, lowering plastic usage, using biodegradable material, and reusing and recycling items. This can help in reducing waste, promoting sustainability and creating a clean and green environment.
The government and related institutions mostly focus on short-term goals to deal with the crises that emerge due to climate change by accommodating the people who are affected by it, but the core issues that cause climate change remain unaddressed. Therefore, collective efforts are required without further delay to deal with the core issues, or else the consequences will be even more severe in the near future.
It is important to understand the concept of Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE) adopted by the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change which has six components namely education, public awareness, training, public participation, access to information and international cooperation. The rationale behind it is that all members of society must be incorporated in the process to create a climate-resilient and safer world.
By adopting the principle of ACE, all members of society can be engaged in climate action. The first step is to spread awareness in public about the threat and its impacts on our lives and environment. This requires education, awareness campaigns and public engagement through creative activities. The public can be engaged through camps, advertising, visiting schools, colleges, and other institutions and advocating for climate action. Social media is a powerful platform that can be used to spread awareness. Conferences, events, discussions and personal interaction with different fragments of society, especially those who are severely affected by climate change, can promote collective action to deal with the climate crisis in Pakistan.
It can be concluded that climate change is a drastic issue that requires immediate attention and collective action to combat it. Pakistan alone cannot deal with the climate crises until other countries don’t make any efforts. But as responsible human beings and a responsible state, it is the duty of every individual and the state to play their role in climate action. Thus we, as a society, need to understand that ignoring the issue will lead to extreme and irreversible consequences for our environment which threatens the existence of humankind.
Written by Misbah Zainab
The writer is a final semester student of BS International Relations at Quaid-i-Azam University.
Misbah Zainab
Misbah Zainab is a student of BS International Relations at Quaid-i-Azam University.
