ISLAMABAD: Climate change presents a grave threat to the environment, mountain ecosystems, and glaciers across the globe. With nearly half of the global population depending on these majestic landscapes for essential resources such as water, clean energy, and food, their protection has become all the more vital.
About one billion people live in mountain regions, which serve as the world’s “water towers,” providing 60-80 per cent of all freshwater resources on Earth.
Mountains also attract about 20 per cent of world tourism, host nearly one-quarter of all earthly biodiversity, and are home to many foods that come to our kitchen, such as potatoes, rice, and tomatoes.
The challenge of climate change is, directly and indirectly, affecting millions of people worldwide, with extreme weather events such as floods, avalanches, mudslides, rockslides, and floods becoming more frequent due to shifting weather patterns around the world.
Pakistan is ranked as the fifth most vulnerable country to climate change, according to the United Nations’ Global Climate Risk Index.
Pakistan is also home to dozens of peaks, some frozen in time, others bursting with the fruits of eternal spring.
The South Asian country is home to eight of the sixteen highest mountain peaks in the world, including the iconic K-2, the world’s second highest, and Nanga Parbat, the ninth-highest peak.
Like other parts of the world, Pakistan also faces the consequences of climate change, despite the nation contributing a tiny contribution to the total global greenhouse gas emissions.
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Coordinator to Prime Minister of Pakistan on Climate Change Romina Khurshid Alam believes communities dependent on glacial meltwater for their livelihoods face looming problems.
She was of the view that reduced water availability impacts agriculture, energy production, and drinking water supplies, potentially leading to economic hardships and displacement in the country.
Pakistan is home to over 7,000 glaciers, making it the largest ice repository outside the polar regions, according to the country’s Ministry of Climate Change.
Pakistan is an agricultural country and depends on water from these glaciers to irrigate its crops. The consequences of climate change for Pakistan are very alarming as the floods of 2022 damaged every sector of the country.
According to the Pakistan Economic Survey 2022-23, the 2022 monsoon rains followed by flooding were unprecedented in the country’s history. They had a devastating impact on the lives and livelihoods of the people, particularly the rural population and those relying on agriculture.
It added that the devastating flooding affected around 33 million people in 94 districts across Pakistan.
The floods took the lives of over 1,700 people, displaced about 7.6 million people, and resulted in the loss of critical agricultural infrastructure, standing crops, grain storage, and livestock.
According to the document, Sindh and Balochistan provinces were the hardest hit in the country. It added that the country’s agriculture sector was the hardest hit in terms of both damages and losses. About 4.4 million acres of crops were damaged and around 1 million animals lost due to the floods in 2022. Total damages and losses amounted to US$30.13 billion, of which agriculture suffered US$12.9 billion (43 per cent of total damages and losses), it added.
The crop subsector contributed to 82 per cent of the total damage and losses, livestock to 7 per cent, and fisheries/aquaculture to 1 per cent.
Climate expert Muhammad Daud Khan told WE News that mountains, called the “water towers” of the world, are the main source of essential resources such as freshwater and clean air, yet they face mounting challenges from climate change.
Responding to a question about what measures should be taken to address this issue, he replied that there is a need to introduce innovative climate solutions like early warning systems and bioengineering techniques to prevent land degradation.
He also recommended durable flood protection infrastructure to minimize the risk of climate change.
He said that the government should take more steps to promote ecotourism and build safe, secure, and climate-resilient communities in the rich mountainous terrains of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit Baltistan.
He further said that the current leaders must take steps to protect the natural environment, especially the majestic mountains of Pakistan, and preserve their beauty for future generations.
Romina Khurshid Alam also agreed with Muhammad Daud Khan’s point of view and admitted that Pakistan’s mountainous regions, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan, have been severely impacted by increasing global temperatures.
She added, “Climate-induced disasters, such as rains, floods, and glacial lake outburst floods, have devastated infrastructure, homes, and ecosystems.”
She acknowledged that despite these challenges, they remain committed to accelerating climate adaptation strategies in these vulnerable regions.
Romina Alam said that efforts are underway to safeguard these regions, including the installation of advanced early warning systems, support for indigenous practices, as well as the promotion of ecosystem-based approaches.
“Our commitment to protecting these natural treasures and the people who depend on them remains unwavering,” she said. “Together, we strive for a sustainable and climate-resilient future for Pakistan’s mountains and their guardians,” she said.
