Experts during a discussion at Sustainable Development Policy Institute
(SDPI) were unanimous that Pakistan is one of the most effected
countries as far as the climate change in concerned. The experts said
Pakistan is experiencing worst effects of climate change that include
serious threats to its agriculture sectors due to increasing scarcity of
water resources. The decline in agricultural growth, the experts
maintained, would result in decline of country’s economy and enhance the
food insecurity.

They were speaking at a seminar on "Climate Change Repercussions for Pakistan: Perspectives from the Fifth
IPCC Assessment Report" o rganized by Sustainable Development Policy
Institute (SDPI) here on Monday . Kashif Salik Research Associate, SDPI moderated the event.

While
giving introductory remarks, Dr. Qamar Chaudhry, Deputy Director of
CDKN’s Asia Programme, said that IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on
Climate Change) is the most authoritative, intergovernmental scientific
body on climate change under the auspices of the United Nations (UN). It
reviews and assesses the most recent scientific, technical and
socio-economic information produced, and form a clear scientific view on
the current state of knowledge in climate change and its potential
impacts. So far, the IPCC has produced four assessment reports.
Thousands of scientists and experts worldwide voluntarily contribute to
the preparation of these IPCC reports. He highlighted some key ways in
which scientific understanding has evolved since the IPCC’s last
Assessment Report in 2007. “Evidence of the effects of human influence
on the climate system has continued to accumulate and strengthen since
the Fourth Assessment Report (AR4). The consistency of observed and
modeled changes across the climate system, including regional
temperatures, the water cycle, global energy budget, cry sphere and
oceans (including aspects of ocean acidification), point to global
climate change that results primarily from anthropogenic increases in
greenhouse gas concentrations” he added.

Dr. Mohsin
Iqbal, Head, Agriculture, Global Change Impact Studies Centre (GCISC)
explained the current scenario of climate change. He said that warming
of climate system is unequivocal. It is 95% certain that human
activities were the dominant cause of warming. There was an increase
from 90% certainty in the last report in 2007 and 66% certainty in
2001-Report. Each of the last 3 decades has been successively warmer
than any preceding decade since 1850. While sharing the future
implications he said that global sea level will continue to rise. The
rate of rise is likely to exceed as being observed during 1971-2010, due
to increased ocean warming and increased loss of ice sheet and mass of
glaciers. “Changes in global water cycle will not be uniform. Sea level
may continue to increase because of increased glacier melt and extreme
rainfall events unless the excess water is stored. This will inundate
low lying areas and cause intrusion of sea water into the Indus Deltaic
region threatening its agriculture and availability of safe drinking
water” he added.

In his welcome address, Shafqat
Kakakhel Chairman Board of Governors, SDPI said that Pakistan is facing a
weak, fragmented and ill resourced institutional infrastructure in
terms of protection to the cause of its climate. Pakistan needs a
well-equipped office at federal level and sub offices on provincial
level. Moreover, involvement of key ministries i.e. water and power
management, disaster management authority and health ministry are
required to undertake integrated efforts to protect environment. "Experts with requisite, scientific and administrative knowledge should
operate those offices. These experts will be able to make proposals to
generate global climate change fund. By following this model, Pakistan
will be able to prepare itself for future challenges" he stressed.