LAHORE: Ecosystem degradation is bringing about negative impact on the environment endangering biodiversity, wildlife and food security across the world including Pakistan.
The environmental challenges continued to aggravate over the years due to rising population and availability of meager resources. The situation has become further aggravated due to massive tree cutting resulting floods in the country. The use of agricultural land for housing societies and towns has also negatively affected the natural environment. Citizens of today’s Pakistan is confronted with problems like scarcity of agricultural land due to unruly construction of houses and town.
75 million suffered in Pakistan due to climate change: World Bank
World Bank said that climate change-related crises have affected 75 million people in Pakistan during the last 30 years. Pakistan suffered in terms of agriculture and bio-diversity sectors. Pakistan efficiently presented the case of developing countries at the Conference of Parties (CoP-27) in Egypt. Director Sustainable Agriculture and Food Program at WWF Asad Imran said that agriculture and bio-diversity play a key role in achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
He said that Pakistan is among the most vulnerable countries to climate changes, therefore, eco degradation and climate change challenges are issues of major concern of the country. He said climate change is also a major threat to our food security as it is seriously affecting forests, agriculture, and fisheries in Pakistan. He said that increasing sea level is also another threat that may submerge several parts of coastal areas in Sindh province badly affecting Indus delta and highly productive cropping areas. Asad Imran said that usage of chemical fertilizers in modern agricultural tendency has badly affected their land’s natural fertility. He advised to use organic fertilizers to avert these damages.
He was of the view that ecological degradation may lead the country to food insecurity by reducing agricultural land and output. He said that they can confront with shortage of water, decrease in agricultural product to climate challenges. Food and Agriculture Organization also warned all species supporting the environment systems of food could not be recovered if damaged once. Food and Agriculture Organization said that 6,000 plant species have been cultivated to support the nature.
Experts’ view on climate change
Expert Dr Mahmood Khalid Qamar said that Pakistan is also a victim to environmental degradation and there is need immediate measures to avert its damages. He said that 32 percent of population lives in cities and if the present growth rate of urbanization continues, the urban population will exceed its rural population within the next decade. The green cover is rapidly disappearing. Massive forest-cutting results in land erosion and worsens floods as we recently witnessed,” said Javeria Qais, a climate expert. “Recurrence of recent flood may again destroy our most needed crops including maize, cotton, sugar cane, and rice. This may land us in serious problem in terms of food security,” Javeria added.
Punjab Secretary of Environment Usman Ali Khan said that there is a need for collective efforts to cope with environmental challenges. He said the provincial government has devised strict measures to control environmental problems. — APP
