KARACHI: Expressing concern over the state of the economy, health, and environment in the country, speakers at a symposium held on September 4 underscored the need for innovative solutions to address the growing challenges of climate change, which is deeply affecting all sectors of life.
The event—Climate Change and Health and Development Consequences in Pakistan—was organised by Aga Khan University’s Institute for Global Health and Development (IGHD) in collaboration with the Pakistan Academy of Sciences (PAS) and the Centre for Economic Research in Pakistan (CERP).
Highlighting the severe economic and health challenges Pakistan faces due to the escalating impacts of climate change, Prof Dr Zulfiqar Bhutta, Founding Director of the Institute for Global Health and Development and the Centre of Excellence in Women and Child Health at AKU, said that catastrophic events like the floods in 2010-11 and 2022 caused Pakistan’s economy to lose up to 11 percent of its GDP.
“There is an urgent need for action. Water shortages and air pollution are also taking a toll, with future heat waves and floods expected to make things worse, potentially costing the economy up to 9 percent of GDP by 2050,” said Prof Bhutta.
He also expressed concern over the agriculture sector, which is struggling due to environmental damage and outdated practices, leading to significant losses. The degradation of the Indus Delta and rapid glacier melting were exacerbating the situation, he added.
In his speech, Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal emphasised the need for a unified approach to tackle climate change, stating that “No single entity—be it a politician, judge, or institution—has the solution to climate change.”
During the programme, speakers highlighted innovative opportunities that could help address the impact of climate change.
In agriculture, they stated, the adoption of sustainable practices and advanced technologies would enhance resource management and productivity. They also discussed innovative communication mechanisms and rural support programmes aimed at mitigating glacier melting in northern regions, citing the Aga Khan Development Network’s examples as underscoring the need to scale up these indigenous solutions.
In the health sector, the speakers identified achieving zero emissions and incorporating indigenous knowledge into structural changes as crucial for building resilience.
The symposium underscored the importance of a coordinated, evidence-based approach to combating climate change. Key outcomes included the development of a unified science, innovation, and research platform to consolidate information on climate change, environment, and health. Additionally, there is an urgent need to enhance research and education capacity in climate and environmental issues across both public and private sectors.
The need for increased research financing and improved climate governance was also discussed. The audience was informed that Rs200 million was allocated for research in 2021-23 and that there is an urgent need to allocate more resources for research across various sectors and government ministries.
Published in Dawn, September 5th, 2024