Thursday, November 09, 2017

Climate Change and Pakistan

Pakistan is the world's seventh most vulnerable country to climate change.

Pakistan has witnessed a number of floods in the past several years, and long spells of drought which, experts believe, are a result of climate change. Pakistan's rain pattern is already that of high magnitude and low frequency, which means we have more rain but for a shorter time, which does not help percolation and raise the ground water level. So, climate change is causing longer spells of drought, which is complicating the water scarcity problem.

At the time of Pakistan's independence in 1947, the per capita water availability was more than 5,000 cubic meters per person per day, which made Pakistan a water-abundant country at the time. But today, it has fallen below 1,000 cubic meters per person, which is why Pakistan is a water-scarce country.

 Climate change will make matters worse in a number of ways. 

First,  the total quantity of water is likely to decline even more, thus increasing the scarcity level.

Second, the water availability will become more erratic, thus increasing uncertainty and seasonal stresses and strains. 

Third, the increased temperatures will reduce water availability further because of higher evaporation rates while increasing crop water requirements and other water demands.

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