CLIMATE change is now upon us; it is now an undeniable facet of our life, of our existence. From the reduced output of our wheat crop this year to the extremely erratic and extensive rainfall recorded in Karachi over the last few days we can see climate change.

In addition, natural, land, greenery, and weather-based issues are being registered all across the country, which is cause of concern.

In fact, a recent report of the UN Commission on Climate Change lists Pakistan as among the top 10 states to be most vulnerable to or to face the greatest threat from climate change.

So, we should act before it becomes too late. After successfully grappling with the coronavirus and the FATF issues, we should prepare a serious plan to fight climate change by increasing our forest cover, introducing electric vehicles, reducing the population growth rate, and enhancing the use of renewable energy such as solar and hydro.

Fighting climate change requires a strong, national commitment and the mobilisation of national resources. A dedicated, one-window, pilot organisation should be instituted in the federal and provincial governments to develop a roadmap for fighting climate change, both in the short-run and in the long-run.

A Pakistani

Lahore

Published in Dawn, September 5th, 2020