PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa meteorological department has said that the temperature has increased by 2-4 degree Celsius in the plains of the province and 2-6 degree Celsius in its northern areas.

It also revealed that massive tree felling led to the increase in heat index, while cyclones in the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea also had a bad impact on the weather.

“If you compare 2023 with 1993, the heat index has increased by 2-4 degree Celsius in our plains and 2-6 degree Celsius in northern areas,” director of the meteorological department Ijaz Ahmad told Dawn.

He said cyclones in the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea had an impact on the entire country. “The moisture mostly comes from the Bay of Bengal, which causes rains. These cyclones suck moisture. It’s the same moisture that causes rain but when it disappears, you feel the heat,” he said.

Experts blame it on unplanned development, rising population

The official said that the recent cyclone triggered a heatwave between June 20 and June 24 and that when it was over, the temperature went down.

He said that rains were caused by winds from the East Bay of Bengal and the South Arabian Sea after they mixed up with the westerly weather system mostly crossing into Pakistan from northern Afghanistan.

“The westerly system is still present in Afghanistan, so rains are expected from July 8 to 10,” he said.

Mr Ahmad said that clouds didn’t develop between June 20 and 24 causing high temperatures for those days.

“Since clouds weren’t there, it didn’t rain between June 20 and 24,” he said.

The official said that the impact of climate change could be a decline in the water table because water evaporated in high temperatures.

He added that energy consumption increased in hot weather, especially in urban areas due to the heat generated by air conditioners.

“When there is heat, the people in urban areas turn on air conditioners, which produce more heat,” he said.

Mr Ahmad said that since a westerly system was still present in northern parts of Afghanistan, rainfall was expected in the province from today (July 8).

Experts believe that unplanned development activities and uncontrolled population are some of the major causes of the rising temperature in the province.

Environmentalist and president of the Sarhad Conservation Network Adil Zareef told Dawn that carbon emission, deforestation, unplanned infrastructure development, industry and uncontrolled population were chiefly to blame for the rising temperature in the region.

He said that nobody could deny climate change, but authorities hadn’t developed a climate change action plan.

“We are putting up structures, while vehicular emissions are harming the environment,” he said.

The expert said that when it came to climate change, Pakistan was the fourth or fifth high-risk country but authorities were doing nothing to check massive deforestation.

“We are on the brink of a disaster. I hold everybody responsible for it,” he said.

Published in Dawn, July 8th, 2023