Press Statement by Resilient Future International Pvt Ltd

March 14, 2022

A new report by a United Nations body- Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) highlights that Pakistan would face greater consequences of climate change in coming decades both in rural and urban areas.

The following findings are analyzed in a press statement of Resilient Future International Pvt Ltd, (RFI) an Islamabad based research and training company.

The Sixth IPCC Report ‘Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability’ February 28, 2022 shares the most advanced compendium of current and future climatic impacts in the world. Nearly 1000 authors reviewed 34 thousand scientific reports in 6-7 years to prepare this report, which was approved by 195 governments worldwide.   

It shows that up to 3.6 billion people live in highly vulnerable countries of South Asia, Small Island Developing States, the Arctic, Central and South America, and sub-Saharan Africa. Climatic vulnerability is exacerbated by inequity linked to gender, ethnicity, low income and other forms of marginalization.

The IPCC report places Pakistan among highly vulnerable countries and cites that rural and urban areas would face greater impacts of climate change. Pakistan is already among top ten climate impacted countries.

Hyderabad is going to be the hottest city in Pakistan, followed by Jacobabad, Bahawalnagar, Bahawalpur.  Karachi would also face severe heat waves.  In urban areas people’s income, health, lives, properties, energy and transportation systems are adversely affected by heatwaves, floods, drought, storms and sea level rise.

The report warns about future locust attacks.  Conducive temperature and increased rains in deserts would create favourable conditions for breeding and outbreak of locust. Important to note that recent locust attack in Pakistan, South Asia and Africa had destroyed crops and farmers’ income. Pakistan had lost 2 percent of agricultural production in the fiscal year 2019-20.

Agriculture in Pakistan faces greater disease attacks and crop losses due to floods, droughts and heatwaves. Warmer climate is leading to quicker grain formation phase in drylands areas of Southern Punjab. The IPCC report notes the issue of quicker grain formation as an irreversible impact of climate change. The report underscores that agrochemicals have degraded several parts Pakistan, Nepal, India and China. 

The report also cites successful and unsuccessful climate adaptation practices. In Pakistan changes in crop sowing and harvesting times and rural urban migration are among the coping practices. It categorizes plantation of Eucalyptus trees in Pakistan as maladaptation due to their high water uptake. Maladaptation means initiative that causes more harm than benefits for environment.   

Aftab Alam Khan CEO, Resilient Future International Pvt Ltd noted that “The new IPCC report reveals that risks indicated in the past reports are already turning into realities.  Our economy faces serious climate consequences. All departments in federal and provincial governments need to take lead. It’s crucial to uplift climate work by integrating agriculture extension, universities, health departments, rural, urban authorities and private sector. We should develop research based medium and long term plans as part of National Adaptation Plans. Inclusive process with urban authorities, universities, private sector, women and men farmers, and civil society organizations would ensure relevant and pragmatic plan.”

“It’s high time to train all sectors on challenges and opportunities of climate change. Health, agriculture, industries, media and IT sectors can contribute towards climate resilient and water smart economy. Universities can lead in research and technologies while private sector can produce climate smart products”.

Pakistan to face much more water issues in future. Pakistan, Bangladesh, China and India together account for 50 percent of global ground water withdrawal.  In coming decades water demand for irrigation, industry and household in Asia will increase by 30-40 percent.

The report also mentions increasing malnutrition, child stunting and health impacts such as dengue, malaria, intestine infections and waterborne diseases due to climatic changes.

Resilient Future International Pvt Ltd is a research and training company based in Islamabad, Pakistan.

For further comments or interview please write to info@resilient-future.org and/or

 WhatsApp: +923008523118

Today I want to share my thoughts about a problem which every living being is facing. I mean Climate Change and rising temperature of the earth.

I visited recently THAL desert in Punjab, Pakistan.  In winter, it used to present beautiful scenic views due to its greenery.  Unfortunately, this year there is no greenery due to scanty rainfall in the area.

People are unable to cultivate their crops this year. This is an alarming situation. Problem is not limited to income loss but also affecting normal living.

People are facing shortage of drinking water. At some places the water is very contaminated, unfit for drinking. But due to poverty and lack of resources, people are bound to drink that polluted water. They cannot afford to fetch water from main city which is 30 to 35 kilometers away from their residences.

The conditions of women and children are the worst. Their physical appearance was showing their miserable health. This is a sad reality that people in this area are helpless. Even in case of emergency, ambulance takes about one hour or more to reach.

In this era, people of THAL are still living in miserable conditions. The problem is not too big to be solved but it requires competent authorities to take interest.  Not a single department is showing any concern regarding these problems.

If such problems are not eradicated timely, I am afraid, we will lose the natural beauty of our land and eventually many valuable lives.

Ms Mehvish Majeed is a rural woman from Layyah, Punjab and associated with education sector. Please send your comments to crvoices@gmail.com

Ehsaan Khan – Student of grade 4

If I were planet earth I would be crying because men cut down trees and forests and also burn them. Therefore,  we have fewer trees and less greenery. I love trees because they give us fresh air, shade and stop big rocks from sliding.

If I were planet earth I would be crying because people throw plastic bottles, glass bottles and trash everywhere in streets, markets, oceans, lakes, river etc. This is not healthy for us, animals and for aquatic life.

If I were planet earth I would be crying due to burning of plastic bags. When we burn they release  dangerous smoke in the air making it unhealthy for our lungs, including of those who burn it. We must stop producing and using plastic bags. Already existing plastic bags should be recycled to make interesting and beautiful things.

Let us make a promise that:

• We will not cut down trees.
• We will not put trash and plastic bottles in streets, ,markets, oceans and lakes.
• We will not produce and use plastic bags.
• We will recycle existing plastic bags and will not not burn them. 
• We will take care of our earth and our environment. 
• We will fight against climate change.

Ehsaan is a grade 4 student with a school in Rawalpindi Pakistan.  This manuscript received first position in a creative writing competition at his school. 

Picture credits: a) Burning trees and globe by Pixabay, b) Bottles by Mali Maedar .

For comments please write to crvoices@gmail.com.

Climate change is regarded as the most daunting challenge of this millennium. On the other hand decision makers face questions for the lack of self-accountability and insensitivity towards the future of today’s youth.

The damage done is done, but we can still make efforts to save future of earth. How are we supposed to do that? Although, climate actions need huge resources,  the use of existing resources for strategic actions have their own significance.  Be it tree plantation, saying no to plastic bags, making and using eco-friendly items  for daily life,  joining climate  activism, reading about it and most important educating others about it. That can be done by putting social media into use. Empowering and motivation can be tools to engage youth and educate them. Youth has an essential role in all these efforts.  

A recent study shows that countries – with youth majority –  have high level of  dependence  on agriculture. This sector  is badly  affected by climate change. Unemployment and lack of opportunities arise due to such conditions. Youth finds it challenging to earn livelihoods for themselves and families, especially in low income countries.

Green jobs and green economy awareness can help as a solution. Green jobs  help environment and its detoxification. Such as, water conservation, sustainable forestry, solar power and the like.  

Climate change got worse because of unawareness and harmful actions that led to irreversible damage to ecosystem. This comes to a point that awareness and considerate actions/decisions taken at individual and institutional levels will eventually rejuvenate the environment for us and the generations to come.

Universities and educational institutions can play important role. Such as seminars for faculty and students as well as integrating climate change in the curriculum.

Glasgow Climate Conference is the most important opportunity to take actions. ‘Youth4Climate: Driving Ambition’, Pre-Cop, is the initiative of UN to involve youth as proposers and decision makers against climate change. It was a part of pre-cop meeting held in Milan, Italy.

Ex-president of USA Barack Obama will also join youth activists during COP 26. This will amplify youth voices in climate activism.

Global leaders should make tangible commitments against climate crisis in Glasgow Conference.

Ms. Iqra Khan is a Climate Change activist and student of a medical university in Islamabad.

In this regard, we get to know about COP26. COP is an abbreviation for “Conference of the Parties”. This  is a global platform for governments  to come together to intercept the devastating effects of climate change. Brought together by the United Nations , COP is organized annually as the highest decision-making body at global level.

COP 26 is scheduled for November 1-12, 2021 at The Scottish Event Campus (SEC) in the city of Glasgow, Scotland.  It was originally planned for 2020, nevertheless, the COVID9 fiasco prevented the event. COP 26 is  the 26th annual Summit regarded as “the world’s best last chance to get runaway climate change under control”.

Let’s see what makes COP26 significant?

COP21 was held in Paris six  years ago. COP21 was an important breakthrough in climate change negotiations. Every member had accepted to contribute collectively to :

• Reduce global warming (limit temperature rises between 1.5 to 2 degrees by controlling greenhouse gas emissions).
• Devise ways to fight the effects of climate change.
• Provide monetary resources for the cause.

It was also agreed that every five years members will come along to discuss:

• The progress of previous agreement.
• Updates required according to current situation.

In the COP 26  nations would sit together and discuss about the future of world. COP 26 has its significance due to present worrisome situation of climate change. Unfortunately, goals set in Paris agreement could not be achieved. This decade is crucial in limiting the greenhouse gases and the climate induced losses. In this regard COP 26 can become a turning point.

There are some goals set to be achieved in COP26. Such as ; achieve global net zero by mid-century and try to reach 1.5 degrees  as set forth in Paris agreement. Global net zero refers to balance between emissions and absorption of carbons. Furthermore, the goals include building and protecting ecosystems. Developed countries to contribute about USD 100 billion annually for the cause of climate change.

Wishing the world a successful COP26 for a better future of humanity.

Ms Iqra Khan is a climate change activist and a student of medical university in Islamabad.

In conclusion it is important to realise that if such climatic challenges are faced by Islamabad – one of the most planned cities – what would be the situation for other cities in the country? Therefore, provincial governments should prioritize climate risk assessments and subsequent plans for resilient cities.

Mr Aftab Alam Khan is a Chevening Scholar and international expert on climate change, food security and poverty. Twitter at @aftabalamkan.

Today, I would talk about small farmers, the losses they suffer and their level of deprivation. I have chosen this subject because small farmers are the most squeezed segment in the society.  The phenomenon of the climate change has brought further devastation.  

Lets take my own example. I used to sow around 400 kg of gram seed every year. However, last year (2018), my district Layyah received no rains from March up to October. It was a drought like situation and hard to sow grams as the soil had lacked moisture. Nevertheless, I took the risk and sown 100 kg of gram seeds. The expense occurred on it remained Rs. 15, 000. My hope of good crop was linked with the expectation of rains. With timely rain, I was expecting production of around 62 maunds*.

However, it did not happen and as a result of drought, I harvested little over 4 maunds (162 kg) gram. I paid 01 maund as a wage for crop harvesting. The middleman took his share of 12 kg. Now, I was left with 110 kg of gram. Then I deducted 100 kg which were used as seeds. Hence I was left with 10 kg of gram. 

Is that all a small farmer deserved after his toil. The farmer, who produces food for the country, is facing such huge losses. Hence, in a state of deprivation.

I am just clueless what to write more. Is there someone to listen to? Anyone to read and pay attention on what I am going through?

• 1 Maund is equal to 40 kg.

If you like the blog please share it widely. For comments please write to crvoices@gmail.com