While the world is currently facing many problems, one of the most serious is climate change, which is affecting the globe tremendously. Global warming and climate change refer to shifts in the earth’s environmental conditions caused by internal and external factors. In recent years, climate change has been worsening at a dangerous pace on a global scale, and it will pose a major threat to the world in the coming era. Its greatest impact is on the earth and the creatures living on it, and if proper measures are not taken in time to address it, climate disruptions will make it difficult for the earth and its inhabitants to exist safely. It must now be admitted that climate change is a very serious and research-intensive issue worldwide, and it is leaving a harmful impact across the globe. In this era, mankind is struggling with the most important issue facing its survival at the local, regional and global levels, namely climate change. Climate change is, in fact, a disturbance in the natural climate system, the main reason for which is the deterioration in human practices, habits, uses and desires. It includes problems such as the unnecessary exploitation and waste of natural resources. Water, food, wood and land are further exacerbating this problem. The issue of climate change is mainly related to changes in global temperature. Some of its key aspects are the large-scale emission of gases that contribute to rising temperatures, such as carbon dioxide, and a significant decrease in forest area.

Apparently, the term global warming is used for climatic changes. For this reason, in the public mind, it refers to an increase in the intensity of heat. However, it is more than that, and now global tensions and war crimes are making the world more painful for the people living in it, as the geopolitical situation is being altered and countries are being destabilised intentionally by causing extreme temperature increases, acid rain and even severe climate change. Due to climate change, there can be severe and prolonged cold, or severe cold during warm and moderate months. Its effects on the lives of ordinary people may not be immediately noticeable, but such weather conditions have devastating effects on crops and agriculture. Developed countries are combating the adverse effects of climate change to some extent because of their abundant resources. However, due to financial difficulties, a lack of research and scientific facilities, and a shortage of trained personnel, developing nations generally seem unable to face the devastating effects of climate change and are looking to each other for help. While concerns are increasing with the passage of time, scientists have predicted that ongoing global climate change will trigger adverse events affecting approximately 143 million people in the Global South by 2050, which will also lead to various forms of displacement and mobility.

When a disaster strikes somewhere in the world, it is the poor in developing and underdeveloped countries who are most affected, with sub-Saharan Africa likely to see the highest number of internally displaced people, at around 86 million by 2050. Countries will see the emergence of climate migration hotspots as early as the 2030s, and if left unchecked, these hotspots could expand and intensify, but no government currently offers a legal migration pathway based solely on an individual’s exposure to climate change. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has also clarified that fleeing the impacts of climate change is not sufficient grounds for obtaining refugee status, which is limited to people fleeing persecution. The African Climate Mobility Initiative projects that the number of internal climate migrants in Africa alone could reach 113 million by 2050.

Climate change is affecting everyone, not just one group, yet everyone is paying the price. While politics is being played over this issue, vested interests are being protected, and business is also being conducted around it. Big countries are busy polluting the air, while weak countries are bearing the burden of that pollution. Conferences are held in major countries and grand speeches are delivered, but those affected by climate change are not being supported or helped. This is a global problem, everyone agrees with that, but there is no real global response, nor is anyone truly recognising the seriousness of this issue. Only weak countries are being suppressed, only the weak are being blamed, while those responsible for air pollution and climate change are neither admitting their shortcomings nor addressing them.

Pakistan is also among the ten countries most affected. The floods of the last few years, which have claimed hundreds of lives and damaged infrastructure worth billions of rupees, have been caused by climate change. In addition, there have been unusual changes in the weather, severe heatwaves, effects on the monsoon season and drought-affected areas. The force behind all these destructive factors is also global warming. Although Pakistan’s share in global greenhouse gas emissions is negligible, the United States and other developed countries played a major role in polluting the environment to this extent over the last century, and in recent decades countries like India and China have also significantly increased pollution.

Pakistan also has a separate Ministry of Climate Change, but in the recent Paris Conference, Pakistan’s role was not encouraging. At the forum where other nations presented detailed plans to deal with climate change, the Pakistani delegation failed to draw the world’s attention to the fact that Pakistan is suffering the serious consequences of climate change. There is a dire need for support from the international community to repair this damage and deal with such horrific factors in the future. If no action is taken now and rich countries do not support poor affected countries, then each passing year will create new stories of destruction and devastation.

Attiya MunawerThe writer is an activist and environmentalist. She covers human rights and politico-environmental issues. She tweets @AttiyaMunawer and can be reached at attiabutt121@gmail.com

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