World Environment Day 2024: A Call for Action on Land Restoration and Drought Resilience

June 5th is World Environment Day, an annual event that focuses on current environmental challenges. This year’s theme is about stopping desertification and restoring land as well as building resilience to droughts. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is proud to be the host country for this year.

The Reality of Climate Change

Long periods of extreme heat and heavy rainfall illustrate the fact that changes in the global climate system are no longer a future problem but an ongoing one. It is essential to address these phenomena without any further delay. World Environment Day encourages businesses to make minor adjustments like reducing their carbon footprint and improving their sustainability records through use of alternative forms of energy generation such as solar power.

Biodiversity and Land Degradation in Asia and the Pacific Region

Asia-Pacific is home to an abundance of different life forms; however, extensive farming practices, deforestation activities and uncontrolled urban development have significantly reduced species variety within many ecosystems found in this part of the world.

Large amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) are kept underground by healthy soils but if they were released into the atmosphere then we would experience a dramatic increase in average temperatures around the globe. Furthermore changes in river systems, pollution levels and unsustainable extraction rates all contribute towards lowering freshwater availability while at the same time increasing water-associated stresses on human populations as well as other freshwater dependent organisms living within these environments.

The Importance and Urgency of Soil Conservation

The Asia and the Pacific region, home to 2/3 of the world’s population, is experiencing growing water stress and soil erosion problems. These challenges are prompted by the increase in the number of people, rapid industrialization, cities sprawling and climate change that makes drought occur more frequently. Cities in this area hold most inhabitants who produce over 1/2 global rubbish as well as not less than 60% greenhouse gases into the atmosphere; these emissions also contaminate rivers thus reducing freshwater availability further.

Urbanization and Environmental Impact

Globally, the equivalent of one football pitch of soil is eroded every five seconds. It takes 1,000 years to generate just three centimeters of topsoil. This alarming rate of soil erosion emphasizes the need for immediate action to conserve and restore land.

Efforts of Ecosystem Restoration at a Global Scale

Activities aimed at protecting and rejuvenating ecosystems have been expanded globally under the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030) including within Asia Pacific. They seek to enhance resilience against droughts while addressing land degradation issues. Human beings can attain a future where they are in harmony with nature and there are zero net emissions by taking care of their surroundings through plantation and renewable energy.

Impact of Climate Change on Pakistan

No wonder sometime you must thing how climate change is impacting on Pakistan. You must felt a rise in temperature or feel like.  Let’s step down how Pakistan is facing the impact:  

Pakistan is experiencing higher temperatures and more frequent heatwaves.

Major cities like Karachi and Lahore have recorded extreme heat in 2024, leading to health issues and increased energy demand.

The rapid melting of glaciers in the northern regions, including the Himalayas and Karakoram ranges, is a significant concern. This contributes to rising sea levels and increased risks of glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs). The northern region of Pakistan have 1.5 degree increased recorded temperature in current year with low snow fall in winters.  

Monsoon patterns have become more erratic, causing severe flooding in various regions. Remember the floods in 2010, 2017, and 2022 displaced millions and caused extensive damage to infrastructure and agriculture.

Prolonged periods of drought are becoming more common, particularly in Balochistan and Sindh. Droughts impact water availability for drinking and irrigation, threatening food security.

Agriculture was backbone of the country but Changes in temperature and precipitation patterns are affecting crop yields. The agricultural sector, which is vital for the economy, faces threats from both droughts and floods, impacting food production and livelihoods.

Oh not to forget Water scarcity, Pakistan is among the countries most vulnerable to water scarcity. Mismanagement and over-extraction of groundwater, combined with reduced river flows, exacerbate this issue. The lower surface water is decreasing very year.

Coastal lines  of  Sindh and Balochistan, are facing erosion and inundation from rising sea levels. This affects communities, agriculture, and fisheries along the coast.

Now these are major factors have its impact on health.  Increased temperatures and changing weather patterns contribute to the spread of vector-borne diseases like malaria and dengue fever. Heat stress and waterborne diseases are also becoming more prevalent.

In the next step climate change is impacting Pakistan’s diverse ecosystems, from mountain regions to coastal mangroves. Species are losing their habitats, and there is a risk of reduced biodiversity.

Climate-induced events like floods and droughts are causing internal displacement. This puts pressure on urban areas and resources, leading to socio-economic challenges. Which have huge impact on Pakistan’s already fragile economy. Agriculture, infrastructure, and health sectors face substantial financial losses, affecting overall economic stability of the country.