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Tuesday, December 16, 2025
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Aliza Ayaz speaks on Climate Action and Sustainable Development Goals

Fouz Siddiqui
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Aliza Ayaz speaks on Climate Action and Sustainable Development Goals

A UAE-based Pakistani Student, Aliza Ayaz, has been recently appointed as the UN envoy for sustainable development goals. United Nations Goodwill Ambassadors and Messengers of Peace are distinguished individuals, carefully selected from the fields, who have agreed to help focus worldwide attention on the work of the United Nations to improve the lives of billions of people everywhere.

Ms. Ayaz is the second Pakistani student to be selected as a United Nations Youth Ambassador for SDGs alongside Malala Yousafzai. She is also the first-ever international representative at the UK House of Lords. Aliza is a student of Masters in Infectious Disease Epidemiology in a joint program with University College London and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Alongside, she works with NHS CCGs (Clinical Commissioning Groups) to create sustainable change across the hospital pathway through data-driven insights and on-the-ground implementation of solutions to improve the quality and accessibility of healthcare.

Below are excerpts of Aliza’s recent conversation with our team member Fouz Siddiqui:

Having lived in Abu Dhabi & Dubai, Aliza is familiar with Middle Eastern culture and local sociopolitical set-up. Outside of work, Aliza chairs the Climate Action Society and enjoys horse-riding.

How do you feel after your recent appointment as the UN’s youth ambassador to help promote their SDGs? What would be your priorities?

Aliza: “It’s a massive honor. To be given this responsibility at just 21 is incredible. It’s unreal.”

In terms of priorities: COVID-19 is spreading human suffering, destabilizing the global economy, and upending the lives of billions of people around the globe. The pandemic is an unprecedented wake-up call, laying bare deep inequalities and exposing precisely the failures addressed in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement on climate change.

Aliza is also the first-ever international representative at the UK House of Lords

Leveraging this moment of crisis, when usual policies and social norms have been disrupted, bold steps can steer the world back on track towards the Sustainable Development Goals. This is the time for a change, for a profound systemic shift to a more sustainable economy that works for both people and the planet. The Sustainable Development Goals are vital for a recovery that leads to greener, more inclusive economies and stronger, more resilient societies. Click on each goal to read more.

Fouz:  You have been working as the student advocate for the health and the environment. What do you think Pakistani students are effectively playing their role in such activities and resolving these issues?

Aliza: I hope my experience of climate advocacy for young people is an example. This is why I put so much time, energy and effort into what I do. It’s not fluff.

I recommend that the youth try reaching audiences with an environmental message, make each interaction relatable to society as a whole. As this generation are and will be, most affected by climate change they need to be involved in the discussions on future environmental policy.

Current decision-making processes have excluded young people, but with the UK hosting COP26 later this year, we need to take the lead in putting young people center stage. Post-COVID, important decisions will be taken on future investments in infrastructure and the economy – including the next generation of leaders in this process is essential as they will need to buy into, own and drive those solutions forward. Work with companies, be it Nestle, Unilever, EFU, or Food Panda, pitch a sustainability job to them and tell them you are the asset that will make it happen:

The pandemic has exposed inequalities in society with significant negative impacts on Black and Asian communities in particular. We need to expand our understanding of why this is and develop policies to address these disparities. Such lessons are indeed relevant and translate to policymaking in climate change; we must ensure a just and equitable transition to a green economy.

Aliza presenting at a symposium organized by UCL Climate Action Society
Aliza presenting at a symposium organized by UCL Climate Action Society
Fouz: Major part of Pakistan has been under thick fog for more than two months due to less rain and climate changes. What steps are integral to better cope with this situation next winter? ( the Questionnaire was made at the end of February 2021, when major parts of Pakistan was under a thick blanket of fog)

Aliza: More research to dissect the fog patterns. It’s not entirely climate change, and it’s not an entirely natural change of seasons.  There are few measurements of aerosol composition in Lahore’s fog water chemistry, for example.  Are there studies that potentially suggest strong variations in geographic and seasonal signatures that reflect air parcel bidirectional trajectories across marine and terrestrial surfaces?

The scientific phenomenon is that fog forms as atmospheric aerosol particles absorb moisture and water condenses into droplets around these cloud condensation nuclei (CCN). CCN that readily attracts moisture can initiate droplet formation at relative humidities as low as 33%. The reactivity and degree of water affinity of fog CCN become potentially even more complex when considering back trajectories of air masses over industrial and urban landscapes. If we tap into this area, we can actually understand how to tackle fog immediately and use it to communal benefit without worrying about the massive infrastructural and slow government changes needed to reduce pollution, which by the way, are also super important.

Fouz: Do you agree with the environmental policy of Pakistan and think that we are doing great to deal with the alarming situation in the upcoming summer?

Aliza: I think it’s progressive, but has various loose ends.

The good things: Ministry of Planning, Development & Special Initiatives (MoP & SI), Government of Pakistan, Planning & Development Departments of provincial governments with the support of UNDP – Pakistan has launched a five years joint project of “National Initiative for Sustainable Development Goals to institutionalize 2030 Agenda.

At the national level, the Federal SDGs Support Unit was established at the ministry with the mandate to ensure early institutionalization of SDGs to provide coordination and advisory to respective ministries and line departments. Technical experts of relevant fields are part of the unit, including Social Advisor, Economic Advisor, I.T/ Data Analyst, Research Analyst, M&E Officer, Admin & Finance Officer, and Communications Specialist.

Pakistani student Aliza Ayaz leads student engagement at UCL
Aliza advises to make climate action an experience that people cannot forget about

The initiative brings together the planning, financing, and statistical institutions to work collectively to lay the foundation of SDGs implementation in the country. The institutional mechanism for coordination & oversight and management arrangements can be well explained through the below-mentioned overall structure of the project.

BUT there is no combined unit working on the actual activities to support SDGs implementation.

Fouz: What advice would you like to share with young people worldwide on Sustainability and Climate Action?

Aliza: After learning that temperatures in the Middle East were increasing more than twice the global average, I was horrified when I talked to my relatives and realized that they were unaware of the ramifications of the climate crisis. They didn’t really understand how important it was that we all work together to advocate for climate action and for our governments to be working to minimize our effects on the climate crisis. So I set about trying to educate them by translating climate material into Urdu. The large population in Pakistan speaks the local language – Urdu. A lot of the translations that I did were morally explaining in Urdu what climate change is, how it works, and why it’s so damaging. I also worked with my mum to translate articles or important information that I found online into Urdu and then sent it to them.

And, I mean, I think it was really needed because they realized, “Oh, this is an impending disaster or a disaster that’s already happening,” so they have become a lot more eco-conscious; they’ve tried to minimize their carbon footprint. They try to be a lot more sustainable overall. Most importantly, they’ve tried to educate others in their community. Iran also signed onto the Paris Climate Accord, and even though they haven’t ratified it yet, it is definitely a step forward.

I have realized that since I was able to have such a great impact by myself educating a group of people, that other people could do the same thing.

So CAS was born from my experiences translating climate information. The way that CAS works is that we give students community service hours for translating climate information into different campaigns: recycling, Veg food, urban redevelopment.

In a nutshell, my advice is to build experiences for people. Make climate action an experience that they cannot forget about. By doing all of this, I think that we’re really going to be reaching new demographics of people, especially people of color.

Also, Read: A conversation with Zubair A. Siddiqui on how Climate Change is causing low precipitation & water shortage in Pakistan

Human Biology: The Water in You!

Aniqa Mazhar
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Human Biology: The Water in You!

Did you know that you can survive without food for weeks, but it takes only three days of no water for a person to meet death?

The human body consists of cells which are the building unit of life. Each cell comprises about 80 to 90 percent water. Water is what supports life, in other words. All the characteristics of life require water in one way or another. That is why only Earth has life on it; because it contains water in all three physical states.

What is Human Biology?

Biology is the study of life, so Human biology focuses explicitly on human beings, the most advanced form of life on Earth. To understand how water is such a rudimentary part of this field, we must first understand what Human Biology exactly studies.

Subfields of Human Biology and the Integration of Water

Human biology can be described as an interdisciplinary field of study because it includes many biological and molecular fields mixed with the social sciences.

Genetics

Genetics is the study of inheritance, the DNA molecule which is found in the nucleus. Water molecules surround DNA in the form of a hydration shell and hold it together. The nucleic acids form their double-helix structure in water basically because they get their polarity in water. Without water, this molecule’s function would be disrupted as it would not obtain its B-form, which is considered its standard form.

Human Physiology

It is the study of how the human body functions. This is inclusive of the physical, biochemical, and bioelectrical working of the body. The maintenance of homeostasis is based on the fact that all cells are bathed in tissue fluid, which basically involves water as a solvent. All human metabolic reactions require water as a medium; body structures and cells are composed of water. So we need water structurally as well as functionally

Anatomy

Anatomy is defined as the study of the structure and parts of an organism. Water plays a vital role in the chemical reactions inside all parts of the body. As discussed above, the new cell generation relies on water to maintain the well-being of both structure and functioning. 

Epidemiology

It is the study and analysis of distribution patterns and determinants of health and disease conditions in defined populations. Water is an essential determinant of health because unsafe drinking water is the root cause of most illnesses and deteriorating health.

man in black t-shirt pouring water on water
Safe drinking water is essential for better health

Anthropology

This subfield of Human Biology deals with the scientific study of humanity, human behavior, human biology, cultures, and societies. Water plays a meaningful role in solving many issues that it highlights, like environmental degradation, climate change, local politics, changing consumption patterns, and research agendas.

Ecology

Human ecology studies the relationship of humans with their natural, social, and built environments. Since water is part of the natural ecosystem as well as the irrigation and sanitation systems that humans have made, it is necessary to study it when focusing on the interaction of humans and their environment.

Human nutrition

What is nutrition? The elaboration is not much needed as everyone is urged by health experts to increase the amount of water drunk in a day. Maximum 8 to 12 glasses of water a day are one of the tips that ensure a nourished, healthy, and properly functioning body.

Histology

This is the study of cells and tissues by making slides and examining them under a microscope. Histology can be called microanatomy because it studies the human structure at a minute level that is not visible to the naked eye.

Preparation of slides relies on water. Cells need to be able to maintain their shape, and a dye is added to them to give them color. The solvent for the dye is also water.

Cell Biology, Molecular Biology and Biochemistry

Cell biology is the study of cell structure and function of living organisms; it highlights that the cell is the structural unit of life. Life exists because the cell is about 80 percent water. Water is the solvent and medium for all metabolic reactions and the main constituent of many cell organelles.

Health Benefits of Drinking Water: The Healthy Cell Concept
Life exists because the cell is about 80 percent water

In a cell, molecular Biology peaks into the role of water at the molecular level. Water assists the diffusion of biomolecules and can be considered the active matrix of life in the cells. Biochemistry studies the importance and chemical properties of water that are supportive for biological systems and reactions.

Developmental biology and Embryology

How living things grow and develop, regenerate and reproduce all involve the participation of water. For example, the fluid in the semen comprises water. The sperm is designed structurally to swim in the male and female body fluids. If no water existed, the continuation of a species would become impossible. Embryology analyzes the prenatal development of gametes, fertilization, and embryonic development. The embryo in the uterus is surrounded by a watery fluid for buoyancy and protection.

Immunology

The body’s defense system involves the active engagement of water, especially the humoral response involving B cells. Water also helps in flushing toxins from the body, a process relates to innate immunity. Sweating and tears, the passing of urine are natural defenses of the body. Since water has cohesive properties, it is an excellent antibacterial agent.

Water also regulates body temperature, is the medium in the blood for carrying oxygen and nutrients to cells, and moistens body parts like eyes, nose and mouth. All these entrances of the body are like barriers or checkpoints for the entry of bacteria, and water plays a role in moisturizing or lubricating them.

Biophysics

How can we forget the field of physics when discussing such an important molecule like water? The physical analysis of the properties of water helps us understand how this molecule is the special one that sustains life. Water biophysics involves studying how HOW water molecules interact with biological ones like DNA, carbohydrates, proteins, etc.

Role of Water in supporting life

There are several reasons that this molecule is the ‘chosen one’ for the sustenance of life. It is a polar molecule and, thus, a universal solvent. All biochemical reactions can quickly occur in water. Metabolism in an organism is totally dependent on water as a solvent.

Secondly, water supports cellular structure as it helps maintain the turgor pressure and shape of the cell. This is important for the resistance to external pressures and the formation of the cell membrane structure. Thirdly, its polarity and solubility, and unique physical properties make it vital for life functions.

Also, Read: The Martian Water: Forms of Water Found on the Red Planet

The waste of plenty is the resource of scarcity!

Maira Masood
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The waste of plenty is the resource of scarcity!

With a handsome amount of economy thriving on agricultural output, Pakistan’s reliance on the availability of fresh water is a necessity. The economic survey of Pakistan states a 5.4% contribution of major crops to GDP accompanied by a 25.6% contribution of these crops in the agricultural sector of Pakistan; it employs 38.5% of its workforce. Furthermore, the accelerating rate of urbanization and population has led to a drastic increase in the demand for freshwater supplies. Irrespective of the importance and availability of freshwater resources in Pakistan, water crises remain a matter of grave emergency for Pakistan. The real question is: Is Pakistan running out of water?

The severity of the current water crisis can be analyzed from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) who claim that there will be an absolute water scarcity in Pakistan by 2025. A report released by the IMF (International Monetary Funds) claimed Pakistan is the third most water-stressed country worldwide. To prevent the country from hitting a deadlock, a framework of action must be drafted, highlighting the causes, effects, and effective solutions to solve the obstacle.

The first step in the framework of action is figuring out the causes for the lack of fresh water supplies in Pakistan. The web below exhibits few prime reasons that appear as root factors for water crisis.

Figure 1: Reasons for lack of freshwater access
  1. Increased Demand

Pakistan is the sixth-largest country in the world inhabiting over 220 million inhabitants and this graph continues to expedite. With an escalating population, the demand for freshwater rises. The current freshwater supplies are already exhausted so the provision to keep up with these demands seems impossible.

  1. Pollution

Pollution marks itself as one of the key candidates contributing to the scarcity of freshwater. Both point sources and non-point sources play a vital role in polluting freshwater sources. Point sources are defined as those sources that directly discharge effluent via effluent pipes originating from factories or industrial setups. These sources can be easily identified. Non-point sources include the means where rainwater washes away pesticides, insecticides, and fertilizers from agricultural fields that end up into large water bodies. These sources are difficult to mark as pollution comes from more than one definite source.

The discharge of industrial waste, dumping of household waste that makes its way into streams and rivers, the agricultural waste draining in water bodies, all contaminate the water supplies. Increased nutrients within water bodies result in eutrophication, a phenomenon where the structural changes in a defined ecosystem, such as a lake promote algal growth hence making the water unfit and harmful to be used for drinking, washing, cleaning, etc. 

  1. Exhausted Ground water supplies

Pakistan is the third-largest country that utilizes ground water supplies for irrigated agriculture. However, waterlogging and salinity accompanied with unmonitored ground water extraction have led to damaging consequences that can potentially tire the remaining water supplies. Pumping out water quicker than it can be replenished reduces the water volume that can be stored and hence reduce fresh water access.

scarcity
Water crisis is growing severe day by day
  1. Lack of efficient water infrastructure

Water infrastructure in Pakistan is dated and inefficient to store and regulate the available water. Lack of reservoirs and dams prevents the storage of excess water for future use. Moreover, the sedimentation at the beds of these water storage bodies reduces the capacity to store the required volume of water. Currently, there are two large dams in Pakistan: Tarbela Dam and Mangla Dam. However, these dams have reached their dead levels and cannot further support more influx of water. According to Muhammad Khalid Rana, Pakistan receives around 145-million-acre feet of water, but it can only store 13.7-million-acre-feet of water. More than 25 million acres of water are wasted due to the lack of dams to store surplus water.

  1. Climate Change

Global warming is pacing at an alarming rate which impacts the behavior of glaciers, oceans, precipitation rates, the occurrence of floods and droughts. Higher water flow results in floods and with a lack of dams, the flood water cannot be stopped or stored. Water gushes down the soil-covered land causing erosion that results in sedimentation in dams and water bodies thus reducing their water carrying capacity and making the water unfit for consumption. Moreover, the rising mean daily temperatures mean that the earth is getting warmer that causes heavy rainfalls as the entire water cycle is disrupted.

Escalating greenhouse gas emissions cause a rise in mean daily temperatures leading to rapid melting of glaciers and drying up of water bodies. Drying up of water bodies leads to droughts with adverse effects such as famine that destroy communities and societies. Being a water-stressed country, Pakistan can face serious water emergencies that can potentially affect a large mass of people. For example, increased floods or other natural water disasters can contaminate the water bodies and also support the growth of several water-borne diseases like cholera and typhoid that are a threat especially to the health of children.

  1. Increased Prices

The true value of water from its extraction to purification to transport is not properly calculated. This results in a lack of investment and funds for the development of infrastructure, water conservation technologies, and water transport facilities. With decreased financial input to cover the costs and non-defined high taxation on water distribution has led to a deterioration of the available resources and the management system. With over 2/3rd of Pakistan’s population residing in rural areas, such high costs are unbearable for families living on a constrained financial budget.

scarcity
The accelerating rate of urbanization and population has led to a drastic increase in the demand for freshwater supplies
  1. Water dispute

In 1960, post-partition, Pakistan and India’s dispute over water resources was solved via Indus Water Treaty that aimed to effectively divide the water in the Indus water basin between both countries. India was given access over water present in the eastern rivers (Sutlej, Beas, Ravi) while Pakistan was to use water from western rivers (Indus, Jhelum, Chenab). However, India is accused of violating this treaty by constructing dams over rivers flowing into Pakistan via Kashmir. This has reduced the water flow in Pakistan. 

To restore and replenish this driving force of nature, concrete measures must be implemented without further delay. It is mandatory to keep aside political differences and differences of opinions and work towards providing clean and ample water supply to masses within Pakistan, knowing that 90% of the usage of water is for agricultural purposes that engage a majority of the labor force.

Figure 2 : Solutions for the existing water crises
  1. Improved Water Infrastructure

In order to keep up with the growing water demands, infrastructure for water management and storage must be built. Knowing that the two largest dams of Pakistan have already reached their maximum water holding capacity, more dams should be constructed along with reservoirs to store the water especially that of monsoon rainfall. This will aid in preventing the occurrence of floods in low-lying areas and prevent additional losses from floods such as erosion and sedimentation. The proposed construction of the Kalabagh dam on the Indus River is underway. However, dams have their own set of downsides that can pose much greater threats. 

To overcome this, the government can strive to opt for Dam equivalents (DE) which are structural setups mimicking the purpose of large dams. They are considered a favorable alternative as they avoid the downsides that are involved in dam construction such as high costs. DE can rejuvenate the traditional canal irrigation practices.

  1. Educate people.

Awareness is the first step to bring forth a change. It is cardinal to educate people and raise awareness among the lot about water scarcity, the significance of clean water access, and the unfavorable outcomes if Pakistan runs out of clean water. By providing statistical data and making people realize the sensitivity of the current and future condition, if freshwater scarcity is not prevented can prove to be an effective measure.

Giving people examples from daily life such as the amount of water wasted while cleaning, washing, or cooking would enable them to analyze the grave concerns of the authorities over freshwater scarcity. Furthermore, it is pivotal to educate people that each individual can play a significant role in conserving fresh water. A stigma that prevails in our society is that a single person cannot bring a change at the expense of millions of other wasting waters. This needs to be eliminated from among us.

  1. Recycle wastewater!

Gallons of non-treated wastewater are discharged daily. This pollutes the clean water supplies and makes water unfit for consumption. Hence, before discharging the water, treating the wastewater to make it harmless will prove to be a fruitful practice. This action will help conserve water, increase the available water supply and help meet the water requirements.

It is a need to mark out planned water recycling schemes in an attempt to enhance freshwater availability and access. Recycled water can be used for several purposes such as irrigation of agriculture (under a set of guidelines provided by WHO), municipal water supply, environmental restoration, etc. Such practices will cut down the surplus demand for fresh water for activities mentioned above by directing the recycled wastewater to fulfill these demands.

  1. Water conservation technologies

A rather smart move is to use efficient water conservation technologies that cut off excess water usage and hence water wastage. Drip irrigation, Laser levelling, and sprinklers can be utilized to reduce water wastage. Drip irrigation prevents water wastage via evaporation. Similarly, sprinklers halt the excessive flow of water and ensure an adequate supply of water to crops without wasting any.

  1. Implementation of Laws

Laws related to water distribution and consumption must be strictly implemented and practiced. In case of violation of any clause, authorities must take legal action against the violator. Implementation of drafted laws will ensure that all people get a reasonable share of water supply as marked by the authorities and there are no illegal ways of getting access to fresh water supplies at an expense of deprivation by the lows.

  1. Address Pollution

Pollution is an incurable disease. It can only be prevented. Stepping into the 21st century, it is the utmost need to address and eradicate pollution which is a threat to all lives on the planet. Inappropriate waste disposal pollutes clean water supplies which is a source of many water-borne diseases, habitat for microorganisms, and a deadly dose to many birds and water living communities.

  1. Fair pricing

Access to clean water supplies is not only limited to access to the resource itself but the finances behind it play a vital role. Accessibility in these terms deals with fair pricing that will enable all classes within a society to be able to use clean water. Water should be a privilege enjoyed by all, not a menace. 

  1. Ending political rivalry

By far one of the greatest and most effective solutions to existing water crises is by halting the political rivalry between India and Pakistan primarily. The division of authority over the western and eastern tributaries and construction of dams on these should be talked through by peacekeeping aside difference of opinions between both countries. The government should take steps to enable both countries to come to a common ground and solve the crises so that the local population does not have to suffer due to it.

This is the time we act as individuals and as a community to combat the existing water crises which if not resolved, can lead to severe deterioration of communities in the future.

“When the well is dry, we know the worth of water” – Benjamin Franklin.

References

Also, Read: Water Scarcity: Threats to a Global “Day Zero”

Modern Agriculture Techniques in the Desert of THAR

Fawwad Raza
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Modern Agriculture Techniques in the Desert of THAR

Living in a desert is not easy; it is not always like living in big cities where you can find your favorite foods at your doorstep or at the nearest high street. Lack of facilities and basic necessities of life like health, education, unemployment, scorching weather, and loneliness make the life of its dwellers miserable. The statistics show a slight rise in the death toll of children between 2 to 10 years
owing to several complications like low birth-weight, pneumonia, respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), malnutrition, and diarrhea.

Thar-Parkar is the largest district of Sindh and has Mitthi as its district headquarter. It covers an area of 19,638 square km (7,582 sq mi) with a population of 1.64 million people. It enlists in the 18th largest desert of the world and is considered to be the only fertile one. Enriched with coal, it has the world seventh largest reserve in the world.

However, the limited periods of rainfall due to widespread climate change in Pakistan and mainly in Sindh caused an acute shortage of water for the inhabitants. Once the areas that provided scenic fertile views in the Mon-Soon season, now hardly receive rain in a season.

Tharparkar: A famine of facts - Pakistan - DAWN.COM
Limited periods of rainfall due to widespread climate change in Pakistan and mainly in Sindh caused an acute shortage of water for the inhabitants

Here, the rainy season often kick starts in early July and ends in September. In the past, Tharparker and adjacent deserted areas received sufficient rains, so the ponds get enough water for the dwellers for another three to four months when the areas usually received moderate rainfall in the winter. Here the primary water resources are wells with a ground-water-level of 200 feet deep that went even deeper in the last decade due to the dearth of rains.

The situation in Tharparker worsened when the Sindh government failed to provide water in sufficient amounts to meet the local residents’ daily requirements. Agriculture gets nearly impracticable when people striving for water to meet the basic necessities of life.

DUA Foundation Agriculture farm

The past governments of Pakistan wouldn’t pay attention to the area unless the Thar coal mine project was inaugurated in May 2008. Once the Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company (SECMC) and Thar Power Company Ltd. (THARCO) started generating electricity, the area caught the attention and became the center of attention to the national and international mainstream media outlets. In a short period, several non-governmental organizations shifted their focus to uplift the lifestyle of the residents of Thar. Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company (SECMC) is also working on multiple projects as their corporate responsibility, and a primary project among these is the Bio-saline water irrigation project.

The company planted an area of 10 acres (4.04 hectares) and with 120 Ber (wild-Berries) trees on each acre. The effort was part of the bio-saline agribusiness by utilizing underground water of the third aquifer pumped from a profundity of roughly 200 meters.

DUA Foundation has installed the Water Project (Submersible pump on 500 feet deep boring with water storage tank) at Village Chaho, Uc Laplo, Tehsil Dahli, District Tharparkar. Credits: DUA Foundation

The planted trees are watering up to 3500 ppm TDS beneath specialized back given by Pakistan Horticulture Inquire about Committee (PARC), and 120 trees were planted per acre so far.
These plants have started yielding within one year, and each tree has produced an average of 5 to 7 kilograms of fruits. The 120 trees on a land section could provide around 35,000 to 40,000 PKr within the, to begin with, harvest.

Dua Foundation is an NGO with small-man-power, struggling to regain the fertility of Thar Desert, once it was known for. Dua Agro Farm was a constructive idea to turn Thar green, which has now become a reality. With optimism and good faith, these farms are now showing their spring. So far, 45 agro farms have been completed. These successful experiences are creating new sources of employment for Thar residents.

These Agro farms are bored for irrigation and various types of pumps. In case of lack of electricity, solar power cells are also installed, and at the same time, storage tanks are constructed for storing water. The inhabitants of adjoining villages also have access to daily necessities and clean drinking water due to these efforts.

DUA Foundation has installed the Water Project (Submersible pump on 500 feet deep boring with water storage tank) at Village Chaho, Uc Laplo, Tehsil Dahli, District Tharparkar.
Installation of water pump has been very useful for the local residents. Credits: DUA Foundation

Dua Agro farm has also been set up in Kaloi Tehsil of Tharparkar, in which plants like mustard, Tara Meera, Tomato, Onion, Berry, and Lucerne are being cultivated. Meanwhile, the farm management started some research work, and a few Lotus plants have also planted experimentally in a pond.

In various areas of Tharparkar, Jalebi, Pomegranate, Wheat, Palm, Olive, Lotus, Tomato, Onion, Dragon Fruit, Spaghetti, Cumin Mustard, Tara Meera, Lawson, Lemon, Fig, Mulberry, Guava, Falsa, grains, and other vegetables are planted. Following the successful experimental cultivation of more seasonal fruits and vegetables, a few mega farming projects have been launched.

Farmers ready to harvest golden wheat from DUA agro farm. Credits: DUA Foudation

These farms are not only meeting the food needs but also providing economic autonomy to the villagers. Thus, the Dua Foundation promotes small-scale cultivation of fruits, vegetables, and grains in the Tharparkar area. In addition to preparing the fields, training is also provided to the residents for their maintenance and good yields.

With the help of philanthropists, these agro farms are prepared and handed over to the local communities. The existing wild berries in Tharparkar have also been grafted with good quality berries, and now the branches of these trees look bent under the weight of good quality big tasty, and nutritious berries. Under Dua Foundation, 200 trees of Kahu (Wild Olive) in Dhirkot District Bagh have also been grafted with required quality foreign olives. This will improve the economic situation of the locals.

Pertinent to mention that the foundation had launched a campaign of grafting olives in the country, and after their successful advocacy, Prime Minister Imran Khan also showed interest in it and ordered the authorities to support farmers in it.

Also, Read: Dr. Pervaiz Amir: an insight into the role of water in Pakistan’s Agro-based economy

A conversation with Zubair A. Siddiqui on how Climate Change is causing low precipitation & water shortage in Pakistan

Saadeqa Khan
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A conversation with Zubair A. Siddiqui on how Climate Change is causing low precipitation & water shortage in Pakistan

The issue of climate change has emerged very strongly during the last two decades on a global scale, given its projected implications on the environment of vulnerable states. Steadily rising temperature and its impacts on the cryosphere and rainfall are evident in many regions worldwide. There are indications that Pakistan has had its share of the significant climatic variations that are known to have taken place in northwest India in the past. The dominant component of the climate variations was spatial shifts in the rainfall patterns, associated with fluctuations in the general circulation of the region’s atmosphere. Changes in rainfall patterns directly affect water, agriculture, and disaster management sectors.

Keeping the dominant causes of water shortage under consideration, our Chief Editor Saadeqa Khan has reached out to Mr. Zubair Ahmed Siddiqui for our special “Water Day Edition”. Mr. Siddiqui is a Senior Meteorologist and Climatologist who has been working in various sections of the Pakistan Meteorological Department, including the Climate Data Processing Center of PMD, IMG-Training Center of PMD, and Director of Regional Center for Gilgit-Baltistan, for around twenty years. At the moment, Mr. Siddiqui is serving as the Director of the PDM’s Regional Center for Sindh.

Below are excerpts of this conversation.

Saadeqa:  Let us know about your life and career and work experience?

Mr. Siddiqui:  I completed my M.Sc. (Physics) in 1992 and then PGD in Computer Science from the University of Karachi in 1993. Later I did M.S./M.Phil. in Meteorology from Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, China. I joined Pakistan Meteorological Department in 1999 as a “Meteorologist” after passing through FPSC exams. Since then, I have been working at various sections of PMD, including the Climate Data Processing Center of PMD, IMG – the Training Center of PMD, Senior Aviation Met Forecaster at Karachi Airport and Director of Regional Center for Gilgit-Baltistan and now at present as Director of Regional Center for Sindh. Some of my research papers have been published in National and International peer-reviewed Scientific Journals. I have been a fellow at Japan Met Agency Tokyo and have also represented Pakistan at various Conferences and Symposiums in several other countries.

Mr. Zubair Ahmad Siddiqui at the UN office

Saadeqa: How long have you been serving in PMD’s Regional Center for Sind? Let us know about particular projects you would have loved to work on?

Mr. Siddiqui: PMD is a Federal Government Department and I have been the Director of Regional Center for Sindh for the last One & a Half years. My main responsibilities include the Administration and Control of the Network of 18 Met Observing Stations, 06 Aviation Met Offices, and 04 Agromet Centers in the province of Sindh while issuing Forecasts, Alerts, and early Warnings related to Daily Weather, Seasonal Weather, Monsoon Rain Forecasts, etc. Moreover, extreme weather like Heat Wave and Cold Wave Forecasts, Urban Floods and Flash Floods Forecasts and other Extreme and Unusual Weather Events, etc., are also a part of my services.

Saadeqa: What are the Met Office predictions for the coming Mon Soon season in Karachi and Sind?

Mr. Siddiqui:  Monsoon Season onsets/starts in Pakistan from 1 Jul every year. Hence PMD will issue its monsoon forecast in the last week of May for entire Pakistan, including Sindh and Karachi.

Zubair Siddiqui
With Trainees from SAARC countries, at IMG Karachi (2011)

Saadeqa: The Arabian Sea is heating up with average surface temperature increasing from 29 C to 31 C in just two years. How could we stop this overheating process to minimize unusual rain patterns in Sind/ Karachi?

Mr. Siddiqui: Sea surface temperature of the Arabian Sea has been increased a little due to global warming, but I disagree with your above numbers (31 C or 29 C, both are not correct). The average SST of the Arabian Sea in January remains near 24 C, while in June or October the SST remains just near 27 C. If it further rises, then cyclone formation is likely to occur along with some other parameters.

There is no method discovered to stop the heating of the Ocean Surface / Sea Surface, except to control global warming or climate change. Moreover, the unusual rain pattern in Sindh / Karachi depends on Monsoon currents during the period from June to September, while it depends upon “Western Disturbances” during the period from October to March. The increasing “Sea Surface Temperature” is causing the increase in tropical cyclones’ frequency in the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal.

Editorial Note: The question was based on a report of Deutsche Welle English service published 8 Sep 2020, entitled, ‘Pakistan: Climate change, environmental problems put the government on a blind,’ reported by Mr. S khan (Islamabad). It has appeared after further investigation that the news provided wrong and baseless demo-graph which couldn’t be possible under the conditions that we have had last August after having massive rains in Karachi and significant parts of Sind). We are thankful to Mr. Zubair Ahmed Siddiqui for the mention and for making things correct for us.

“Cutting of trees and rapid increase in the number of concrete structures and high-rise buildings is also one of the main reasons for extreme weather in Sindh and Karachi.”

Saadeqa: Karachi, like most parts of Pakistan, has faced fewer rains in the winter season that was very unlikely and indicates climate change even on a more significant level than we expected. Do you agree with it?

Mr. Siddiqui: Sindh receives NO rainfall during the months of January and February 2021, while only 10% of the monthly average during December 2020. A weak La-Nina started effecting during September 2020, while reached Moderate strength during December 2020. A neutral Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) effect persists during the period from October 2020 to February 2021. Both conditions usually suppress the pre-winter precipitation in Pakistan. And yes, these are linked with Climate Change effects as well.

At WMO headquarter Office, Geneva Switzerland.
pioneering/establishing the “Third Pole Regional Climate Center Network”

Saadeqa: What Met office predicts for the coming summer season? What could be the max temperature during the peak months of June/July?

Mr. Siddiqui: Extreme weather events, including heatwaves, are the most significant effects of climate change impacts on Pakistan, especially Karachi city. Another reason for increasing temperatures in Karachi during summer is the “Urban Heat Island” effect. Cutting of trees and rapid increase in the number of concrete structures and high-rise buildings is also one of the main reasons. At least one heatwave (or more) is expected during May, June, and July 2021, respectively. Maximum Temperature during the afternoon time may reach above 42 C during the heat waves. At this moment, this is only a seasonal outlook, PMD will issue a more precise forecast one week before these events.

Saadeqa: The Indus river delta has been badly affected by the Arabian Sea intrusion that damaged people’s livelihood and gives rise to climate changes. What measures are needed on urgent notice to stop sea intrusion?

Mr. Siddiqui: Indus Delta will have an adverse effect of sea-level rise on the Pakistan coast. Topographically, Indus Delta is a tidal flat zone. During the event of tropical cyclones in the Arabian Sea near Sindh Coasts, “Storm Surges” also cause sea intrusion and severe damage to the Indus Delta zone. An increase in Mangroves forests may help in mitigating this problem. Another measure is building small water-storage-dams near the flash-flood affected areas to store the excess water of flash floods during the monsoon period and then utilize this water during the water-shortage months.

Also, Read: Melting Himalayan Glaciers: What it means for Pakistan

Review: ‘Brave Blue World’ will steer you away from feeling blue

Syeda Laiba Tayyab
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Review: ‘Brave Blue World’ will steer you away from feeling blue

Water, a basic necessity of life, is not available for everyone. It is the sad truth we face today in the 21st century. About 71% of the world is water, but still, why are we facing water scarcity in underdeveloped countries of the world? The answer to this obvious question is that the useable or drinkable water is only 2% of the total water present. And this percentage is falling fast as we easily waste the water we use daily.

Brave Blue World, released in 2020, stars celebrity activists Matt Damon, Jaden Smith, with strong narration by Liam Neeson. Directed and produced by Tim Neeves, this documentary is available on Netflix to stream. Brave blue world, alongside portraying the dreadful picture of the scarcity of water in the world, also provides hope for the new technologies being employed to preserve and recycle water. This documentary is optimistic, encouraging, and promising in solving the water problem in the near future. 

The documentary covers the whole world and explains water problems in a specific region and how the people there are applying innovative ideas to solve those problems.

Some of the technologies shown in the documentary are Water box by Jaden Smith, Majik water (extracted water from the atmosphere), Orange county sewage wastewater treatment, Chicago’s biggest wastewater treatment plant, dying factories, and their water treatment, Hydra loop to recycle your household water and last but not the least, Water.org by Matt Damon.

Is 'Brave Blue World: Racing to Solve Our Water Crisis' on Netflix in Australia? Where to Watch the Documentary - New On Netflix Australia & New Zealand
Brave Blue World is optimistic, encouraging, and promising in solving the water problem in the near future. 

These inventions help their communities on a local level by providing safe drinking water and have the potential to work globally. The most interesting part I liked about the movie was the way innovators thought about how wastewater could produce a large amount of fertilizer and can be used again for household use. Scientists try to mimic nature and that way, it recycles water to a 100% level. Bio mimicking is utilized in membrane technology where aquaporins (a protein present in our bodies to filter water) were first used in filtering larger amounts of wastewater. 

The documentary does not overwhelm us with the fact that we are on the brink of a water catastrophe but suggests different ways to avoid the looming problem. It is a promising movie that shows hope for our future generations that we can and are able to solve the water crisis in our lifetimes. All that is required is to invest in this cause, have the government’s support, and adopt new water recycling methods to mitigate the problem.

I highly recommend everyone reading this review to watch Brave Blue World because after watching, you will be optimistic about evading the water crisis and how you can individually take part in solving the problem.

Also Read: MELTING HIMALAYAN GLACIERS: WHAT IT MEANS FOR PAKISTAN

Man vs Nature: How Plastic Pollution is Desecrating World’s Seas and Oceans

Fizza Kazim
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Man vs Nature: How Plastic Pollution is Desecrating World’s Seas and Oceans

In much of the earth’s oceans, man-made waste is rising, and nothing is actually disappearing. By 2050, the seas and oceans will have more plastic than fish.

A significant portion of the earth is covered in dumped plastic endangering animal and potentially human health. The accumulation of plastic in our seas and oceans has turned into a major crisis. This increasingly growing plastic waste has overwhelmed our world’s ability to cope with the issue. A garbage truck full of plastic reaches the ocean every minute, ruining beaches, killing species, and infecting our food supply.

Plastic is made from petroleum and is a synthetic polymer with qualities that make it suitable for a broad range of uses, like packaging, construction, domestic and sporting goods, automobiles, electronic devices, and farming. Each year, more than 300 million tons of plastic is manufactured, most of which is then used to create products like shopping bags, disposable cups, bottles, spoons, and straws.

If one were to scoop in the oceans every year, around 8 million tons of plastic would be found. Swirling plastic waste is by far the most common form of ocean pollution right now. Waste plastic in oceans and seas accounts for 80% of all marine litter. Plastic is found on the waters of every country, with higher concentrations of plastic around tourist spots and heavily populated regions.

Plastic waste is found mostly in the waters of developing countries of Asia and Africa. These countries have poor and inadequate litter collection systems and management. Developed nations also face the same difficulty.

Preventing waste materials from reaching rivers, seas, and oceans in the first place is one of the ways to curb plastic pollution
Preventing waste materials from reaching rivers, seas, and oceans in the first place is one of the ways to curb plastic pollution

Scientists in the 1960’s first observed the problem of plastic pollution in oceans and seas. Different studies hold different countries responsible for the problem. According to a report from Germany’s Helmholtz Center for Environmental Studies, the bulk of ocean plastic comes from the rivers in Asia and Africa. Research Group at the University of Georgia found out that plastics in oceans and seas would barely drop even if Europe and North America end their plastic production.

Studies have revealed that wildlife suffers directly and fatally as a result of plastic contamination. Every year, hundreds of marine animals, sea turtles, birds, whales, and other sea organisms die as a result of swallowing or being trapped in plastic. Plastics are reported to have harmed nearly 700 animals, including invasive species. It is eaten by almost every seabird species.

Over 100 aquatic organisms, from fish, shrimp to lobsters bound for our plates and bowls, have been reported to contain plastic particles. In certain instances, these insignificant particles move through the digestive tract and are eliminated without causing any damage. Plastics have also been reported to have clogged intestinal tracts or damaged organs, resulting in death. Plastic-filled stomachs inhibit the ability to consume food, contributing to starvation.

It really is hard, if not impossible, to extract plastic litter once it’s in the water. Large items, like plastic plates, cups, spoons, and cans, can be picked up using automated devices, including Trash Wheels. But it is impossible to retrieve after it breaks down into microplastics and drifts deep in water.

Human beings are both a key component of the issue and the solution of this problem, whether they live along the shorelines or far offshore. According to the National Geographic Society, preventing waste materials from reaching rivers, seas, and oceans in the first place is the remedy. Efficient disposal control and recycling, better manufacturing that acknowledges the limited lifespan of disposable products, and a decrease in the manufacture of unwanted plastic materials will all help achieve this target.

Read More: WATER SCARCITY: THREATS TO A GLOBAL “DAY ZERO”

The Martian Water: Forms of Water Found on the Red Planet

Muhammad Hassan Qazi
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The Martian Water: Forms of Water Found on the Red Planet

Mars. The Red planet. Our Sister planet. It’s the one in our Solar system that enjoys the most prominent place in Ancient Mythology and Astrology across many cultures. Humanity seems to have a centuries-old romance with two celestial bodies; Our Moon and Mars. This fascination engulfs a large number of Scientists & Astronomers as well! It’s the reason that astronomers have closely set their sights on Mars with the advent of modern telescopes. Man did visit the Moon, but since we stopped visiting it, the next stop for space travel was logically set to be Mars.

With advancements in Robotics and Artificial intelligence, the ultimate application of this technology was in Space. Over the years, many orbiter spacecraft and Landers equipped with exploring rovers have been successfully sent to explore Mars. Interestingly, the motivation to explore Mars has always been attached to its past. Was it once habitable? What led to it becoming a barren red planet? Can it be transformed/ terraformed into a habitable planet for humanity? These are the pivotal questions whose answers are being searched today with the latest space technology.

Water on Mars!

The answer to render Mars as livable, the confirmation of the presence of forms of Water on Mars, came as a huge advancement. Early telescopic observers correctly assumed that the white polar caps and clouds were indications of water’s presence. These observations, coupled with the fact that Mars has a 24-hour day, led astronomer William Herschel to declare in 1784 that Mars probably offered its inhabitants a livable environment. It is confirmed through the latest studies that Mars lost its atmosphere and water relatively quickly. Within a short period of time, geologically speaking, all that water disappeared, aided by dust storms. Presently, there is water ice on the poles of Mars (on the surface & underground) and tiny amounts of vapors in the Martian atmosphere.  

Let’s have a look at the forms of Water that have been confirmed to be present on Mars:

Water ice below the Martian surface

In 2018, researchers led by USGS planetary geologist Colin Dundas presented detailed observations of eight Martian regions with the help of HiRISE, a powerful camera aboard NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. They found several locations where erosion had uncovered large, steep cross-sections of underlying ice. It’s not just the volume of water they found (it’s no mystery that Mars harbors a lot of ice in these particular regions); it’s how mineable it promises to be. The deposits begin at depths as shallow as one meter and extend upwards of 100 meters into the planet. The biggest problem to tap this ice is that these locations are present between 55 and 60 degrees north or south of the equator, where temperatures can drop extremely low. Most Mars missions restrict their landing sites to within 30 degrees of the equator (to remain warm!), as would future crewed missions to the planet’s surface. So we have to wait for a mission planned to land near these sites having underground ice. Erosion on Mars has uncovered large, steep cross-sections of clean, subterranean ice. The following false-color image captured by NASA’s HiRISE camera shows one of the eight discovered stripes that appear dark blue against the Martian terrain.

Researchers have found several locations where erosion had uncovered large, steep cross-sections of underlying ice. Image credit: NASA/JPL/ University of Arizona /USGS

Water ice on the Martian surface

NASA has big plans for returning astronauts to the Moon in 2024, a stepping stone on the path to sending humans to Mars. But where should the first people on the Red Planet land?

A new paper published in Geophysical Research Letters will help by providing a map of water ice believed to be as little as an inch (2.5 centimeters) below the surface. Water ice will be a crucial consideration for any potential landing site. With little room to spare aboard a spacecraft, any human missions to Mars will have to harvest what’s already available for drinking water and making rocket fuel.

In 2018, ESA’s Mars Express took a set of images that showed a large ice-filled crater! The image developed after stitching together five photographs taken by the Mars Express spacecraft is a spectacular shot of the Korolev Crater, a dish-shaped basin on the broad plain that surrounds the Martian north pole.

Kirsten Siebach, a planetary geologist at Rice University in Houston, told NBC News: “There used to be liquid water in rivers and lakes on Mars, but it largely either froze as the atmosphere dissipated or was lost to space about 3 billion years ago,” Siebach said. “Ice still exists on Mars near the poles, and the Martian atmosphere has a tiny amount of water vapor.”

Mars has seasons just as Earth does, but the ice never melts because of the location of the crater and its topography.

A spectacular shot of the Korolev Crater, a dish-shaped basin on the broad plain that surrounds the Martian north pole. Image Credit: ESA/DLR
A spectacular shot of the Korolev Crater, a dish-shaped basin on the broad plain that surrounds the Martian north pole. Image Credit: ESA/DLR

Water vapors in the Martian atmosphere

In 2008, ESA’s scientists discovered the presence of water vapors in the Martian atmosphere. This was based on the data acquired by the “Mars Express” orbiter, which carried three instruments, PFS, SPICAM, and OMEGA. These allowed planetary scientists to study the water cycle of Mars in unprecedented detail.

In 2020, Scientists using an instrument aboard NASA’s Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN, or “MAVEN” spacecraft, discovered that water vapor near the surface of the Red Planet is lifted high into the atmosphere. The new study’s title is “Hydrogen escape from Mars is driven by seasonal and dust storm transport of water.” The lead author is Shane Stone, a former laboratory chemist who is now a Doctoral student at the University of Arizona Lunar and Planetary Laboratory. Their paper is published in the journal Science. To make their discovery, Stone and his colleagues relied on data from MAVEN’s Neutral Gas and Ion Mass Spectrometer (NGIMS), which was developed at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt Maryland. The mass spectrometer inhales air and separates the ions that comprise it by their mass, which is how scientists identify them.

“We were all surprised to find water so high in the atmosphere,” said Stone, “The measurements we used could have only come from MAVEN as it soars through the atmosphere of Mars, high above the planet’s surface.

Stone and his team tracked the abundance of water ions high over Mars for more than two Martian years. In doing so, they determined that the amount of water vapor near the top of the atmosphere at about 93 miles, or 150 kilometers, above the surface, is highest during summer in the southern hemisphere. During this time, the planet is closest to the Sun and thus warmer, and dust storms are more likely to happen.

The warm summer temperatures and strong winds associated with dust storms help water vapor reach the uppermost parts of the atmosphere, where it can easily be broken into its constituent oxygen and hydrogen. The hydrogen and oxygen then escape to space. Previously, scientists thought that water vapor was trapped close to the Martian surface like it is on Earth.

“Everything that makes it up to the higher part of the atmosphere is destroyed, on Mars or Earth,” Stone said, “because this is the part of the atmosphere that is exposed to the full force of the Sun.”

Formation of water vapors on Mars. Image credit: University of Arizona/Shane Stone/NASA Goddard/Dan Gallagher

This phenomenon was also confirmed recently, along with the fact that some of it is vaporizing, in the form of hydrogen leaking from the atmosphere, according to the new research co-authored in the journal Science Advances by two scientists at Britain’s Open University.

They detected the vapor by analyzing light passing through the Martian atmosphere using an instrument called the Nadir and Occultation for Mars Discovery.

The device is traveling aboard the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter, a joint mission between the European Space Agency (ESA) and Russia’s ROSCOSMOS.

Future of Possibilities!

Scientists are very optimistic about new discoveries as we are witnessing new spacecraft entering the Martian orbit. Namely, UAE’s HOPE Mars mission, the Chinese Tianwen-1 mission, and NASA’s Perseverance rover. Especially, the mission profile of the Perseverance rover is very promising. It has landed and started roving the Jezero Crater, whose fan-shaped delta and rim show it was once a lake that was several hundred feet deep! The latest images are being analyzed by planetary & geological scientists. It is imperative that we are going to discover new exciting facts about the forms of Water on Mars and so much more!

USEFUL REFERENCES:

Also Read: MELTING HIMALAYAN GLACIERS: WHAT IT MEANS FOR PAKISTAN

An interview with Dr. Pervaiz Amir on the role of water in Pakistan’s agro-based economy

Aniqa Mazhar
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An interview with Dr. Pervaiz Amir on the role of water in Pakistan’s agro-based economy

Agriculture is an important sector of Pakistan’s economy. This sector directly supports the country’s population and accounts for 21 percent of gross domestic product (GDP). Roughly 95 percent of Pakistan’s water is used for agriculture, with 60 percent of its population directly connected to agriculture and livestock and 80 percent of exports based on these sectors. Recently, the Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources issued a serious warning regarding continuous careless water mismanagement and that the country may totally run out of water by 2025.

Dr. Pervez Aamir is a senior environmental economist at the Asianic Agro division environmental. He completed his early education at Lassale High School Faisalabad in 1972. Later he graduated in Plant Breeding and Plant Genetics from the University of Agriculture Faisalabad, followed by Ph.D. in agricultural economics from Michigan State University in 1984. He currently works in advanced environmental economics courses at Harvard University and is the former research associate at Winrock International. 

Below are excerpts of his recent conversation with our team member Aniqa Mazhar. 

Aniqa: Please enlighten us with an introduction of yourself.

Dr. Pervaiz: I am an economist and the director of the Pakistan Water Partnership and a former member of the Prime Minister’s Task Force for Climate Change.

Aniqa: How do environmental economics benefit society and agriculture?

Dr. Pervaiz: Environmental issues like climate change, pollution, fog, and particularly pesticides directly affect agriculture. If you successfully control pollution in urban areas, its impact can be directly observed on our wheat crop. 

Similarly, if we properly control environmental regulations and patents and medicines in livestock and crop agriculture, it will also show direct benefits. Likewise, if we plant trees in the whole country instead of just specific tsunami-affected areas, rainfall patterns can improve significantly as rainfall increases. This is very beneficial for a dry country like Pakistan.

Poor countries of the world first focus on the ‘stomach,’ social services, health, education allocation, etc. Environment comes later.

Aniqa: What do we basically study in environmental economics? Environmental science is part of Biology, so how is it linked to Economics?

Dr. Perviaz: The main thrust of economics is allocating resources like land, labor, capital, etc., for the maximum benefit of society. Different issues in biology and environmental studies like residues, the ionosphere can be dealt with keeping in mind the economic perspective, which is called opportunity cost.

For example, if we start a cement factory-like in Kallar Kahaar, it may be that it proves to be a source of prosperity for its stakeholder, but the life of that area, either trees or wildlife, is affected. Water quality is concerned.

This is where the two fields’ symbiosis occurs; looking at biology through an economic lens and keeping in mind the biological limitations when studying economics. Covid-19 is an excellent example. The virus has led to the complete destruction of the country’s economy, closed all businesses during the lockdown, and still negatively impacted it.

Aniqa: Nature is indeed the GDP of the lows; their income largely depends on it. Why don’t we recognize this in Pakistan and invest in preserving nature?

Dr. Pervaiz:  We do recognize this, but our budget for the Ministry of Environment is the lowest. The Environment becomes a priority with the progressive advancement of a country and how rich it is. Most trees planted in the world are in the US or Canada, or Europe. India also has about 30 percent cover by forests.

Dr. Pervaiz (second from left) with renowned Pakistani diplomats. Photo Dr. Amir
Dr. Pervaiz (second from left) with renowned Pakistani diplomats. Photo Dr. Amir

Poor countries of the world first focus on the ‘stomach,’ social services, health, education allocation, etc. Environment comes later. In Pakistan, less than one percent of the total budget is allocated to the Ministry of Environment. Now, it has been made to the Ministry of Climate Change. They have combined the fields of Environment and Climate Change. The 17 SDGs include separate goals for trees, birds, oceans, land, economics, and education. About three to four 3 goals linked to the Environment are lumped together. Separate allocation is not available.

The poor farmers have animals who graze land or trees or any biomass. The main thrust of our economy is to increase the GDP, whether it is sustainable or not. Sustainability is not a concern.

Aniqa: Climate change is still a rarely discussed topic in Pakistan. Why is it so?

Dr. Perviaz: I don’t believe that’s true. We have worked a lot on climate change in Pakistan in the last 18 to 20 years or so. I have been very closely associated with it. Pakistan ranks 5th in the German Watch right now. The German Watch is a world risk index, but two or more countries present have no reality. 

 Aniqa: What is the German Watch? 

Dr. Pervaiz: It is a Vulnerability Index for 122 countries of the world. It ranks countries according to their climatic risks. In that ranking, Pakistan’s name comes in the top ten. It has always been so, but this time it is on the 5th number. Countries like Fiji, Philippines are in the top 4, and they are pretty small countries with a population even smaller than Karachi. So, in my view, the most vulnerable to Climate change would have to be Pakistan.

We are part of the Paris Agreement as well and have provided several reportings to them. Our emissions are pretty less globally; we stand at number 135 in emissions in the world. But where the effects of Climate change are concerned, whether they may be a shortage of water, biodiversity, glacier melting, marine life, or droughts, they are all severe. In Pakistan, climate change has multiple threats, unlike in Europe, where there’s just a change in temperature and weather.

Therefore, we take this issue of climate change extremely seriously, but we’ve lumped it with Environment and cannot distinguish the two as separate fields, although I believe the distinction is quite clear.

Aniqa: The Environment includes plants, animals, etc. Climate affects all of these, right? 

Dr. Pervaiz: Yes, all of these are affected by climate changes.

According to Dr. Pervaiz, We should introduce this field of climate change from an early level at school to a higher Ph.D. level.
According to Dr. Pervaiz, We should introduce this field of climate change from an early level at school to a higher Ph.D. level. Photo Dr. Amir

Aniqa: Sir, why is it then that we are not able to differentiate between these two? What is lacking in our research or the methodology of the people working on this?

Dr. Pervaiz: You see, research is already mere. Now, a couple of universities have come to start work on this. ITCC reports, which are international, are only focused upon here.

We have opened up many departments on Environment in many universities, but departments for Climate Change have been opened only recently at LUMS and one or two other places. These are units rather than full-fledged departments. The hardcore work of Climatology has two phases: adaptation and mitigation.

We should introduce this field of climate change from an early level at school to a higher Ph.D. level. In Islamabad, there is a center at the Ministry of Climate Change, previously known as the Ministry of Environment, called CGSIC, a global climate change center. COMSATs University is also doing some work on Climate change, as well as the University of Faisalabad.

Aniqa: So, all these departments are introductory?

Dr.Pervaiz: Yes, a lot of investment is required. The field of Environment is relatively better established. It is the people of the Environment who exhibit leadership in climate change.

Aniqa: Are these two different fields, or can we say that climate change is a subfield of environmental science?

Dr. Pervaiz:  Weather is the day-to-day characterization of the atmospheric conditions, whereas climate describes long-term atmospheric conditions. They are distinct subjects but entirely overlapping, for example, how carbon dioxide emissions affect the Environment.

Aniqa: The Indian Government has canceled hydroelectric projects to conserve rainforests. However, in Pakistan, our electric consumption depends on hydroelectric sources despite massive rain patterns. What do you think?

Dr. Pervaiz: India is working on 5000 dams. We only have 3 to 4 dams. Water security is the most important in the world. Nuclear power and other things do not matter as much. Countries that are water-secure survive while those that are not. 

We make dams for water storage at a point to regulate and make it reach a place where a shortage is faced. An extra benefit of a dam is hydropower. You can attach the dam to a turbine to create electricity.

Pakistan is still deficient in electricity. Our struggle is to ban activities that lead to carbon dioxide emissions like burning oil for generators, burning coal, etc. hydropower is the best strategy for Pakistan. To be exact, hydropower, wind energy, solar energy.

India is going towards solar rapidly as well as currently making the most significant number of dams. Our main threat is India, and we need more focus to cope.

Aniqa: How are economic activities related to water resources and the Environment?

Dr. Pervaiz:  Pakistan’s economy is basically agriculture-based. Most of our economic activities revolve around our crops. If we talk about sugarcane, it is used in sugar mills. Cotton produced is used in the textile industry. Agriculture is a way of living for us. Our industries would halt without it. We want to provide a facilitative environment for agriculture. For that, safe drinking water is the first most essential thing required. No country can advance without it. Around 40 percent of diseases in Pakistan are due to dirty water, like diarrhea.

Next, if the air in your Environment is not clean due to industries or atomic waste, children’s lungs are affected from birth. Their productive life is less than 50 years. It is crucial to tailor the Environment so that our life expectancy increases to 80 to 90 years like in America.

The quality of life should also improve. If people go to the park, they should feel at peace and harmony with birds and nature. In Europe, for example, societies with suitable physical and biological Environments have higher productivity. Factories with trees and clean water in their vicinity will have more productive labor.

Look at Kalma Chowk in Lahore, people are dying from coughing and sputtering. How productive do you expect them to be with such a condition?

Aniqa: Water is an essential part of economic development. Do you think Pakistan works well in this regard?

Dr. Pervaiz: Many people say that Pakistan had 5000 cm3 of water when made in 1947. Now it has even less than a 1000cm3 left. The main reason is not that the amount of water has lessened. The population growth of Pakistan is relatively high. Availability per capita is quite less due to mismanagement of water resources. We plant crops like sugarcane and cotton, etc., which are very water-intensive.

People living near the rivers face no water shortage, but Southern Punjab faces a severe drought.

The Most Famous Dams in Pakistan | Zameen Blog
The main reason for shortage is not that the amount of water has lessened. The population growth of Pakistan is relatively high. Availability per capita is quite less due to mismanagement of water resources.

Aniqa: So, areas with less water have slower economic development? 

Dr. Pervaiz: Yes, exactly. Where does terrorism occur? In extreme and dry desert areas and peripheries of Balochistan, KPK, Sindh, and Punjab.

Aniqa: Which economic, political, and cultural factors significantly impact local agricultural practices in Pakistan?

Dr. Pervaiz: The most significant is land-reforms. The main chunk of the population’s land is in landlords’ hands, who rarely visit those lands. In India or other countries, 65 acres or 1 acre of land is the maximum an owner can have at a time.

Pakistan has been affected by early politics; it was made by the inherited properties of Nawabs and landlords. The English adopted the method of grasping power by land and water allocation, control, and distribution in the political economy. So that’s why Pakistan’s history includes only a few families with the land.

We need productive gain per acre of land, which can be achieved when society prioritizes agriculture as a focal thrust. When wheat, fruits, and vegetables start to go down, all the public starts screaming. When they are available, nobody wants to worry about agriculture. Other sources like McDonald’s, Defense in Lahore and societies, are given priority and allocation.

Aniqa: What is available is always taken for granted? 

Dr. Pervaiz: Exactly. You asked at the beginning about poverty. We can reduce it when water is appropriately managed. 20 percent of our GDP that is 50 billion dollars, is from agriculture. We can quickly increase it to 350 billion dollars! If we surmount political barriers and develop our deserts like China, poverty can be erased, and harmony can prevail.

The poor can eat, distribution to other countries can also be possible. This is called the ‘multiplier factor’ in economics. When money is transferred to England by Nawaz Sharif, the economy faces a net loss. Money made in Pakistan should be invested in agriculture and circulated here to increase Pakistan’s productivity and reduce poverty.

Aniqa: My last question is that economic and ecological systems are interlinked at the local and global levels. What challenges do we face due to massive environmental changes in different parts of Pakistan? For example, the sea intrusion in the Indus Delta, glacier melting, droughts in Balochistan? 

Dr. Pervaiz:  We either deliberately or unintentionally disturb the ecological system. People say sea intrusion is because of dam-building, but both these are not related. Dam water is used in industry, agriculture, and power generation. Studies show it is a natural phenomenon and is not affected by dams built on top regarding sea intrusion.

Cutting of mangroves and deforestation are at peak in the world. Humankind disturbed the ecological balance itself. Pakistan has 1046 km of coastal areas; we export crawlers and planted them there. That totally destroys the natural flora and fauna over there. Other plants from France and China are also totally ruining the ecological balance there.

Likewise, Pakistan is one of the lowest countries in the world in tree plantation. Not even 4.2 percent of our land is covered with forests. Good countries have 25 to 30 percent cover. Canada has 60 percent cover. Our cover is so less that it leads to soil erosion, and ecological imbalance is inevitable. Severe erosion leads to issues like landslides which also affect the ecology.

People are making a racket about the Indus Dolphin’s extinction, but they don’t care about its habitat. Species depletion is occurring rapidly. Natural parks are rare, while their protection is almost zero.

In olden times, villages had ponds with birds and animals. Now, societies are being made in all these areas and creating biological imbalance.

Aniqa: This imbalance is because industrialization is increasing, right? 

Dr. Pervaiz: Yes, cities and industrial zones are increasing at their own pace, but small factories everywhere outside a zone are very problematic—for example, the brick kilns industry.

Ecological balance is at the lowest ladder of economic thinkers. Their vision is blocked; they don’t want to think about the outcome. They just think about the money they’ll get, the money that’ll go in the FBR. Money is all that is being focused on.

Aniqa: Thank you very much, Sir, for your precious time and for sharing your knowledge! 

Dr. Pervaiz: My pleasure! I hope you got the answers you were looking for and I wish you the best of luck with your magazine!

Also Read: TURMOIL UNDER THE WATERS

Melting Himalayan Glaciers: What it means for Pakistan

Umer Bin Ajmal
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Melting Himalayan Glaciers: What it means for Pakistan

It was on February 7, 2021, when a glacier collapse in India’s Himalayan state of Uttarakhand resulted in devastating floods, leaving over 140 feared dead.

A week later, on February 14, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) released a statement fearing that the Chitral district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province could face flash floods as a result of another glacier collapse.

The reason for PMD’s worry was a prevailing heatwave in the region. An earlier such incident in the Golen Gol valley in the district had ruined crops and several homes too. The fear on part of the PMD was not misplaced as a timely alert system was still lacking.

The devastation was so severe, according to the regional press, that four bridges and a considerably large area of an important road – the only one connecting the valley with other surrounding establishments – was washed away. Many families were left stranded in the mountains, who then waited to be rescued through military helicopters.

As per the PMD, there are at least 10 glaciers in Chitral Valley’s highland alone. They say, those glaciers are hypersensitive and could burst anytime. Meaning, it is a disaster waiting to happen.

These glacial outbursts, or in technical terms Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOF), in India’s Uttarakhand state or in Pakistan’s Chitral district were not isolated incidents and scientists fear that with the warming climate, the pace of such disasters could increase. 

What is GLOF, one may wonder? In simpler terms, it is occurring of sudden disaster resulting in the release of millions of cubic metres of water, and with it, the debris, to wherever the direction will take it.

What needs to be understood in this situation is that one cannot possibly stop a glacier collapse, but what can be done is ensuring the placement of an early alert system to minimize any damage to human lives.

According to scientists, Glacial Lake Outburst Floods are not isolated incidents and with the warming of climate this pace may increase

In this regard, the PMD says it is already working with United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to put in place small-scale lake outburst warning systems, the building of walls to protect from potential floods, and to educate the people living close to risk areas so that they know what steps to take in case of emergence of an emergency-like situation.

However, Pakistan has a long and diverse range of mountains, such as the Hindu Kush, the Himalayas, and the Karakorum. And outside the polar regions, Pakistan hosts the most glaciers: 7,000, to be exact.

As temperatures continue to rise the world over, glaciers present in these mountainous ranges are melting rapidly. So much so that as per the UNDP and the Ministry of Climate Change’s estimates, as quoted by Dawn in a report published on March 2, a total of 3,044 glacial lakes have formed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan alone. And of these, the estimates say that 33 are hazardous and could face glacial outbursts anytime.

Keeping this in view, the country’s Ministry of Climate Change, with the support of the UNDP, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) on March 1 for use of satellite imagery to help the ministry get a clearer picture of glacial lakes and better equip it in its efforts to mitigate effects of climate change.

But monitoring of glacial lakes, helping in predicting any possible outbursts, is easier said than done. The disaster in India’s Uttarakhand state happened due to a lack of monitoring, and the difficult terrain of the Himalayas only adds to the challenges.

In a report published by BBC on March 5, as a follow-up to the Uttarakhand tragedy, a glaciologist associated with the Indian Institute of Technology in Indore, Muhammad Farooq Azam, said there were more than 50,000 glaciers in the regions of the Himalayas and the Hindu Kush and that only 30 of them were being closely monitored, which included field studies as well. “Only around 15 of those studies have been published. We need to be observing our glaciers more closely, particularly because so many factors are at play,” he said.

There are more than 50,000 glaciers in the regions of the Himalayas and the Hindu Kush and that only 30 of them were being closely monitored
There are more than 50,000 glaciers in the regions of the Himalayas and the Hindu Kush and that only 30 of them were being closely monitored

Though Pakistan is responsible for very little greenhouse gas emission, it is still among those countries adversely affected by the effects of climate change. To make this better, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan, who projects himself as an environmentalist, has time and again shown his concern on various global forums regarding deteriorating climatic conditions and their adverse effects on poorer countries.

Recently, he shared a video on his Twitter where World Economic Forum (WEF) was praising the initiatives his government has undertaken and how they are helping Pakistan heading towards a “greener future”.

The WEF video highlights how Pakistan has pledged to source 60% of its energy through renewables by the year 2030; how it has cancelled its coal-fired power projects and replacing them with hydroelectric power; how it has created over 85,000 green jobs ranging from plant care to protection of forests; and, how it is investing in green space, securing $180 million in funding, to create 15 new national parks. Though, there has been criticism from environmentalists that WEF’s video is not based on facts and that the government hasn’t cancelled all coal-fired projects.

This does appear to be a fascinating development towards cleansing the polluted environment and help mitigate the effects of climate change, but what is also true is that in Pakistan, regulations pertaining to the environment is a provincial matter following the 18th Constitutional Amendment, and none of the provinces have an environmental policy to speak of yet.

Pakistan elevated its climate change division into a functional ministry in the year 2015, but critics remained sceptical whether this would translate into effective policymaking and better implementation of climate change-related goals. In the year 2017, the country’s parliament passed a Climate Change Act that created a council under the premiership of the prime minister to fast-track and oversees policies and their implementation. However, it has been four years and the council is yet to organise a meeting.

While the melting of glaciers because of global warming is something scientists have been warning of for a long time, still the pace at which the process is happening is astounding for even experts.  The situation does not concern only those living in risk areas, but a great number of people as scientists argue that the melting of glaciers on such a big scale has the potential to destabilise rivers in Asia, resulting in a chain reaction affecting much of the southern part of the continent.

Speaking of South Asia, the geopolitical tensions between India and Pakistan are only aggravating the problem. If the situation does reach such a point, then the damage will not be India’s or Pakistan’s alone to handle. The warming of the climate, or melting of glaciers as a result of it, will not care about the nationalities of people before wreaking havoc. There is a need for joint action, and on an emergency basis, to mitigate the effects of climatic changes and better prepare for the welfare of populations that are at the forefront and likely to get affected by it first.

There is a need to join hands and formulate a robust policy and putting in place effective monitoring systems so that peoples of the region could be assisted in a timely manner and the countries can better prepare themselves in preempting any disasters that may occur in the future and take actions accordingly.

Also, Read: Warning: Antarctic’s coldest region is starting to melt

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