Experts Advocate Indigenous Tech for Pak’s Climate Resilience

News Desk 

Islamabad: Experts on Saturday emphasized the need for Pakistan to utilize indigenous technology currently idle in research departments and to improve governance to enhance climate resilience amid growing environmental crises.

This discussion took place during the panel titled “Climate Change Challenges for Pakistan” at the conference “Navigating Climate Governance: Executive Action and Judicial Oversight,” organized by the Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan at the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

Ali Tauqeer Sheikh, Chair of the Loss and Damage Fund Asia Pacific Group, chaired the discussion and stressed that dignity, equity, and justice were essential to preserving Pakistan’s diverse ecosystems, which range from mountains to coastal areas.

He noted that Pakistan’s interconnected ecosystems face risks and problems that directly or indirectly impact the nation due to environmental degradation.

Dr Sajid Rashid Ahmed, Dean of Geosciences at the University of Punjab, pointed out that before 2015, air pollution was not a significant issue in Pakistan, unlike China and the US in the 18th and 19th centuries, which developed solutions to their smog problems.

He highlighted that in Punjab, air pollution was driven not just by the transport sector but also by farmers, industries, and community behaviors.

Simi Kamal, Chairperson of the Hisaar Foundation, stated that colonial-era reforms had disrupted traditional water and crop distribution practices, leading to current injustices and climate crises.

She emphasized the need to view water holistically as a source of development, dignity, equality, and justice.

Dr Iqrar Ahmed Khan, VC of the University of Agriculture Faisalabad, explained that while one million acre-feet of water could generate one billion dollars in GDP, this potential was halved in Pakistan due to weak governance, uneven water distribution, lack of land reforms, and water wastage. 

He noted that wheat and rice, which consume 75 percent of the water, are water-inefficient crops. He advocated for crop diversity and for farmers to adopt existing technologies to achieve climate-resilient agriculture.

Dr Nausheen Hafizah Anwar, Director of IBA, highlighted that climate impacts not only affect the population but also vulnerable communities.

She noted that marginalized groups often lack access to critical infrastructure and that governance issues at the municipal level hinder effective responses, particularly to heatwaves.

Former DG of the Met Office, Dr Ghulam Rasool, warned that Pakistan’s mountain ecosystems in the Hindukush and Himalayan regions are fragile, with water supply issues emerging from glacier thinning.

He cited Bhutan as an example of successful climate action, noting that it has become climate-neutral and promotes organic agriculture through sustainable practices, suggesting that Pakistan could achieve similar success.