Climate Experts Warn of Fast-Approaching Climate Breakdown

News Desk 

Islamabad: Climate experts on Friday sounded a grave warning that climate change has entered a dangerous acceleration phase, with rising temperatures and increasingly destructive weather events signalling that the planet is approaching critical tipping points.

They urged immediate, united global action to prevent irreversible damage and secure a livable future for generations ahead.

Climate expert Usman Abbasi, speaking to the state-run TV channel, said the rapid pace of climate change is now evident worldwide — from record-breaking heatwaves to collapsing water systems — stressing that “the balance of the planet is under serious threat.”

He noted that the world has already warmed by approximately 1.1°C since the pre-industrial era, a figure backed by the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which warns that exceeding 1.5°C could trigger catastrophic chain reactions including accelerated glacial melt, extreme droughts, and irreversible ecosystem collapse.

“Individual efforts are no longer enough”

Abbasi emphasized that the severity of the crisis demands coordinated action from governments, industries, and communities.

“These challenges cannot be addressed by isolated efforts. We need global, collective action — now,” he said.

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Other climate specialists have repeatedly cautioned that, if current trends continue unchecked, the consequences will be disastrous for ecosystems, economies, food systems, and public health.

A 2023 UNEP report warns that adaptation gaps are widening, leaving vulnerable countries like Pakistan at the frontline of climate-driven destruction.

Floods, droughts, and heatwaves intensifying

Experts noted that floods, droughts, heatwaves, glacier melt, rising sea levels, and resource scarcity are becoming increasingly frequent in South Asia. Pakistan’s own experience — from the devastating 2022 super floods that submerged one-third of the country to this year’s extreme heat spells — stands as evidence that climate change is no longer a distant threat but a present reality.

Abbasi stressed that the world must act immediately to prevent “irreversible damage” and to avoid crossing environmental thresholds beyond which recovery becomes impossible.

Pakistan facing 80% water shortfall by 2040

Responding to a query, Abbasi warned that Pakistan is projected to face an 80% water shortfall by 2040, according to international water security assessments.

He called for urgent policy-making, national water conservation strategies, and the construction of small and medium-sized dams, rather than relying solely on large, long-delayed mega projects.

He added that the country must prioritize community mobilization, rainwater harvesting, and modern irrigation methods to reduce wastage in agriculture — the sector that consumes over 90% of Pakistan’s freshwater resources.

Public responsibility remains critical

Abbasi also urged citizens to stop burning garbage, a major source of toxic emissions, and to participate actively in tree plantation drives, which help counter urban heat islands, restore degraded soil, and support water retention.

Climate experts unanimously stress that without immediate collective action, the world is “racing toward a future defined by scarcity, instability, and climate-driven disasters.”