The ClimAct CBN Quarterly Magazine (January 2020)

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The ClimAct 2 CBN Quarterly Magazine (January 2020)

 Editor in Chief ’s Message
Greetings!
Welcome to The ClimAct Magazine!

We began with the year 2014 and have achieved so

many goals and objectives. Completing half a decade
with the community connected with us, I wish to
continue more effective actions which will have broader
aims. The CBN’s 2019 achievements are too
numerous to squeeze onto these pages, so I’ll limit this
message to the most significant activities from the past
year. In fact, this past year was a strong one in terms
of our Magazine, the ClimAct. In sum, 2019 was a
success in large part because CBN members and
writers collaborated on reaching our ambitious goals. I
look forward to our continued partnership in future.
Thanks and Regards,
Tayyab Shafique

Meet Our Team

Tayyab Shafique Syeda Urooj Fatima Muhammad Abubakar
Editor in Chief Editor Coordination Manager

Syed Hassan Habib Muhammad Noman

Marketing Coordinator Promotion Consultant

The ClimAct 3 CBN Quarterly Magazine (January 2020)

 Our Writers

Nimra Ahmed Anum Ali Bukhari Zainab Imran Maryam Eqan Rida Bari

Sarah Altaf Saher Pervaiz Qaswa Hamail Mubeena Iram Ayshaa Bushra

Muhammad Taha Muhammad Owais Ameer Ali Asim Ali Bukhari Assad Ali

Sana Ullah Sagar Khwaja Isabirye Pius

The ClimAct 4 CBN Quarterly Magazine (January 2020)

 Book of this year is near to ends here

But the pages of pollution ready to share

May the story take the turn

But satisfying ending is very rare

Story tells, the earth gets warm

Resist the blessings, rings the alarm

Melting, degrading become common words

Flooding the nature, losing the charm

Turning chapters increases emissions

New Year Realizing the world, lost the mission

Resolution Grab the book, start writing

Mark the stop, initiate new session

Reading book can’t stop the pollution

Upstairs the steps, discover solution

Stop strolling the pages, take action

Decrease Climate change mark as

“New year Resolution"

Nimra Ahmed

The ClimAct 5 CBN Quarterly Magazine (January 2020)

 7 Five Years of CBN Achievement (CBN Special Report)
9 2020 Resolution
10 Climate Irreversibility - Pakistan at COP –25, Madrid
by Qaswa Hamail
12 Climate Change and Habitat Loss
by Zainab Imran
14 Growing Tourism and Environmental Degradation
by Sana Ullah
15 Ecosystem and Climate Change
by Sara Altaf
17 Climate Change and Decline in Aquatic Habitat
by Rida Bari
19 Global Burden of E-Waste and Environmental Impacts
by Mubeena Iram
21 Microclimate: Make Cities a Burning Furnace
by Saher Pervaiz
23 Urban heat Island Effects on Overnight Temperature
by Muhammad Taha
26 Z – Farming: An Answer to Climate Change
by Maryam Eqan
28 Worsening Climate Conditions: Call for Emergency
by Assad Ali
30 Clean and Green Pakistan Baking Industry
by Syed Asim Ali Bukhari
32 Climate Change Impact on Business
by Anum Ali Bukhari
34 Indo-Pak Peace and Climate Change
By Nimra Ahmed
36 Climate Change and Peace
by Muhammad Owais
38 Carbon Pricing Instruments in Pakistan
by Ayshaa Bushra
40 Are We Really Breathing Poison?
by Ameer Ali
42 Solution to Pollution: Climate Change Effects on Fisheries
by Isabirye Pius
44 Plastic Pollution and Climate Change
by Sagar Khwaja
46 The ClimAct News
The ClimAct 6 CBN Quarterly Magazine (January 2020)
5 Years of CBN Achievement

2014 2018
AWARDS AND ACHIEVEMENTS
FOUNDATION OF CBN
Founder/Executive Director CBN, Received Fakhr-e-
CBN was established in 2014.
Naujawan Award for Environmental Services.

2019
The ClimAct THE CLIMACT 7 MAGAZINE CBN Quarterly Magazine (January 2020)
CBN team has started a series of Quarterly Magazine.
 5 Years
5 Years of of
CBNAchievement
Achievement

2019
CLIMATE ADAPTATION AWARD
CBN received Climate Adaptation Award by Minister of Climate Change, Madam Zartaj Gul.

2019
CLIMATE STRIKE
The ClimAct CBN strike for Climate Emergency 8 for urgent Climate
to Call CBNAction for Global
Quarterly Cause.(January 2020)
Magazine
 2020 Resolution

2020
NEW YEAR RESOLUTION
The ClimAct 9 SDG - 13 “Climate
CBN Team set 2020 Resolution to achieve CBN Quarterly
Action” till 2030. (January 2020)
Magazine
 CLIMATE IRREVERSIBILITY -
PAKISTAN AT COP - 25, MADRID
Qaswa Hamail
Climate change is a very real thing that is happening
all over the world. Let’s face it Earth’s temperature
has already increased 1.1°C. According to recent
findings, the temperature is expected to rise by 3.2 to
3.9°C this century. So, there is no point in denying
the fact that in coming years, the World is going to
face new threats, encounter new diseases and face
new challenges if we do not take actions today. In
the light of these events, Conference of Parties was
held in Madrid, Spain from December 2 to 13, 2019.
The first COP was held in Berlin in 1995. To date,
25 COPs have been held. In September 2019, UN
Secretary-General initiated Climate Action Summit
for the international community. Its sole purpose was
to address the facing climate emergency and to take
The ClimAct
Qaswa Hamail is a young
fresh Environmentalist, with
keen interest in regional and
global environmental issues.
actions for its reversal (as per Paris Agreement).
More than seventy countries committed to net zero
carbon emissions by 2050. More than 100 cities
agreed on the same commitment. COP25 is the
actual Conference of the Parties to the UN
Convention on Climate Change to ensure that the
actions in the Convention are actually implemented.
Small island states together committed to achieve
carbon neutrality and to move to 100 per cent
renewable energy by 2030. And countries from
Pakistan to Guatemala, Colombia to Nigeria, New
Zealand to Barbados vowed to plant more than 11
billion trees. Also, phasing out fossil fuel subsidies,
thermal and coal powered plants, and Carbon pricing
was a significant part of the Summit.
10 CBN Quarterly Magazine (January 2020)
 In the light of the certain severe climate change
happening all over the world, it was agreed that the
need of the hour is to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG)
emissions to 7.6% annually from 2020-2030 (UN
Environment Programme, Emissions Gap Report,
2019). According to scientist it is a tough order to
meet.
The Conference
During the first week of COP25, scientists were
quite frustrated due to lack of seriousness from other
stakeholders. It was until Greta Thunberg arrived
with 500,000 people’s march. She bluntly asked the
World’s leaders to get serious about climate change,
as industrial emissions are increasing day by day.
GHG emissions have been rose by 0.6% last year,
which is still not significant enough to revere the
game. So far there the conflict of Carbon Market
(Article 6, Section of Paris Agreement) hasn’t been
solved yet. If it still prevails till next year. Then the
actual goal of emissions cutting targets with
allowing rising temperature within 2°C (or 1.5°C) of
pre-industrial era is a serious question. Media
activists, Scientist and environmentalists are furious
that Climate Summit has failed and demanding even
strict policies to be enacted.
Other Gains of COP
Oceans activists also tried to bring light to the issue
of oceanic pollution. Overfishing, dumping
industrial wastes and plastic pollution etc. were some
serious issue that they tried to get noticed.
Participants of COP25 used Madrid’s culture to
personify the impacts of climate change. Prado art
gallery, in conjunction with WWF, has updated
some of its most famous paintings to show how they
might reflect a warming world.
COP 25 and Pakistan
Pakistan sent the official delegate to COP25 to
attend this global call. “World must take nature on
board before 'climate irreversibility” was the slogan
that Pakistan presented. Malik Amin Aslam, the
Adviser to the PM on Climate Change, said that all
nations should consider nature on board before it’s
The ClimAct
too late for all of us. Moreover he said “Virulent
cyclones, rising heat waves, freak floods, melting
glaciers and rising sea levels are all vivid and living
indicators of not only our failing battle but also of
nature’s forceful reply.” Pakistan’s share to GHG
emissions is only about 1%, yet is among the
countries which is being badly affected by Climate
change, with the economy being stressed by its
impacts too. We do not have any way out to escape
this change, and require great investments to fight
climate change, which is a serious hurdle, Aslam
added. He also brought to light that Pakistan is the
only country with increasing the Mangrove cover,
approx. 600,000 hectares of mangrove ecosystem.
Pakistan has planted a BILLION Trees in the
Northwestern KPK and increased its provincial
reforestation rate by 6.3%. “We are now starting the
10 billion tree project across the country,” he added.
Pakistan is now also focusing on Electric vehicle
Transport policy, targeting 30% shift by 2030. Amin
further said that we are committed to comply with
the international treaties and policies by sharing that
Karachi launched the world’s first “zero emissions”
metro line –also the first transport project to be
financed by the international Green Climate Fund.
As mentioned earlier, Pakistan vowed to plant 11
billion trees from 2020-2030. Other Climate and
Environment friendly initiatives are:
• Clean-Green Cities Index in 20 cities to shift
trends towards improved waste management and
sanitation.
• Ban on the single use plastic bags to eradicate
Plastic Pollution.
• The initiative “Recharge Pakistan” would
effectively manage and recharge water resources.
• Focusing on renewable energy sources i.e. 60%
shift towards cleaner energy by 2030.
• Eco-System Restoration Fund is to be launched
soon, to initiate afforestation, ecological
restoration and biodiversity conservation.
11 CBN Quarterly Magazine (January 2020)

CLIMATE CHANGE AND HABITAT LOSS
Zainab Imran
Habitat fragmentation, loss and consequently
destruction can be from various and distinct human
activities. The interaction between climate change
and habitat loss can be devastating. The effects of
which cannot be undone. Sometimes habitats are
destroyed deliberately to fulfill some mere causes.
These causes mainly include, housing, road-making
and obtaining wood. For this, vast forest areas and
vegetation-covered lands are cleared. Human-
induced climate change taking place all around the
globe has resulted in a number of adverse affects,
one of which is, its manifestation in the form of
habitat destruction. Numerous habitats have been
wiped out of existence and others have shifted faster
than their organisms’ capability to adapt or migrate.
The ClimAct
Zainab Imran has done
Bachelors in Environmental
Sciences from Bahria
University, Isb. She has
strong passion for writing.
The process of habitat fragmentation refers to a
landscape-scale process which involves both, the
loss of habitat and the division of a conterminous
habitat into isolated patches. Many species are
adapted to living in a wide range of conditions;
therefore we say they can adjust to changing climatic
or temporal parameters. But at the same time, some
species have evolved to thrive in a specific
ecological niche only. Such species are vulnerable
and cannot survive habitat fragmentation. Because of
habitat fragmentation or destruction, caused by
human activities, the feeding habit of species could
be affected, or the change in temperature or amount
of precipitation due to climate change could
endanger their existence.
12 CBN Quarterly Magazine (January 2020)
 For instance, koalas are found where there is that would face the threat of extinction because of
eucalyptus and pandas where there are bamboo their inability to colonize rapidly. Therefore in both
species, and the absence of these would negatively cases, the low colonization ability of a species would
affect the populations of these species. drive it towards extinction. On the contrary, species
occupying wide ranges are observed to be more
resilient to climatic changes.
Different models have been developed for a range of
organisms including insects and birds. The present
distribution of a species is modeled as a function of
measurable environmental variables and for their
future distribution; their particular ecological niche
is projected onto a model that displays a varied
climate. The assumption maintained with these
models is that if at a specific location the
environmental conditions are appropriate for a
species, the species will migrate to that location.
However, these models do not take into account
many factors and hence are ideal. But, Collingham &
Fragmentation is measured differently by different Huntley used a spatially explicit model to
researchers and hence we reach a different demonstrate how habitat loss alters the ability of the
conclusion in every case. Many researchers measure small-leaved lime (Tilia cordata) to migrate in
it at the patch scale and not the landscape scale. response to climate change. And their conclusions
Others measure it in a way that does not establish a show that when habitat availability falls below 25%
clear difference between habitat loss and habitat of the landscape area the migration rate drops
fragmentation. Studies conducted so far suggest that noticeably. More importantly, a species may survive
biodiversity is negatively affected because of loss of climatic changes or thrive in an affected habitat,
habitat. Whereas on the other hand, it is said that given that they occur separately, but when both
habitat fragmentation has lesser effects on forces appear simultaneously, the species might be
biodiversity, and those too, have a chance of being forced to extinction.
positive. The influence of habitat fragmentation on
biodiversity should be measured keeping the
components of fragmentation separate so as to
clearly identify the factors that lead to positive
fragmentation and those that lead to negative
fragmentation. Habitat loss and how it affects
biodiversity should be independently assessed
because all sorts of fragmentation do not result in
loss of biodiversity and habitats affected in such a
way may not require restoration either.
Climate change poses threat to biodiversity and its
consequential habitat destruction is being observed
worldwide. The aim of many studies has been to find
out if a species can survive in a landscape where
habitat has underwent changes, adapt to the rapidly
changing climate or migrate to regions that are
climatically suitable for survival. Researchers have
used lattice models to study how hypothetical
species possessing different characteristics respond
to habitat loss. All species respond differently to the
changing climate. Those with slower adaptation and
colonizing ability are more likely to become extinct,
as they fail to keep pace with climate change. But in
case of habitat loss it would again be these species Tilia cordata

The ClimAct 13 CBN Quarterly Magazine (January 2020)

 GROWING TOURISM AND
ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION
Sana Ullah
Swat valley is one of the list of the most beautiful
places across the globe. It is famous for its natural
beauty that include lush green hills, cold blue river
and cold weather. Therefore tourism is growing in
swat in large scale. According to a survey around
50,000 thousand people visit swat in summer season
every year. They are attracted to its famous tourist
sites such as Kalam, Mahodhand, Malam Jabba and
newly discovered hill station like Gabeen Jabba,
Jaragu Waterfall and Yakhtnagy and the list goes on
are overcrowded in summer season. Local people of
valley Swat seen this as a great opportunity of doing
business and are extremely happy but on the other
hand this heaven on earth is losing its beauty and
destroying natural hebetate.
The ClimAct
Sana Ullah has done his
M.Phil. in Environmental
Science from PIDE Islamabad.
Due to lack of attention of provincial and federal
government as well as lack of enough resources, lake
of proper waste disposal management system and
ignorance of the tourist theses majestic sites become
polluted day by day. Pollution in the form of plastic
bags and bottle the leave behind not only degrading
its beauty but also effect the habitat of birds and
other natural species, which is great danger to the
wild life. In a research, done in 2014, we estimated
recreational value of Kalam is PKRS 421 million.
Therefore, there is need of government attention to
take an initiative for the conservation these beautiful
site which is not only providing joy to the tourist but
also is a source of government revenue.
14 CBN Quarterly Magazine (January 2020)

ECOSYSTEMS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Sara Altaf
An ecosystem comprises of all of the living things
(plants, animals and organisms) in a given area, and
interact with each other, also with their non-living
environments (weather, earth, sun, soil, climate, and
atmosphere). Ecosystem is the basics of the
biosphere and they determine the health of the entire
Earth System.
We in this present World are facing the biggest
environmental tasks our species have ever seen.
Whatever we do in this Planet Earth will affect the
nature and activate the climate change. Climate
change is an important environmental effect on
ecosystems. For example, if we see, warming may
force species to transfer to higher latitudes or higher
raises where temperatures are more promising to
their existence. Similarly, as sea level rises, saltwater
The ClimAct
Sara Altaf is an
Environmentalist by
profession and her field of
interest includes climate
change and its impacts.
interference into a freshwater system may force
some key species to move or die, thus removing
predators or prey that are life-threatening in the
existing food chain.
Climate change not only affects ecosystems and
species directly, it also interacts with other human
stressors such as development. These stressors
might cause minor impacts, but acting alone may
cause some long-term ecological impacts. For
example, climate change may intensify the stress that
land development places on breakable coastal area to
heavy rain storms. Moreover, forests may be eroded
if climate change leads to increasing heavy rain
storms.
15 CBN Quarterly Magazine (January 2020)
 Buffer and Threshold Effects
Ecosystems can aid as natural buffers from life-
threatening events such as wildfires, flooding, and
drought. Climate change and human changes can
restrict ecosystems ability to Climate change and
human change may restrict ecosystems’ ability to
temper the impacts of extreme conditions, thus may
increase exposure to damage. Examples include
reefs and barrier islands that protect coastal
ecosystems from storm surges, wetland ecosystems
that absorb flood waters, and cyclical wildfires that
clear additional forest fragments and reduce the risk
of dangerously large fires.
Impacts on Livestock
Climate change can directly and indirectly effect
animals and plants life as well. For example, Heat
waves, which are likely to increase under climate
change, could directly threaten livestock. In 2011,
exposure to high temperature events caused over $1
billion in heat-related losses to agricultural
producers. Heat stress affects animals both directly
and indirectly. Over time, heat stress can increase
exposure to disease, lessen fertility, and reduce milk
production.
Drought may threaten pasture and feed supplies. It
lessens the amount of quality fodder available to
grazing livestock. There are some areas which could
experience longer, deeper droughts, results are
prolong summer season and reduced rainfall. For
animals that depend on grain, changes in crop
production due to drought could also become a
problem.
The ClimAct
Climate change may increase the frequency of
parasites and diseases that affect livestock. The
earlier onset of spring and warmer winters could
allow some parasites and pathogens to continue
more easily. In areas with increased rainfall,
moisture-dependent pathogens could increase.
Possible changes in veterinary practices, may
include an increase in the use of parasiticides and
other animal health treatment, are likely to be
adopted to maintain livestock health in response to
climate-induced changes in pests, parasites, and
microbes. This can central to an increasing risk of
pesticides entering the food chain or lead to
evolution of pesticide struggle, with succeeding
effects for the safety, distribution, and consumption
of livestock and aquaculture products.
Climate change effects on food and food quality
Climate change is very likely to affect food security
at the global, regional, and local level. Climate
change can disrupt food availability, reduce access to
food, and affect food quality. For example, projected
increases in temperatures, changes in precipitation
patterns, changes in extreme weather events, and
reductions in water readiness may all result in
condensed agricultural productivity. Increases in the
frequency and harshness very high-level weather
events can also interfere food delivery. With increase
in temperature may contribute to spoilage and
contamination.
River watershed, a major transcontinental shipping
route for Midwestern agriculture. This drought
resulted in significant food and economic losses due
to reductions in push traffic, the volume of goods
carried, and the number of Americans employed by
the tugboat industry. The 2012 drought was
immediately followed by flooding throughout the
Mississippi in the spring of 2013, which also
resulted in troubles of barge traffic and food
transport. Transportation changes like these reduce
the ability of farmers to export their grains to
international markets, and can affect global food
prices.
These are some few climate change effects on
ecosystem which are affecting World’s population
day by day. There should be measures to protect our
ecosystem avoiding the drastic changes due to
climate.
16 CBN Quarterly Magazine (January 2020)

CLIMATE CHANGE AND DECLINE IN
AQUATIC HABITAT
Rida Bari
Fishery is a productive sector of Pakistan's economy.
The coastline is about 1050 km and this starts from
Sindh and run down to Baluchistan where enormous
number of species are there according to an estimate
there are about 760 species of fishes among which
114 species are crucial for economic aspects.
Pakistan export its 70 % of fish catchment annually,
in a report of Pakistan Bureau of statistics shows that
Pakistan had increase its seafood export to 12.25%
of worth 367.472 million. Pakistan export seafood to
other countries which include South Korea, Saudi
Arabia, Indonesia, Egypt, Kuwait, China and UAE.
The ClimAct
Rida Bari has done
Masters in Environmental
Sciences from University
of Karachi. She also wants
to study its Management.
Fisheries day are celebrated on 21st November all
across the world to raise the awareness of fisheries
their types and how over exploitations of fishes
affect the fish diversity, food chain and discharge of
waste water results in killing of numerous sea
creatures. Many countries India, China, Indonesia,
Philippines, Sri-lanka, Thailand and United states are
now experiencing a decline in sea creature because
of their illegal dumping of waste including organic,
plastic matter and effluent. According to an estimate
around 30 million to 60 million peoples are
associated with fisheries. In Pakistan people residing
to coastline are usually associated with fisheries for
their bread and butter.
17 CBN Quarterly Magazine (January 2020)
 Plastic pollution is now becoming a solicitude as a
number of aquatic species are dying out because of
suffocation or their bodies might injure by them.
United Nation in his report mention that around 800
species are affecting by marine debris. Researches
indicates that during decomposition of plastic
enormous amount of toxic and carcinogenic
chemicals are released. According to a report around
13 million metric tons of waste are dumped into
oceans due to this illegal dumping there is a
catastrophic decline of dissolve oxygen and climate
change is also imparting in this. The main reason of
this fall in the population is illegal fishing, improper
gadgets and flaws in implementing restrictions.
Around two third of world’s fishes have been totally
harvested according to the United Nation report.
WWF and various organization are putting their role
to protect endangered species from getting extinct.
Warming of ocean causes the decline in fishes of
Japan and Atlantic Ocean to about 35%.
Climate change is inducing the globe temperature
and causes ocean to warmer, there is the quality of
water that warmer water holds less dissolve oxygen
moreover industries are also putting down their
effluent having very high biological oxygen demand
and chemical oxygen demand which enhance the
ocean to run out of their dissolve oxygen. Since
oceans are helping to remove carbon-dioxide from
atmosphere therefore act as a sink of carbon but in
such cases as the ocean run out of oxygen this will
disturb the carbon cycle and cause bleaching of
Coral Reefs.
However, everyone is aware of how fishes are
important to us these are the rich source of animal
protein, omega 3-fatty acid, vitamin B2, vitamin D,
and also enrich with iron, calcium, Iodine,
Potassium, phosphorus and zinc. Fishes are the
cheap sources of animal protein, but the discharge of
effluent from different industries having organic and
heavy metal are bioaccumulated and biomagnified in
upper food chain and consumptions of such fishes
are only end up in having various toxicological
problems.
The ClimAct
Not only that some anthropogenic venture causes oil
spill which forms a scale on the surface of water
preventing atmospheric oxygen to dissolve making
anaerobic conditions, Tasman spirit oil tanker was
carried about 33,000 tons of crude oil and on 2003
the ship was split into two pieces unleashed all the
crude oil which was responsible for massive
destructions of aquatic habitat.
World bank in its report warned that the current
contribution of Pakistan’s fisheries in to its GDP is
only about 0.45% and the worth of export is about
fall and reached to at 350million. Pakistan is
introducing a new technique of Aquaculture in Sindh
and Punjab to full fill the requirement and preventing
fishes from getting exploited and its expanding
throughout the Pakistan.
Pakistan is on rank fifth of the most vulnerable
country from climate change and this can be
visualized how Indus river getting shrink because of
climate change and the other aspect is creating Dams
on upper plateau which causes the reduction in
downstream flow, fertile sediments, making species
of Indus water prone to extinction. A huge number
of people consortium with the Indus delta for their
livelihood, catchment and irrigation the
consequences of dams are getting intense as climate
change alter the raining pattern and Pakistan
received low precipitation reducing the water level
of banks and moving it towards salinity.
Estuaries are the most productive parts which serve
the habitat of diverse species, mangroves, shrimps,
Mollusca, clams and lobster; however, some
estuaries are in slowly dying and there are no
essential steps are taking to conserve these habitats.
If these issues are still neglected then there will be an
apocalypse of marine habitat and food security will
be converted into food scarcity.
18 CBN Quarterly Magazine (January 2020)
 GLOBAL BURDEN OF E-WASTE: HEALTH
AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
Mubeena Iram
What is E-waste? E-waste or Waste Electrical and
Electronic Equipment (WEEE) – is the term used to
describe old, end-of-life or discarded appliances
using electricity which includes computers,
consumer electronics, fridges etc. that have been
disposed of by their original users These include the
items such as computers, cellular phones, stereos,
refrigerators, air conditioners, other consumers
durable, etc.
E-waste dumping donates to climate change due to
the releasing of chemicals, when burning of
electronics. Hazardous ingredients create in
electronics, Examples: Arsenic, Beryllium,
Cadmium, Nickel, Zinc, Antimony, Lead Container
The ClimAct
Mubeena Iram is M.Phil.
Scholar at GC University,
Faisalabad. She has passion in
research and development.
cause of harm to brain, lungs, and other organs Lead
especially toxic to increasing in children.
When burned these metals accumulate in the air,
electronic tools contain like copper (Cu), aluminum
(Al), and iron (Fe), destructive chemicals like
polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) and
polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) and these toxins
released into the air.
PBDEs are use in flame retardants in electronics, and
during burning released carbon dioxide (CO2).
Cooperatively, these numerous chemicals – when
burning for the clearance – cause harm equally to
humans and the environment.
19 CBN Quarterly Magazine (January 2020)
 Activities concerning electronic waste (E-waste) are
evolving as a global concern as they can add to the
release of persistent toxic substances (PTSs) into our
environment and therefore into the food web. These
toxins leach out into the soil and water and
accumulated by organisms, which over time
negatively impact health. By the manufacturing of
electronics released the high amount of CO into air.
With today’s technologically advancing societies
and the demand for newer, more efficient, and
effective technology, older and outdated electronic
items are becoming obsolete and are being discarded
in significant quantities in various parts of the world.
E-waste activities are undertaken by men, women,
and children with little or no attention to protection
of health and the environment. Although those
employed in this industry may be alert of the threats
to their health resulting from these simple practices,
they may often ignore these hazards for the benefit
of earning an income.
These e-waste activities cause severe damage to the
environment and expose the workers and local
residents to toxic chemicals through inhalation,
dermal exposure, and oral intake (of contaminated
food). Once taken into the body, toxic organic
chemicals are stored in fatty tissues, bio-accumulate,
and increase the body burden of persistent toxic
substances. The uptake of contaminants appeared to
relate to the feeding modes of fish, with carnivorous
fish species taking up the highest concentrations of
organic contaminants.
The ClimAct
UN Basel Convention
The UN Basel Convention on the Control of Trans
boundary Movement of Hazardous Wastes and their
Disposal signifies global regulator to address the
problem of e-waste. The signatories, noting the rapid
expansion in the Trans boundary crusade of
electronic waste worldwide and the risk to human
health, especially in countries without the capacity
for safe management of such wastes, acknowledged
the urgent need to promote public awareness of the
risks, technology development, and information
exchange on best management practices, and
stronger enforcement of provisions under the Basel
Convention, the main global instrument for stopping
illegal trafficking in electronic waste and for guiding
the safe management of such wastes.
How we can reduce e-waste?
The guidelines acknowledge the difficulties faced by
government authorities to assess and differentiate
benefit used electronic equipment shipped for repair,
Refurbishment, resale, or humanitarian-aid reuse
from defunct electronic waste destined for
environmental disposal and unsafe scrap mining.
Frame work governing e-waste
• Various legislations cover different aspects of E-
waste;
• Basel convention for regulating trans boundary
movement ;
• Foreign Trade policy restricts import of second-
hand computers and does not permit import of e-
waste ‘Guidelines’ by Central Pollution Control
Board (2008) Salient features;
• Producer Responsibility; and
• RoHS (Restriction on Hazardous Substance.
20 CBN Quarterly Magazine (January 2020)

MICROCLIMATE: MAKE CITIES A
BURNING FURNACE
Saher Pervaiz
Climate change is evident, and it is continuously
changing since centuries, but climate change became
obvious after upsurge in urbanization and
industrialization. Human is experiencing
advancement in life and great relief after
urbanization and industrialization, but it is also
responsible to originate many problems for human
beings including global warming, industrial waste,
air and water pollution etc. Climate change is very
much significant at global level, but it’s more serious
and apparent effects put strain at regional urban
areas where industrial activities and substantial use
of synthetic construction material are frequently
observed.
The ClimAct
Saher Pervaiz is student of
Environmental Science at GC
University, Sialkot.
She is very keen about
environmental issues.
Realistic evidences have proven that urban areas
represent unique microclimates. Microclimate made
urban areas a “heat island” where the temperature is
higher than the surrounding rural areas. It is reported
that, this sensational change in urban climate occur
when we begin to utilize developmental materials
such as concrete, asphalt, tiles etc. for building of
roads, houses, large buildings and other
infrastructure. The establishment of concrete
materials and reduction in vegetation intensifies the
local temperature due to having high heat absorbing
capacity, it increases the temperature in the urban
areas up to few degrees than the rural areas
especially when it coupled with the emission of
pollutants and heat from industries .
21 CBN Quarterly Magazine (January 2020)
 Urban areas became hot when infrastructure emit
enormous heat into its vicinity. The temperature
difference is much more apparent at night and in
winter than the day time and summer respectively.
In the craze of boosting up the economies and
development, megacities consume intensive energy.
It result in the increase in humidity, and change in
the rainfall pattern and aggravate the pre-existing air
pollution as well as it can cause diverse human
health issues. Pakistan being a developing country is
also facing crises of urban heat island. Pakistan
being the 6th most populated country face the issue
of unemployment that leads towards urbanization a
leading cause of urban heating. According to a
report, an urban area with the population of about 1
million or more can be 1-3°C warmer than its
surrounding. Actually our cities have been
converted into a jungle of concrete.
Karachi, the most largest and populous city of
Pakistan is facing the issue of urban heat island. The
temperature has been 5.6°C to 13.5°C higher in
Karachi in correspondence with its surrounding
areas. This deadliest situation in Karachi is due to
reduction in green cover and increase in elevated
buildings. In 2015, Karachi faced a lethal heatwave
that Pakistan had never seen in the previous 50
years. This was the time when that heatwave
converts the metropolitan city into a hot burning
furnace where approximately 1200 citizens were
died while estimated 40,000 were suffering from
heatstroke and heat exhaustion. Not only Karachi,
The ClimAct
many other large cities of Pakistan are also
experiencing urban heat island effect.
According to many studies, Lahore second largest
city of Pakistan is also declared a victim of heat
island effect. An increase of 350% of population in
Lahore in past four decades leads to increase in
human activities such as industrial activities, burning
of fossil fuels, deforestation etc. These activities
results in increase of greenhouse gases which in turn
leads to increase in the temperature of Lahore.
Beside all these conditions, building of
developmental infrastructures and change in the
vegetation cover and urban geometry are also major
contributors of this urban heating.
Islamabad, Rawalpindi and many other cities of
Pakistan are also experiencing dramatic urban heat
island effect and again the reasons behind are almost
same as Karachi and Lahore. It is the need of the
time that we raise hands together to combat with this
devastating issue. To mitigate the urban heat island
we have to firstly control population and
urbanization. It is only possible due to effective
awareness campaigns. Government should not
allowed to expand the cities while clearing the
agricultural or forested land. To reduce the effects of
heat island green cover should be expand, green
roofs should be establish, and porous paving should
be promoted. With all these measures, we also need
to reduce the greenhouse gas emission a major
contributor of increase in temperature.
22 CBN Quarterly Magazine (January 2020)

URBAN HEAT ISLAND: EFFECTS ON
OVERNIGHT TEMPERATURE IN CITIES
Muhammad Taha
Have you ever traveled outside the city during an
autumn or winter night and experienced the sudden
increase in chill as you set foot in countryside? Have
the elders in your family ever complained how the
nights “back in their day” used to be cooler and a lot
more “pleasant” than they are now? Have you
noticed how temperatures in a green locality feel a
lot cooler than a treeless area? It is all explained in
the phenomenon as we call the “Urban Heat Island”
effect.
Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect is a growing cause of
concern in the rapidly expanding metropolitan
regions of the world due to the ever-growing mass of
concrete and asphalt, and various other
The ClimAct
Taha has done BE in
Environmental Engineering,
NUST University. His areas
of interest are weather
forecasts and alerts.
anthropogenic sources of heating such as vehicular
traffic and lack of trees in urban areas. It creates
locally “hot zones” in the cities where the
temperature can be several degrees warmer than the
surrounding countryside. According to the US EPA,
the annual mean temperature of a city with a
population of over 1 million people can be 1-3°C
warmer than its surroundings, whereas in the
evening the difference can be as high as 12°C! This
can be explained by the fact that the countryside
does not have heat-radiating surfaces all around but
natural soil or vegetation, which allows the area to
lose heat of the day much faster than an urban area
between sunset and sunrise.
23 CBN Quarterly Magazine (January 2020)
 The asphalt and concrete surfaces in
particular are the primary drivers of the
UHI effect. Having absorbed heat all day,
they continue to radiate heat at night,
keeping the air temperature significantly
warmer in cities. This in turn leads to
additional cooling requirements in cities,
specially in hotter, drier regions of the
world.

Although not well-documented, UHI effect

is a serious issue in Pakistan, where the
unchecked urban sprawl and a complete
lack of sense for proper green areas within
urban localities has greatly accentuated the
problem.

The rise in average minimum temperature of our
major cities including Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar,
Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Faisalabad etc., speaks
volumes of how anthropogenic sources have
warmed up the overnight temperatures of our cities.
In order to analyze how increasing urbanization has
led to an increase in the average minimum
temperatures of our urban areas, Lahore City
Observatory’s processed temperature normal for
1866-1888 period are compared with processed
temperature normal for 1961-1990 and 1981-2010
periods. The following observations can be made
based on the above data: A rising trend in average
minimum temperatures of Lahore City has been
observed in all months over the last 160 years. This
can be attributed to the fact that the city grew
around the observatory, with green areas and
agricultural fields giving way to concrete structures,
housing and roads, causing the overnight
temperatures to be greatly influenced by the UHI.
The rows highlighted in green are of particular
interest: the average maximum temperature of
Lahore City from March to November has shown a
decreasing trend, specially in June and October,
where the average maximum temperature has
decreased by almost 1.5°C over the past 160 years.
However, average minimum temperatures in all
these months has risen by almost 2-4°C.

This implies that while

region’s climate has
cooled over years in
these months, same has
not been reflected in
overnight temperatures
as the UHI effect keeps
city area warmer than
surrounding countryside.
Table: Processed
temperature normals of
Lahore City
Observatory for three
periods. Data has been
taken from NOAA and
PMD but processed by
the writer.

The ClimAct 24 CBN Quarterly Magazine (January 2020)

 The rise in average minimum temperature is the
highest in the autumn months of November (over
5°C) and October (almost 4°C). During these
months, humidity is low and dry conditions
dominate. Drier air cools down faster than the humid
air, and vice versa. However, UHI keeps the air
significantly warmer in the city than the surrounding
countryside that cools off rapidly. That is why
people residing in the city may not experience the
“wintry chill” at night or early morning until the
middle of the winter, which people living in
surrounding countryside have already begun to
experience since the middle of autumn!
The UHI also has a pronounced effect during the
summer season, when the temperatures in most of
the plain areas of Punjab and Sindh soar to over 40-
45°C. The overnight lows fail to drop below 30°C in
most large cities during heatwaves of May and June,
adding to the discomfort of the residents and
Rawalpindi’s urban sprawl with little to no trees (left) and Islamabad’s green localities (right) explains the
contrast in temperature one experiences when travelling between the two cities.
The ClimAct
increasing the use of air conditioners and coolers,
which further adds to increased energy expenditures.
Although not playing a role in changing the overall
climate, the UHI effect determines the extent of heat
you feel in your locality. Based on that perspective,
it is necessary to minimize it to the best extent
possible. It is crucial to plant trees in large numbers.
Green spaces and parks in urban areas are a crucial
necessity as they not only help keep the temperatures
of urban areas under control but also provide respite
from the heat by providing shade during the hot
days. A comparison of Islamabad and its twin city,
Rawalpindi can serve as an example where during
the summer season, the greenbelts of Islamabad city
are known to be 5-7°C cooler overnight in
comparison to temperatures recorded by personal
weather stations installed in urban localities of
Bahria Town, Askari-7 or Westridge in Rawalpindi
city.
25 CBN Quarterly Magazine (January 2020)

Z - FARMING: AN ANSWER TO CLIMATE
CHANGE
Maryam Eqan
Over the last century, the world population has
augmented. There were around 1.8 billion people in
the early 20th century. But now, according to the
recent estimate by United Nations, there are more
than 7 billion people at present time and this figure
will reach approximately 9 billion in 2050.
According to The World Bank, more than half of this
7 billion are those who are dwelling in urban areas
and their food demand is expected to rise between 59
and 98 percent by 2050. In addition to this fact, the
food that is supplied to urban communities are
usually grown by using contaminated water that is
high in metal content and this use of waste water
poses serious environmental impacts including the
bioaccumulation and biomagnification of those
metals in food chain. Considering this misbalance
between rising population , limited food supply
The ClimAct
Maryam Eqan is student
of Environment at GC
Women University,
Sialkot. She has strong
passion for environment.
especially in urban setting and improper cultivation
and irrigation practices, we will be in need to shape
the agricultural markets in such a way that is never
seen before. This will be done either by increasing
agricultural lands or by enhancing the productivity
of the already land available. But urban areas which
are already lacking land for food production, an
interesting technique has come to fore that will fulfil
urban food demand to a greater extent i.e. Z–
Farming or Zero Acreage Farming or urban
farming which includes cultivation of food crops in
and on the buildings or on any vacant space
available.
In urban areas, resource recycling become extremely
difficult and more is spent on petrofuel for
transportation to bring food to cities.
26 CBN Quarterly Magazine (January 2020)

For such settings, Z farming proves itself to be a
spark in the darkness where land is expensive and
very scarce. This new dimension in urban agriculture
not only need rooftops but vacant buildings can
serve the purpose too.
Z farming is 99 percent and almost 75 percent
efficient with respect to land and water usage,
respectively. Z farming requires cost efficient and
nutritional crops to be grown with optimized
climatic conditions for proper plant growth and can
determine the total biomass yield of crops. Not only
this, but an indoor containment system for crops can
be constructed and an energy efficient irrigation
system can be put into place.
Although this project offers multitude uses of
unused spaces but even though immediate
environment must be considered especially any
nuisance to neighborhood must be taken into
account. The main issues that are being faced
include zoning, building codes and secondary
regulations. In addition to these impacts, there
are many more issues like noise, odor, light and
glare effect as well as urban heritage
conservation and waste regulations particularly
remain as interest. As well as Z farming also
come across to many challenges related to food
market and potential sales.
The ClimAct
But beside all these difficulties, this
project not only produces adequate,
nutritious and quality food for urban
areas, it also put forward many
market and non-market goods.
Furthermore to food production, it
also helps to reduce the
concentrations of Green House
Gases that are emitted into
atmosphere when conventional
ways of agriculture are adopted.
This reduction in GHGs ultimately
helps to mitigate microclimate
fluctuations such as urban heat
island effect of urban food deserts.
This Zero Farming is an innovative
idea that could be adopted to meet
the food demand of cities like
Karachi, Lahore, Hyderabad and
many more cities, where urban
proliferation is rapidly increasing,
that need to meet their food demand
by bringing food from other parts of
the country.
The proposed Zero Acreage Farming not only lessen
the burden on petrofuels but it also comprised of
new prospects for resource efficiency, trending
farming methods, innovative configuration of food
supply and use of unused spaces like vacant
buildings in cities and rooftops of large architectures
such as magnificent industrial units. This sustainable
agricultural practice will make us more climate
resilient to cope up with the future climate-related
risks such as extreme climatic events, rise in
temperature, decline in water supply, variations in
pests and diseases, alteration in nutritional quality of
food etc. Our government should pay heed to this
way of urban farming to make our country more
sustainable and efficient.
27 CBN Quarterly Magazine (January 2020)

WORSENING CLIMATE CONDITIONS:
CALL FOR EMERGENCY
Assad Ali
The issue of climate change has become more
serious than ever before. With each passing day
climatic conditions are getting worse from bad
thereby putting ecosystems, biodiversity and human
life and livelihoods at greater stake. Alarming surge
in irregular weather patterns, heatwaves, glacial
melting and floods depict the true picture of how the
issue of climate change has aggravated over time.
No one is immune to the adverse effects of changing
climate. Lingering food security, decline in
agricultural productivity, soaring health hazards,
hunger and starvation are to name a few.
The threat of climate change is not confined to a
particular country or particular continent. The entire
world is bearing the burnt of its devastating impacts.
Almost all countries around the world are
The ClimAct
Assad Ali has done BS in
Economics from University of
Sindh, Jamshoro. He has
deep interest in
Environmental affairs.
experiencing massive losses, damage and
displacement because of erratic weather events. One
can say that climate change has become a global
phenomena that is taking a heavy toll on the
environment, agriculture, economy and human
capital all over world.
When it comes to Pakistan, the country is no
exception. Pakistan is also one of the most affected
countries by climate change across the globe. It is
one of the gravest environmental challenges,
Pakistan is facing these days. Changing climatic
conditions have done much harm to Pakistan on
socio-economic and ecological fronts. It has caused
country’s agriculture to collapse, water to dwindle,
economy to cripple, temperature to rise as well as
starved many humans to death.
28 CBN Quarterly Magazine (January 2020)
 Latest Global Climate Change Risk Index (GCCRI)
has ranked Pakistan the fifth most vulnerable
country to climate change which is increasingly
perturbing news. GCCRI reports reveals that owing
to climate change Pakistan has lost tens of thousands
lives, suffered economic losses worth $ 3.8 billion
and witnessed 152 extreme patterns since 1999 to
date. David Eckstein, one of the main authors of
GCCRI report stated that “Pakistan has been
continuously hit hard by climate change over couple
of past years. Pakistan due to its geographic location
has been frequently affected from torrential
monsoons rains.
Ministry of Climate Change discloses that
agriculture, food security and livestock in Pakistan
are being threatened due to increased warming,
prolonged droughts and floods. It is reported that an
increase of 1 degree Celsius in mean temperature
may reduce wheat yield by 5 to 7 percent. Asian
Development Bank (ADB) states that “climatic
changes are anticipated to have wide-ranging
impacts on country’s agricultural productivity and
water availability”. ADB cautions that agriculture
sector will lose 15 dollars per annum due to climate
change by the end of 21st century.
Scientists warn, soaring temperatures will intensify
melting of permanent ice and glaciers in northern
mountain areas and double the amount of water in
the Indus river in next 40 years’ spell. As a result,
this will lead to widespread flooding, inundate
agricultural lands, damage infrastructure, interrupt
energy supply, hamper industry and bring forth
deadly diseases for humans.
The ClimAct
Burning of fossil fuels, deforestation and
industrialization are the primary reasons for
dangerous climate change. These factors are
massively contributing in CO2 emissions ultimately
warming earth’s atmosphere. Industrialization is the
major contributor of green house gas release.
Excessive use of fossil fuels in industries is adding
CO2 in atmosphere, polluting air and creating
climatic changes.
It goes without saying that climate change is the
gravest environmental menace that will can possibly
result in ecological imbalance, environmental
degradation and humanitarian crisis globally. It is
turning to get out of hand day by day. With further
inaction, apathy and lethargy, we will be left with no
option other than to face climate catrostrophe. Which
is why all we need is to combat climate change
before it is too late.
United Nations Sustainable Developmental Goal
(SDG) No. 13 urges all countries to take coordinated
action to tackle climate change and its devastating
impacts. Hence, all nations must work in tandem
with each other to avert climate change calamity.
The issue cannot be avoided without a global shift
from fossil fuels to renewable sources of energy.
China, the United States, European Union and India
are the 4 major greenhouse gas emitters which
account for nearly 60 percent of global fossil fuel-
based emissions. It is therefore imperative that they
halt the burning of fossil fuels and come up with eco
-friendly solutions.
Developing countries like Pakistan also need to
urgent action to fix the issue of climate change.
Pakistan must increase its forest cover by
colossal plantation as it will go long way
towards strengthening Pakistan resilience
to this issue.
Moreover, ‘Clean Green Pakistan’
initiative can play a pivotal role in this
regard since it aims to enhance
environment sustainability and handle
climate change by planting millions of
sapling across the country. That is why
incumbent government should play her
due role in implementing this endeavour
in letter and spirit so that Pakistan can
mitigate the effects of climate change
effectively.
29 CBN Quarterly Magazine (January 2020)

CLEAN AND GREEN PAKISTAN
BANKING INDUSTRY
Syed Asim Ali Bukhari
The Season of Smog is once again upon us and no
matter how much uninvited, it has engulfed and
obscured the beautiful horizons of our land.
Although a majority of us are pondering on the many
possible reasons behind this unyielding
manifestation of pollution, I would like to search for
the paths that could take us out of this smog. The
solutions to the majority of the problems can be
found in their causes. Unless efforts are made to
eliminate or minimize the cause of a particular
problem, one cannot expect it to go away. The
problem, much like the Smog in our cities, will
continue to appear again and again. This philosophy
is exactly like treating the cause of infection rather
than the symptoms when one is suffering from fever.
So moving along this line of thought it is proposed
that the way out of this Smog can only be found
The ClimAct
Syed Asim Ali Bukhari is
currently doing his PhD in
Green Banking from the
University of Science,
Malaysia (USM).
when we adopt practices to minimize or eliminate
the pollution sources in our country.
In the past, the cause of pollution has mostly been
attributed to the manufacturing sector. However,
research has also identified the potential adverse
environmental impacts of other business sectors such
as the banking industry.
Banks through some of their business operations can
significantly contribute towards environmental
degradation and natural resource depletion. This
adverse environmental impact can be either direct or
indirect. The direct adverse environmental impact
can be created as a result of the bank’s business
operations such as excessive usage of paper,
electricity and other resources.
30 CBN Quarterly Magazine (January 2020)
 The potential indirect environmental impact of a
bank is more hazardous and is created through a
bank’s financing of environmentally unsustainable
industries. When a bank provides financing to
polluting business sectors, it contributes indirectly to
polluting the atmosphere.
Thus a major cause of our country’s pollution can
be traced back to the environmentally unsustainable
business activities of the banking sector. This
realization led the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) to
issue the Green Banking Guidelines 9th October
2017. According to the State Bank of Pakistan,
Green Banking is “a shift from banking as usual that
provides necessary tools and techniques to leverage
banking channels for the promotion of resource
efficiency, environmental protection and climate
resilience for equitable and sustainable development
of the economy” (SBP, 2017).
However, the way out of this Smog is not that
simple. “Green” is a concept being actively
embraced by organizations all over the world. It
symbolizes the complete harmony of a business’s
operations with the natural environment and the
stakeholders. Although the benefits of adopting
green management principles are multifold, a
number of barriers exist for any organization
planning to adopt or integrate green practices into its
existing business operations. These barriers are
augmented in the case of developing countries since
such countries are already struggling with various
political, economic, environmental and social
challenges. The situation is similar to Pakistan’s
banking industry in the case of Green Banking
adoption. The most substantial barrier in Green
Banking adoption is the Adoption cost. The majority
of Green Banking initiatives involve substantial
capital investment such as Green building
The ClimAct
infrastructure, installation of solar panels or other
renewable energy sources, adoption of Green
Information Technology equipment, developing
green products and services and adoption of various
digital banking initiatives.
Barriers such as the lack of skill, knowledge, and
information regarding Green Banking adoption
among the various stakeholders are also creating
significant obstacles for any bank trying to emerge
from the Smog. Currently, Pakistan’s banking
industry is facing low levels of Green Capabilities
due to a lack of awareness within the bank staff and
environmentally unsustainable infrastructure. The
banking industry needs the SBP to act as the beacon
of light and guide it out of this hazardous Smog and
into the green fields of sustainable business
operations. Our banking industry can embark on the
road towards ‘Clean and Green’ growth only through
the development of green capabilities’ within the
banking staff first. The key to the attainment of this
asset is Green Banking training, skill set
development and knowledge acquisition by all the
employees. We cannot emerge out of this Smog in a
day; it requires unyielding commitment from all the
stakeholders to uplift this cloud of pollution and
depression from our nation. Green Banking is a vital
step in that direction which can only be attained by
overcoming the barriers that exist in its adoption.
Treating the cause will ultimately lead us out of this
Smog.
31 CBN Quarterly Magazine (January 2020)

CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACT ON
BUSINESS
Anum Ali Bukhari
How the changing climate is transforming the ways
of doing business? Man made environmental
catastrophes rated among top 10 risks to business in
World Economic Forum’s 2019 Regional Risk for
Doing Business Report. According to the report,
Water crises is the top most risk in south Asian
countries which will grow more pronounced as a
result of climate change. Pakistan has been ranked
highly in climate vulnerability index of 2019 –
ranking 5th among 10 most affected countries by
extreme weather events (German Watch, 2019). Air
pollution and smog in Lahore has been an evidence
of climate change impact and has given a signal of
alarming situation if nothing is done to mitigate
climate. Business leaders take climate change as a
serious risk and it has become a real threat to them.
The ClimAct
Anum Ali Bukhari has done
her MBA in marketing. She is
a climate researcher, planning
to peruse her Ph.D. in climate
change/environment.
Now it’s matter of their sustainability and even
survival for few companies. For example, coke fears
the scarcity of water and Ikea fears deforesting. To
combat climate Business leaders should think ahead
of time. It is not only a long term issue but
happening today, creating lot of uncertainties for
policy makers trying to shape the future. This is
certainly going to be the Green Business in future
that would sustain. China is the largest investor in
the world with oversea investment flow of US$ 183
billion reached a record peak in 2016. Its major
concern lies in environmental sustainability of
china’s oversea investment portfolio. To align their
investment with Paris agreement Chinese investment
strategy is to invest in green financing.
32 CBN Quarterly Magazine (January 2020)
 This can create investment opportunities for new
business start ups in future. Now each country will
need to find its own ways to deal with uncertainties
and find its best options for low-carbon growth and
emissions reduction.
It vary from country to country but these are some
general impacts business face due to climate change.
• Following NDC (nationally determined
contribution) by Paris agreement every country is
contributing in reducing GHG emission by
changing their business policies or implementing
new policies on national level. These policies
then breakdown on organizational level and turns
into actions on operational level. Business may
be affected by change of policies. Pakistan has a
national climate change policy formulated in
2008. Removing plastic bags, growing trees and
restriction on water usage are few of its
implementations. In future new business policies
would emerge from national climate policy. For
instance, companies might be asked to limit their
carbon emission. For this it needs to change the
conventional ways of emitting high carbon. So a
firm must be adaptive to climate change in order
to sustain.
• Low productivity due to hot climate: there is a
physiological limit of all human beings being
exposed to ambient heat. Extreme hot weather
cause low labor productivity which results in
poor GDP and effect economy in many ways.
Poor economic conditions make business
difficult to operate.
• Due to its impact on agriculture companies may
not be able to supply raw material threatening the
overall production and economic growth.
Extreme weather conditions like floods, storms,
heavy rains has direct impact on supply chain,
rising energy and transport expense.
• Rising sea level causing people to migrate from
costal areas and flooding cause sever damage to
property. According to ministry of finance total
damage caused by flood in 2011-12 was 3730
million US$ whereas its reconstruction cost is
2747 million US$. (source: world bank and
Asian development bank (ADB) damages and
need assessment report 2011). Climate change
undo years of previously done efforts of
economic development and prosperity. More
climate resilience infrastructure is required for
cities, in general and corporate sector for
The ClimAct
sustainable development.
• Demand for environmental friendly products will
increase i.e LED bulbs, rechargeable batteries,
all solar products (solar phone charger, solar
panels for electricity generation, solar lawn
motors and other electronic devices) and
reusable/recyclable goods (cloth or cotton
shopping bag, reusable water bottles, reusable
utensils, etc)
Number of initiatives has been taken globally by
starting climate action plans to combat climate
change. International initiatives are UNFCC, Kyoto
protocol, international carbon action partnership and
Muslim seven year action plan on climate change.
In Pakistan, ministry of climate change has started
number of projects i.e clean development
mechanism (CDM) project, sustainable land
management (SLMP) project, global environmental
facility (GEF) funded project, climate finance unit
(CFU)-Pakistan and mangroves for the future (MFF)
There has been accelerated citizen activism like the
“say no to plastics” and “green and clean.” Senate
sub-committee declared the “right to a clean, green
and healthy environment” as a fundamental human
right. NGOs working on protecting environment are
LEADS, EcoWatch trust, SCOPE ( society for
conservation and protection of environment),
Pakistan Environmentalist Association (PEA),
Doaba Foundation, CSCCC (the civil society
coalition for climate change) and few others.
Their collaboration would not only make a practical
plan but also help in assessment of policy
implementation. Every sector is equally important
and should equally participate in combatting this
battle against climate.
If business sector manage to asses climate impact on
its ongoing operations and invest in making it green
and eco friendly, will save itself from future
damages and help to sustain. As adaptation cost is
less than the cost firms bear after damage. A small
investment today will save a future disaster! Because
every small step towards a green economy matters.
Making world a better place to live for us and for our
next generation!
33 CBN Quarterly Magazine (January 2020)

INDO-PAK PEACE AND CLIMATE
CHANGE
Nimra Ahmed
One country, one direction living under one sky,
separated into two nations with one-day difference
and not become two different countries but
converted into two forces who always tried to
dominant on other. Before the beginning of
distressing year 1947 the people were knot with each
other, use same source of water, face similar heat
waves and fight for an identical issues. As the time
passes one land break into two parts millions of
people become victim, water is highly mixed with
the flow of blood and the natural resources caught
from nature and controlled by lead party. This
separation not only effect people but also highly
affect on transboundary environmental resources; air
and water comes under spot light of influenced
circumference which is essential source of good
health, economy and living system.
The ClimAct
Nimra Ahmed has
graduated from Mehran
UET, Jamshoro. She has a
strong passion of writing
articles and stories.
According to 2019, Climate change research report
Pakistan stands on 5th rank in the list of Global
Climate Change risk countries due to 145
catastrophic events while India stands on 20th
number among Vulnerable Climate risk countries. In
dispersion through number of issues connected with
the thread of Climate change Water Stress, Air
Pollution and Global warming considered as the
major issues of concern between both nations. Indus
River Basin is the largest source of water shared
between two lands; as one land diverge into two
dependency on water increases that pulls the
resource towards both ends. To assign the rights on
IRB Indus Water Treaty were signed in 1960; which
declared that India will be the consumer of three
eastern rivers and on the other side Pakistan will be
the consumer of three western rivers.
34 CBN Quarterly Magazine (January 2020)
 In present days research analysis the establishment
of Hydroelectric projects in India highly affect the
downstream water flow where Chenab River situated
increases the water stress in Pakistan.
Crop Residue burning examined as focal point now a
days in both nations; Punjab agricultural residue
burning contribute the major portion in Air pollution
within the vicinity of country as well as across the
border; stages of pollution may vary with season to
season. Burning activity greatly detect in Pre-
monsoon season (April to May) from both sides,
however during Post-monsoon season (October to
November) India largely contribute in burning
activity, which left the worst effect on other south
Asians countries. Due to Climate change effects last
year Pakistan break the record of highest
temperature when Jacobabad reaches up to 50.2°C
and India cross the line of 51°C, this heat waves
were observed from both sides that results into heavy
rain, droughts, storms, number of dead bodies and
The ClimAct
agricultural yield degradation.
As both nations separated into two parts but still
living on one land face similar problems, identical
issues; pulling the corners doesn’t make any sense
anymore; unity become the only option for both of
the countries in order to overcome Climate Change.
Government should come forward and considered
Climate Change in the list of priority. South Asian
Association for Regional Corporation considered as
mutual agreement forum for both of the countries to
address existing and coming environmental
challenges. Promote Sustainable ideas, Green
economies and reducing Carbon emission
alternatives; India shift their power plants to
renewable sources and Pakistan contribute high wind
power plant considered as initial steps toward
sustainability, by unite both nations needs to enlarge
such projects more to secure the lives, livelihood,
nature and economy.
35 CBN Quarterly Magazine (January 2020)
 CLIMATE CHANGE AND PEACE
Muhammad Owais
“If we can’t all swim together, we will sink. There
is no plan B, because there is no planet B”.
The nations of the world do not achieve the desire
result, what they agreed at multiple UN
Environmental Summits or recently in the Climate
Conference at New York to reduce the green house
gasses up to the pre industrial level, without
collective efforts of the nations. Without stability or
peace between the nations of the world we do not
stand at the single platform against the Climate
Change. Either states of the world work together or
want to sink together, the choice is in our hands. The
peace in the sub continental region is far reaching
dream without taking mutual initiatives to mitigate
the daunting challenge of Climate Change.
Nowadays, many law makers termed climate change
The ClimAct
Muhammad Owais has done
BS in Geology from University
of Sindh, Jamshoro.
is one of the important factor of national security of
any country and which is directly affect the peace of
the world generally and Indo-Pak is particular. All
levels of the system will destabilize if climate
changing trend is going on. Water mismanagement ,
agriculture loss which effects the GDP of country,
political instability cause the social unrest and
increase the unemployment, health issues, terrorism,
are the dominant factors which will blow out the
peace of subcontinent. Water is the main factor
between the instability of Indo-Pak relationship and
important pillar of national security. India first time
stopped the water of Pakistan on the 4th April 1948.
It added fuel that both countries started race to build
dams on the both sides of Radcliffe line.
36 CBN Quarterly Magazine (January 2020)
 Unfortunately, no one can think about the looming
crises of Climate Change and the worst scenario
which disturb the peace of Indo-Pakistan, Indian
aggressive steps to build multiple dams by violating
Indus Water Treaty which was signed on 19th
September and it is not a desireful step to maintain
peace. As a result, the fertile land of Pakistan
become converted into barren land especially in the
lower Indus Basin, it affects the Scio-economic
conditions of lower Sindh and raise many issues in
the region.
Source: Laghari et al., 2011 (a) Overview of the Indus
river basin within its original boundaries based upon
topography, as provided by the IWMI, and with its
modern day basin boundary; (b) population density
(persons per km2) in 2005 according to CIESIN
(2005).
Climate change also disturbs the agriculture of
Pakistan which contributes 21 % and 53% at time of
independence. The unemployment rate is so high due
to the shrinking growth of agriculture sector.
However, the unemployed youth become the handy
tool of terrorist organizations and the concerned
department should take the steps to overcome the
climate change affect; it will paved the way to
The ClimAct
increase the growth of agriculture sector. The socio-
economic conditions will change and increase the
employment rate in the rural sector.
According to Climate Risk Index (CRT) report of
2019, Pakistan is the 5th most vulnerable country to
the Climate Change and Global warming. The Indus
Delta erodes the land near Thatta. If this is the case,
after 10 years thousands of people will migrate to
urban cities and it will diminish the peace and threat
to the national security of country.
There is a lack of awareness among the people
of Pakistan and lack of interest to take action to
mitigate Climate Change.
However, Pakistan has independent Ministry of
Climate Change and one of the Environmental
Legislative country of the world.
The current government has taken multiple
initiatives i.e. Billion Tree Tsunami, Clean
Green Programme but these initiatives are not
enough, we require much more robust efforts to
sustain the environment and peace of region.
Peace of Pakistan is directly depends on the
socio economic conditions of Pakistan and the
looming crisis of Climate Change disturbs the
peace of Pakistani society. As mentioned by
PM Imran Khan at the 74th UNGA.
However, around the world, There are many
examples for the worst scenario even states of
the world violate constitutional law by not
taking action to protect environment for future
generation. In Oposa V Factoran, the Supreme
Court of the Philippines accepted that a class
action could be filed on behalf of future
generations to denounce logging licenses.
A similar case was introduced in Pakistan in 2015,
where a seven-year-old girl, represented by her
father, filed a petition against the state for violating
the constitutional rights its failure to combat Climate
Change.
Its high time to take steps from all levels and
organize multiple conferences, seminars and
awareness sessions which will provide the basic
understanding of the Climate change and gravity of
this issue. We should realize that because as rightly
said by Barrack Obama “Climate Change is no
longer some far-off problem, it is happening here, it
is happening now.”
37 CBN Quarterly Magazine (January 2020)
 CARBON PRICING INSTRUMENTS IN
PAKISTAN
Ayshaa Bushra
Amongst the salient repercussions of our advancing
world, climate change has rapidly upsurge to become
the top concern of the humanity. With all the debates
and research going on this pressing dilemma, efforts
are being made, specifically in the developed
countries, to mitigate the effects of climate change.
Now here an important question arises, “what is
causing climate change?”
In the modern context, climate change is coined
down in terms of “human-induced alterations of the
natural world". The 19th century industrial revolution
marked the beginning of a new era when humans
began to burn fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas
for energy, and emissions of carbon-rich gases sky-
rocketed. It was when scientists first suspected the
The ClimAct
Ayshaa Bushra is a young
writer. She is thoughtful
about the pressing political
and social issues of today's
age.
Greenhouse effect: a phenomenon that occurs when
greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide
accumulates in the atmosphere to form a layer.
Although this layer is crucial to keep the global
temperature from dropping to low levels, humans’
activities have led to immense escalation of
greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, causing global
warming and intense weather fluctuations. Scientist
attribute the rapid upsurge of the greenhouse gases in
the atmosphere as the primary cause of climate
change.
Fossil fuels, when burned in motor vehicles;
factories; and electricity generation, produce high
amounts of carbon, sulphur and nitrogen.
38 CBN Quarterly Magazine (January 2020)
 When these gases combine with water and oxygen,
they prove to be extremely hazardous for both the
environment and human health causing air pollution,
acidic rain, smog, erosion, and respiratory diseases
in humans. Many developed countries have imposed
a tax on fossil fuel users so that they compensate for
the climate damage their fuel use causes. Sweden
stands upfront in this regard as it has been charging
carbon tax on per tonne of carbon content in a
particular fossil being burned. This tax aims to drive
fossil users to switch to renewable energy resources.
Surprisingly, this tax has not only lowered
greenhouse gas emissions in Sweden by 23%, but
also led to the increase in economic growth by 55%.
The ClimAct
Sweden aims to become carbon neutral by 2045.
The case of Pakistan in terms of climate change is
extremely sensitive as it currently ranks among the
top ten countries that will face serious consequences
of climate change in the coming decade. It is already
suffering from intense flooding, heatwaves, air
pollution and droughts every year. Even though,
currently Pakistan contributes less then 1% of carbon
to the global level, it is predicted that in the years to
come, Pakistan will be among the leading carbon
producers. According to environmental economists,
putting a price on carbon is the only way to limit the
burning of fossil fuels by the industries.
Carbon trading is also an instrument to cut off
greenhouse gas (GHS) emissions. In carbon trading,
there is a certain limit set to how much a polluter can
emit GHG. a country or polluter that wants to emit
more carbon can purchase that right from another
country that has less emissions. For Pakistan, carbon
trading can be strikingly advantageous as it has
fewer GHS emissions than most of Asia and even
Europe and America.
It is about time now for the Pakistani government to
follow the efforts of European countries towards
carbon neutrality, if it wants to safeguard its citizens
from the future hazards of climate change.
39 CBN Quarterly Magazine (January 2020)

ARE WE REALLY BREATHING
POISON ???
Ameer Ali
The spectre of smog is currently haunting Pakistan.
As soon as the season of winter approaches, smog
overcomes most of Pakistan’s atmosphere. During
the wintery season, most people who live in Pakistan
have to breathe the smoggy poison.
Especially, the city of Lahore is being slowly
poisoned into lifelessness. Many human rights
groups have already asked the authorities concerned
to take ‘urgent action’ against the smoggy situation
that pervades the city where about ten million people
are living.
Even Islamabad and Karachi have also been
declared, in terms of air cleanliness, quite unhealthy
The ClimAct
Ameer Ali is Research Scholar
at University of Sindh,
Jamshoro. His interests are
political and ideological
contexts of environment.
cities for those who are very sensitive. Are our cities
not turning into deadly places? Will this smog really
let go of our young children? Are we all not going to
pay for it? Are we and our children not breathing
poison?
True, the dust particles, burning of agriculture waste,
uncontrolled pollution, smoke emitted by traffic,
poor implementation of environmental laws,
improper disposal of industrial waste and several
other factors are actually bringing forth the ‘spectre
of smog’ that is putting many things at stake;
furthermore, this smoggy poison we are
unfortunately breathing to survive in the most ironic
way of all.
40 CBN Quarterly Magazine (January 2020)
 Lahore, once considered the city of gardens, is
currently struggling to regulate the smoggy toxic. Its
charm and luster is gradually vanishing. Lahore’s
people are being ruthlessly deprived of their right to
fresh air. Environmental Quality Standards for
Ambient Air warns that Lahore’s air quality is highly
gruesome which may cause serious health issues,
such as heart diseases, lung diseases, and severe,
respiratory effects to people. Young school going
children are so much sensitive that one can hardly
imagine the impacts of smog on their health.
Moreover, the children’s capability to bear the
smoggy toxic is surprisingly negligible. So, Lahore’s
9x worse air quality than national guidelines is in
fact atmospheric poison that many people are
breathing in a Socratic way. But who cares? Of
course, those who are suffering from it!
Speaking statistically, as mentioned in Air Quality
Index, 300 and above quality of air is considered
unhealthy. Much to every one’s shock, Lahore Air
Quality Index actually skyrocketed to reach almost
600. So, Lahore unfortunately became one of the
most polluted cities affected by the smog which put
every one’s life at risk. The statistical data
undeniably prove the fact that the city of Lahore has
been badly bearing the brunt of smog. Moreover, the
other sad aspect of this reality is that our rulers are
not ready to take any practical measures to restore
the glory of the city of gardens. Rather they are
politically engaged in a continued blame game of out
legitimating their political opponents and traditional
rivals. I mean to say that politicization of smog issue
is actually further aggravating it rather than solving
it.
Similarly, Naseem-ur-Rehman Shah, the Punjab’s
head of Environmental Protection Department, has
tried to impute the causes of bringing forth of smog
to the agricultural waste that is burnt by the Indian
farmers. Shah actually means to imply that the
smoke that in fact emits from the burnt waste mixes
up with other atmospheric toxic pollutants, such as
dust particles, carbon di-oxide and other pollutants
and thus formulate the poisonous smog that makes
breathing air very deadly. So, Shah goes on to say
The ClimAct
that the smog moves from India to Pakistan,
especially Pakistan’s city of Lahore where it creates
so many problems for the people related to their
daily routine and health. Although Shah’s claims
may have some real magnitude, but a sane person
cannot blame India being responsible for all our
problems, including the concerned smog. Though
India may have a big hand in the production of
smog, but we are also using our small hand to
produce smog and thereby threateningly spread it.
So, instead of blaming each other, we should
collaborate with each other to counter the poisoning
of our air.
Thus, Pakistan and India must collaborate with each
other to solve the issue of smog that is actually
risking so many lives across the borders irrespective
of religion or sex. However, politics must work
within its limits, but when it comes to saving the
lives of our citizens, we must take all possible steps
to protect the lives. Similarly, smog is a serious
threat not only to India, but also to Pakistan. So, the
environmental experts of both the countries must
cooperate with each other through research based
projects that help find out the main causes that
generate smog. Besides, India should also address
Pakistan’s concerns by developing a much better
way of disposing of the agricultural waste. In this
regard, both the countries must create awareness
among their farmers not to burn agricultural waste as
it creates smog.
Finally, if both the countries put aside their politics
for a moment and think sanely for mutual interest,
their appropriate bilateral cooperation would pave
the way for those mechanisms which would be
highly helpful in solving so many issues, including
the newly emerged smog issue. Besides, our
politicians should also take some practical steps to
prevent the causes of smog so that our people may
not breathe poison ‘to live a deadly life’.
41 CBN Quarterly Magazine (January 2020)

SOLUTION TO POLLUTION: CLIMATE
CHANGE EFFECT ON FISHERIES
Isabirye Pius
Fisheries play an important role as a major source of
food for millions of people in Uganda, for example,
the Samia tribe in the southeast of Uganda. In
Uganda, we only have inland capture since we are a
landlocked country.
According to FAO, Uganda has 235887 km2 covered
by water i.e. lakes and swamps with Lake Victoria
covering the major water body.
The fishery has been and still facing a lot of
challenges including water pollution. Water
pollution is defined as the contamination of water
bodies, depleting water quality and making it toxic
for water animals and humans. They are majorly two
types of water that are to say organic and chemical
pollution.
The ClimAct
Isabirye Pius belongs to
Uganda, East Africa. He has a
strong passion to fight against
pollution and to resolve
environmental issues.
Humans are the primary cause of water pollution and
other natural causes like floods. Floods carry lots of
substances into the water bodies. According to the
United Nations, more than 80% of the worldwide
wastewater goes back into the environment without
being treated or reused. Water pollution truly harms
biodiversity and aquatic ecosystems.
The toxic chemicals can change the color of water
and increase the number of minerals which have a
bad impact on life in water. The thermal pollution,
defined by a rise in the temperatures of the water
body contributes to global warming and causes
serious hazards to water organisms. Not only does
water pollution have negative effects on aquatic life
but it also affects human health.
42 CBN Quarterly Magazine (January 2020)
 A lot of diseases result from drinking or being in
contact with contaminated water such as diarrhea,
cholera, typhoid, and dysentery or skin infection. In
areas where there is no safe drinking water, people
will suffer from typhoid and dehydration. Water
pollution may seem big but below I present how
tackling the human causes for water pollution can be
applied to solve this particular problem. First and
foremost humans should always treat their wastes or
remove pollutants from the wastes. This can be
physical (hand picking) or chemical processes.
Proper disposing of all waste can help reduce the
amount of water pollution that is created and also
proper management of mass waste disposal can help
to control the introduction of pollutants into the
water cycle. In the same line storm management
(this is the effort to reduce the runoff of rainwater
into the streets), according to the US Environment
Protection Agency. This is an important approach to
avoid pollutants from contaminating the water
bodies because these runoffs can contain pesticides,
herbicides and other forms of fertilizers. Choosing
organic options can also help to reduce the amount
of water pollution. Organic farming involves
growing crops without the use of chemical or
manufactured fertilizers, pesticides, and many
others, these chemicals kill water plants, insects and
animals including fish too. These runoffs can also be
controlled by encouraging pasture plantation on
streets and homes and also growing trees. Runoffs
especially those near the water bodies themselves
can be controlled through Shoreline construction
projects. This combats solid pollutants from
disposing into the water bodies and settle in the
contained area. When these solid pollutants reach the
water bodies, they create a turbid that has a negative
impact on aquatic life including plants, fish, insects,
and animals of which make up the environment that
The ClimAct
we fight to keep safe. Yah this may seem weird but
fighting air pollution is also an approach to combat
water pollution. Air pollution has a direct impact on
water bodies as statistics show it 25% of human-
induced CO2 emissions are absorbed by water
bodies, this threatens water life. Many innovations
such as hybrid and electric cars are coming up and
these can help fight air pollution, cars have really
played much in air pollution. The exhaust is a
pollutant and enters the water cycle, most common
cars here in Uganda offer a large number of other
pollutants the opportunity to enter the water cycle.
Antifreeze, motor oils, greases and other chemicals
that are involved in the operation of many
automobiles are potential water pollutants Therefore
preventing vehicle air pollution and proper disposal
of automobile-related wastes can help prevent this
from happening. Plastic materials recycling is also a
solution to fight water pollution. 80% of plastic
materials found in water bodies is from the land.
This can also be called floating pollution. To reduce
the number of plastic materials entering water
bodies, campaigns about recycling plastic materials
should be made a priority. Floating boom and
seabins can also be used because this method was
designed to act as a barrier for floating water
pollution. The booms were designed to control
almost any floating pollutant into a manageable area
for disposal. The seabin is just floating trash with a
catch bag, it pumps debris and plastic from the
water’s surface, retaining the pollutants and filtering
the water through the bag. In my conclusion, water
pollution is really a big problem for developing
countries such as my country Uganda and when the
above solution of handling human factors that cause
water pollution I think water pollution will be
considered history in the water world.
43 CBN Quarterly Magazine (January 2020)
 PLASTIC POLLUTION AND CLIMATE
CHANGE
Sagar Khwaja
The humans are the key factor that causes a large
portion of trash, that is tossed in the oceans and seas.
This hampers the economy of coastal areas and has
diverse effects on marine life. To illustrate, as we all
are very familiar with the pictures of the whale with
a belly full of plastic, pointy plastic sticks such as
pens, toothbrush, and tubes are stuck in the nostrils
of turtles, seagull covered with a polyethylene bag
and seals is wedged in the fishing net.
It is also estimated that there are 100 million tons of
plastic in seas around the globe. As indicated by the
United Nations, 800 species worldwide are
influenced by marine remains, and as much as 80
percent of that litter is plastic. It is an all-inclusive
The ClimAct
Sagar Khwaja is currently
perusing his Graduation in
Environment and Engineering
from Mehran UET, Jamshoro.
issue that requires a general arrangement. About
70% of plastic waste is tossed in the seas from
creating countries. five nations from South Asia
(China, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, and
Vietnam) are answerable for the majority of the
dumped plastic as compared to America and Europe.
In addition, not only marine life cursed by the plastic
but humans are also affected by that, even though we
are the causing agents of that enormous pollution of
plastic, disease caused by plastic can be perilous
that approximately 9,000,000 individuals identified
with bungle of plastic waste or toxins, which leads to
multiple types of diseases.
44 CBN Quarterly Magazine (January 2020)
 The influence of plastic pollution does not cease
there but it has a diverse impact on climate. Plastic
production is extending around the world, plastic
contributes to climate change as greenhouse gases
outflows at each phase of its lifecycle, from its
manufacturing to its refining and the manner in
which it is managed as a waste product. Plastic is
among the most huge and quickly growing source of
industrial greenhouse gas emissions," emissions
from plastic emerge not just from the creation and
production of plastic itself however from each phase
in the plastic lifecycle – from the extraction and
transport of the petroleum derivatives that are the
essential feedstocks for plastic, to refining and
assembling, to management of waste, to the plastic
that participates in the environment.
Thisyear, emanations from plastics will rise to the
contamination output of almost 200 coal-fired power
plants with a 500-megawatt limit. it is assessed that
emissions from plastic will reach at what might be
compared to almost 300 coal plants in 2030 and
more than 600 by 2050. They guess that their
expectations disparage the circumstance and make it
outlandish for the world to meet the Paris Climate
Accord's objective of keeping global warming from
surpassing 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit above pre-
industrial. united Nations researchers foresee that
warming beyond a point would bring about
disastrous environmental change.
So this is daunting issue that needs to be done
quickly in a proper way through some laws
otherwise catastrophic conditions are at our
doorsteps.
Researchers throughout the world are sorting this
issue by suggesting excellent techniques that are
outclassed to diminish the plastic pollution from
coastal as well as from dumpsites. Degradation of
plastic naturally took almost 100s of years so
scientists are working on the degradation of plastic
through microorganisms which are indeed the
marvelous creations that are the most effective in
reducing plastic pollution. Furthermore, some
species of worms called saprotrophs are also
The ClimAct
degrading some kind of plastic, the recent research
on fungi species concluded that some kinds of fungal
species that recycle plastic waste into an edible meal,
which grows in a mini-laboratory and only eats
plastic. This process begins as UV light is used to
break down the plastic which inserted into pods mad
of agar (sugar solution, gel-like material) finally the
plastic-eating fungi are added weeks later the plastic
is gone and the mushroom covers the pod. The
remain is completely non-toxic and can be flavored.
Photodegradation is another technique that requires
no microbial activity but needs only sunlight which
breaks the molecular chain of polyethylene when
UV light strikes the plastic, which converts a large
piece of plastic into grains.
• For the mitigation of plastic pollution there are
some remedial measures:
• Stop buying water bottle and use reusable water
bottle.
• Keep green bag for regular accessories and
utilities.
• Use aluminum foil instead of cling film.
• Reduce plastic straw.
• Buy soft drink tin instead of plastic bottle.
• Only choose snacks without plastic packing.
• Reuse jars and containers for leftovers.
• Compost your food waste.
• Try a solid soap instead of a plastic bottle.
• Refuse to plastic cutlery.
• Buy natural fabrics, not synthetic.
45 CBN Quarterly Magazine (January 2020)
 The ClimAct News
World must take nature on board before 'Climate Irreversibility':
Pakistan at COP25

Malik Amin Aslam, Advisor to PM on

Climate Change, while giving Pakistan’s
statement to the plenary session of the
United Nations climate talks COP 25 at
Madrid, called upon all countries to
negotiate to act and not to further delay
action in this connection.
He said that all nations across the globe
must try to take the nature on board,
allowing it space to bounce back and to
tread on a different path of ecologically
balanced growth, “before we hit the
thresholds of climate irreversibility”.

Pakistan 5th most vulnerable country to climate change,

reveals German Watch report

The Global Climate Risk Index has placed

Pakistan on the fifth spot on the list of
countries most vulnerable to climate change
in its annual report for 2020, which was
released by the think-tank German Watch on
Wednesday.
According to the report, Pakistan lost 9,989
lives, suffered economic losses worth $3.8
billion and witnessed 152 extreme weather
events from 1999 to 2018 and based on this
data, the think-tank has concluded that
Pakistan's vulnerability to climate change is
increasing.

The ClimAct 46 CBN Quarterly Magazine (January 2020)

 The ClimAct News
Climate change triggers widespread migration in Pakistan

Extreme weather patterns, shrinking

agriculture, sea erosion, and lingering dry
spells have caused widespread migration
within Pakistan in the past decade. More
than two million people were displaced by
floods that inundated one-fifth of the
country in 2010, triggering mass migration
from rural areas to cities. Of that figure,
almost 70% did not go back to their
hometowns and permanently settled in big
cities to make a living because of the
destruction to their homes and farmlands,
Ministry of Climate Change spokesman
Muhammad Saleem told Anadolu Agency.

Climate Change: 1.9 billion people rely on natural 'water towers'

In a unique study, scientists have assessed

and ranked the importance of Earth's great
"water towers". These are the 78
mountainous regions that are able to
generate and then store vast quantities of
water. They deliver it in a controlled way
to major populations living downstream.
The Dutch-led team finds Asia's Indus
basin - fed by the Himalayan, Karakoram,
Hindu-Kush, and Ladakh ranges - to be the
most important storage unit on the planet.
Its waters, produced at high elevation from
rain and snow, and draining from lakes and
glaciers, support more than 200 million
people settled across parts of Afghanistan,
China, India and Pakistan.
The ClimAct 47 CBN Quarterly Magazine (January 2020)
 The ClimAct News
Pakistan only country with increasing mangrove cover
“Mangroves are the custodians of the coast”

Adviser to the Prime Minister on Climate

Change Malik Amin Aslam has said that at
a time when climate change has become a
global threat, Pakistan is probably one of
the only countries in the world with
increasing mangrove cover. Pakistan has
approximately 600,000 hectares of
mangrove ecosystem. Addressing an event
at the COP25 in Madrid on Monday, the
PM’s aide said, “Not only do they
[mangroves] protect our coastal areas from
storms they are also high carbon-
sequestering instruments.”

Sindh’s man-made Chotiari reservoir turns into environmental disaster

At a time when Pakistan is in desperate

need to conserve water, the Chotiari
reservoir — a mega water storing body
constructed 17 years ago to boost
agriculture in the country’s southern
riparian Sindh province — has emerged as
an unsustainable irrigation project and an
environmental disaster due to bad
planning, a new report revealed.
A study has termed the conversion of the
Chotiari wetlands into a reservoir has
ultimately turned into a disaster due to the
resultant water logging, soil salinity and
negative vegetation in the adjacent areas of
the structure.

The ClimAct 48 CBN Quarterly Magazine (January 2020)

 The ClimAct News
Pakistan, Poland agree to boost cooperation in diverse fields

Pakistan and Poland have agreed to

enhance cooperation in different fields
particularly agriculture and advanced
technologies. The understanding came at
the 7th round of Pakistan-Poland Bilateral
Political Consultations in Warsaw.
Special Secretary Dr Aman Rashid
represented Pakistani side in the talks on
the recent developments in Pakistan,
including the improved business climate
and Ease of Doing Business. He
encouraged the Polish enterprises to take
advantage of the positive investment
environment in Pakistan.

Clean, Green Pakistan Index launched in 19 Cities

PM Imran Khan launched the Clean Green

Pakistan Index (CGPI).
The initial phase of the CGPI calls for 19
cities, including Lahore, Gujranwala,
Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Sargodha,
Sahiwal, Multan, Dera Ghazi Khan, Okara
and Bahawalpur, to compete on addressing
issues of public interest.
Major concerns include the provision of
safe drinking water, solid waste
management, liquid waste management,
city beautification, cleanliness of streets,
usability of parks, tree plantation, total
sanitation, and community participation.

The ClimAct 49 CBN Quarterly Magazine (January 2020)

 Climate Beacons Network

Mission and Vision

Since 2014, Climate Beacons Network has worked to protect
the environment and the global community against climate
change impacts while providing awareness and building the
capacity among them. CBN is engaged to make the young and
enthusiastic students and professionals to get familiar with the
fact that “What our environment is demanding from us and
what can we do to combat with climate change?” Answering
this question, CBN has established a platform where potential
Policy Makers, Scientists, Professionals, Activists and Youth
may gather and put their creative ideas on a practical desk.
The ClimAct 50 CBN Quarterly Magazine (January 2020)
 CONTENT DISCLAIMER
The views and opinions expressed in the
articles and pictures are those of
authors and do not necessarily reflect or
represent the views and opinions held by
Climate Beacon’s Network.

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The ClimAct 51 CBN Quarterly Magazine (January 2020)