News
0.6C increase in average global temperature during last century: IPCC report
APP
ISLAMABAD – The recorded increase in average global temperature during last century remained 0.6 CC with 2005 the warmest year followed by 2007, 1998, 2002, 2003, 2006, etc.
According to fifth assessment report of Inter government Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 2013, the sea level has risen by 0.19 meter and will continue to rise during 21st century. It further said that there is also a considerable increase in the frequency and intensity of extreme climate events like cyclonic storms, floods, droughts etc while there was also an increase in ocean acidification.
Documents of Climate Change Division, Government of Pakistan revealed that vulnerability of Pakistan due to climate change is a major threat to 22.8 per cent of the area while 49.6 per cent population is at risk. It said that the environmental degradation costs 6 per cent of Gross Development Product i.e. Rs 365 billion per annum while the German watch has ranked Pakistan amongst the 10 most vulnerable countries consistently since 2010 due to devastating floods.
It stated that a large part of its economy is based on agriculture which is climate sensitive and it has low capacity to adapt climate change due to low technological and resource base and low financial and institutional capacity. Pakistan has increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events including erratic monsoon rains, causing, frequent and intense floods and droughts, rising temperature, recession of Hindu Kush Himalayan glaciers.
The sea level rose to threatening level of coastal areas while the intrusion of saline sea water into Indus Delta. It further said that the vanishing Himalayan glaciers cover 17 per cent of the mountain area storing about 12,000bcm of fresh water. The impacts of glacial melt are extremely far reaching and destructive and the sign are quite clear. The average rate of recession between 1985 and 2001 is about 23m/per year gone by 30 per cent since last 10 years and the total area of Himalayan glaciers will shrink from 500,000 to 100,000 sq. km 4/5 of resource could be lost very soon.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk