Impact of Global Climate change on water Resources of Pakistan

The potential impact of climate change on Pakistan's already strained water resources has been of growing concern in recent years. Rising temperatures, increasing saltwater intrusion into coastal areas, an increasing threat of flooding from exploding glacial lakes, more intense precipitation, and changes in monsoon and sea regimes. Winter rainfall are just some of the ways that climate change is expected to affect Pakistan's water resources. These risks amplify an already problematic situation given that Pakistan is one of the most stressed countries in the world. Per capita access to surface and groundwater sources is expected to continue to decline in the decades to come, largely due to rapid population growth and urbanization. Of particular concern is the possibility that climate change is affecting water flows in the Indus Basin. and ongoing ongoing inclement wealth.

Water Resource supply of Pakistan

Most of Pakistan's water is supplied by the Indus River and its tributaries, which are mainly fed by snow and melting ice in the mountains of the Hindu Kush-Karakoram Himalayas. Any change in water flow in the Indus basin will have important implications for food security in Pakistan given that 90 percent of total agricultural production occurs on arable land supported by the basin's irrigation system. of the Indus. Water flows from the Indus Basin also play a critical role in meeting the water supply needs of households and municipalities, as well as supporting the country's energy production, manufacturing and industrial processes. The Government of Pakistan has recognized that climate change could undermine the country's efforts to increase its water, energy and food security, but uncertainty remains as to how changing climatic conditions affect or could harm resources. in essential water of the country

Uncertainty of Climate change in Pakistan

This uncertainty is preventing Pakistan from moving forward in planning and implementing adaptation strategies. Compiling existing research on climate change and water in Pakistan and systematically identifying priority research needs in this area would be a step towards strengthening the country’s capacity to prepare for the effects of climate change. The research project, The Vulnerability of Pakistan's Water Sector to the Impacts of Climate Change: Identification of Gaps and Recommendations for Action, was initiated by the Ministry of Climate Change (MoCC) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in July 2015 in response to this situation. The objective of the project was to analyze how climate change could have negative effects on the availability of water resources in the Indus basin, and therefore limit the future economic and social development of the country. It also sought to identify significant research gaps and capacity barriers limiting Pakistan's ability to better understand its vulnerability to climate change and to take actions that would enhance its resilience. The government needs to think about changes that may affect the future availability of water resources in the Indus basin. It must improve the decision-making capacity within ministries, research institutes and the general public in the management of water resources in a changing climate.

 How get safe and reliable Water in Pakistan?

Access to a safe and reliable water supply is recognized as a pressing concern for the people of Pakistan. Per capita water availability is low and declining in Pakistan, with the country ranked among the most water stressed in the world and is expected to be classified as 'water scarce' in the coming years. This has negative implications for the millions of Pakistanis who depend on irrigated agriculture for their livelihoods and food security. It has negative implications for energy production given the role of water in thermal and hydroelectric power generation; for domestic and industrial supplies in Pakistan's rapidly expanding urban centers; and for essential ecosystem services such as those provided by wetlands and mangroves.

Potential effect of Climate change of Pakistan

In this context, there are growing concerns about the potential effects of climate change on Pakistan's water resources, especially those of the Indus basin. Rising temperatures leading to higher evaporation rates, rising seas leading to more saltwater intrusion into coastal areas, greater melting of glaciers increasing the threat of glacial lake flooding, and the potential Increased rainfall and changes in monsoon and winter rainfall patterns are just some of the potential impacts of climate change on Pakistan's water resources. These impacts are expected to have negative effects on sectors such as agriculture, energy, health, manufacturing and domestic and municipal water supply. While there is growing awareness of the potential of climate change to exacerbate water scarcity problems in Pakistan, uncertainty remains as to the degree to which this change may occur and its potential implications for different sectors. As the Pakistan National Climate Change Policy (NCCP) recognizes, Pakistan does not have a comprehensive assessment of how changing climate conditions are or could negatively affect its critical water resources and how to act to reduce its vulnerability to this risk. In particular, the NCCP draws attention to the lack of compilation of existing research on climate change and water in Pakistan, and the systematic identification of priority research needs in this area.

Comprehensive review of climate change impacts

Devastations and damages caused by climate change are evident around the world, specifically in the South Asian region, where vulnerability to climate change among residents is high and awareness of climate change adaptation and mitigation it is extremely low. Pakistan's low adaptive capacity due to high poverty rate, limited financial and physical resource scarcity, and ongoing extreme weather events including variable temperatures, continuous floods, melting glaciers, lake saturation, earthquakes , hurricanes, storms, avalanches, droughts, water scarcity, pests, human health problems, and seasonal and lifestyle changes have persistently threatened the ecosystem, biodiversity, human communities, and habitats of animals, forests, lands and oceans with the potential to cause further damage in the future. The likely effect of climate change on ordinary residents of Pakistan compared to the world and its per capita impact of climate change is terrifyingly high with local animal species such as lions, vultures, dolphins and turtles in danger of extinction regardless of generating and contributing diminutively to global GHG emissions. The findings of the review suggested that GHG emissions cause climate change that has impacted agriculture, livestock and forestry, climate trends and patterns, food, water and energy security and Pakistani society. This review is a sectoral assessment of Pakistan's climate change adaptation and mitigation approaches in the aforementioned sectors and their economic costs, which were identified at $ 7-14 billion per year. The research suggested that government interference is essential for the sustainable development of the country through strict accountability of resources and regulation implemented in the past to generate cutting-edge climate policies.

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