ISLAMABAD: Summers will continue to be hotter and longer each year if short and long term steps are not taken to tackle climate change, various environmentalists said on Monday, one of the hottest days so far this summer.

“Every year we are facing hotter and longer summers mainly because of our fast depleting forest cover. Mercury has touched 54 °C in some parts of the country during the last two weeks, which is a new record in Pakistan’s history,” said environmentalist Shahida Kausar Farooq in a statement. Ms Farooq heads the NGO Subh-i-Nau.

She stressed on the need for allocating budgets wisely for tackling the effects of climate change including changing weather patterns, shortage of water and the energy crisis. The government should devise a mechanism to monitor projects related to the environment, she said, adding that though the government announces to have set aside substantial sums of money for tree plantation drives and other such campaigns each year, but no real change has been seen for many years.

We should learn from the heat waves the last many years and this environment day should be the beginning of all these efforts.

The prime minister, the chief ministers of all provinces and other high-ups should take steps to save our current and future generations from disasters and protecting the environment, she said.

Talking to Dawn, Ms Farooq said planting trees also requires a lot of water.

“The government should take steps to arrange water for which rain harvesting should be done and small dams should be constructed in order to provide sufficient water for planting trees.

In the long term, Pakistan should invest in big dams as there will be irregular rains with long intervals in the future, she added.

“Air conditioners harm the environment a lot as well. The more we use air conditioners, the more the temperature will increase,” she said.

A number of countries have banned plastic bags which Pakistan should do as well as rivers and oceans are being polluted by plastic bags, Ms Farooq said.

“Mega projects in which tons of concrete is used are also harmful for the environment because they increase the temperature,” she said, adding that birds and honey bees are also disappearing due to the lack of trees.

She said local trees should be planted along with fruit trees, which provide shade and fruit.

“There should be a proper solid waste management programme to ensure waste is used for the production of energy and fertilisers rather than being burned in cities which contributes to pollution,” she said.

Published in Dawn, June 6th, 2017