OVER the last several years, Lahore has witnessed a drastic shift in its climate patterns. Up until a decade ago, smog was an unfamiliar phenomenon in the city. Winter, a season once synonymous with fog, amber foliage, gentle sunlight and crisp breezes that would enhance the city’s charm, has now become synonymous with smog and its negative effects.

Each year, local and international climate activists, think tanks and human rights activists stress the hazardous impact of smog on the health of people living in Lahore. Last year, Lahore earned the ‘distinction’ of being among the top 10 most polluted cities in the world, the Air Quality Index (AQI) reaching hazardous levels.

This October, yet again, the air began to feel heavy with a veil of smog covering the atmosphere. As could only be expected, things worsened over the last few weeks. It is imperative to note that educational, medical and economic repercussions of smog are multifaceted. Hospitals are already inundated with the influx of patients suffering from breathing issues, eye infections and aggravated cardio-vascular and pulmonary disorders.

Several studies have explicitly proven a reduction in the life expectancy of Lahore’s citizens by 2.5 years. The gravity of the situation prompted the Punjab government to order the closure of schools owing to the rapid spread of health conditions. Medical professionals have identified air pollutants as one of the main causal factors behind the situation.

Last winter, the government had taken extraordinary measures by declaring Fridays as ‘smog holiday’ to prevent the spread of smog-induced ailments. However, the question is: can school closures represent a sustainable solution to combat smog, and are there any alternative approaches?

The world history is full of examples to seek inspiration from. For instance, Japan introduced holistic environmental regulations alongside ensuring stringent implementation to curb smog back in the 1970s. Furthermore, Costa Rica incenti- vised forest conservation to protect the environment.

For Pakistan, the challenge does not solely stem from limited financial resources. Rather, it has more to do with the realisation of the threat and demonstrating commitment towards climate action. Regrettably, our climate goals have not been accorded the importance they deserve.

Last year, the government did introduce a smog policy that mainly focussed on banning the burning of agricultural waste, limiting industrial exhaust, and shutting down brick kilns. Nevertheless, the lack of resources and political will as well as corruption within the regulatory bodies resulted in ineffective implementation.

Additionally, the absence of monitoring data, insufficient coordination between public and private sectors, incompre-hensive long-term planning, and limited public awareness further aggravated the situation.

A strict implementation of the existing climate policies and the formu- lation of new laws/policies that address the root causes of smog are equally vital. For this purpose, fostering public-private partnerships, imposing meaningful restrictions on unregulated construction, introduction of clean industrial technology, making available properly researched data, promotion of public transport, introduction of strict vehicle emission standards, and a ban on environmentally hazardous agricultural practices would potentially yield incredible outcomes.

Moreover, civil society and the media would be essential in raising awareness and thus catalysing public support for climate action.

Ultimately, the role of law-enforcement agencies in monitoring implementation and ensuring punishments in case of non-compliance would be the cherry on the top. Both individual and collective efforts are needed to mitigate the environmental catastrophe.

We should act now, or be prepared to bear the irreversible consequences.

Yemeen Hasan
Lahore

Published in Dawn, November 10th, 2023