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Where Pakistan Stands In Environmental Paradigm

Specific environmental problems in Pakistan & their aggravation by human activities directly or indirectly Climate change
Environmental condition of Pakistan is facing serious challenges, In this article, we will try to explore what is baseline situation in Pakistan and how environmental issues are being aggravated by human and climate change. We will also will try to explore where the problem lays what is extent of damage by humans and what fault lies with government and and policy directions. What is possible remedy to it?
Image by Denny Franzkowiak from Pixabay 
Location

Pakistan is located 29.4000° N, 69.1833° E, It is urbanized country of south Asia covering area of 796095 sq-km, Pakistan is environmentally ranked 131 out of 146 countries (Yale University Environmental Sustainability Index 2005), ranked 112 out of 178 countries (New Economics Foundation: Happy Planet Index 2006 New Economics Foundation: Happy Planet Index 2006).
The environmental conditions in Pakistan are a matter of great concern. A number of serious environmental problems are present in Pakistan, which are of great ecological concern in terms of its sustainable economic future.
Climate
Pakistan lies in temperate zone, above the tropic of cancer. The climate varies from tropical to temperate. Pakistan has four seasons: a cool, dry winter marked by mild temperatures from December through February; a hot, dry spring from March through May; the summer rainy season, or southwest monsoon period, from June through September; and the retreating monsoon period of October and November. The onset and duration of these seasons vary somewhat according to location. Rainfall variation as less than 10 inches a year to over 150 inches a year. 
Environmental Problems in Pakistan
  • Industrial wastes
  • Agricultural runoff & Evidence of Pesticide Contamination
  • Deforestation
  • Soil erosion
  • Desertification
  • Water pollution from raw sewage
  • Urban Air Pollution
  • Airborne Lead Pollution
  • Indoor Air Pollution
  • Groundwater Changes & Limited natural fresh water resources
  • Water Supply and Sanitation
  • Industrial Effluent
  • Salinity
  • Acid Rain
  • Overpopulation
  • Ozone
  • Smog
Industrial Waste

Industrial waste is the waste produced by industrial activity, such as that of factories, mills and mines. In Pakistan major industrial cities are Karachi Faisalabad, Gujranwala, and Hyderabad and many other small industrial zones also. Industrial waste in injurious to health directly, also it contaminates groundwater and soil of area.
Aggravation by humans: Humans play a direct role in it by constructing houses near or at approachable distance from industry because of factor of job opportunity any industrial area soon becomes crowded. All damaging effects of industrial waste impact directly.
Directly: Direct exposure of body to waste
Indirectly: Contamination of soil or underground water and also air.
Aggravation by climate: N/A

Agricultural runoff & Evidence of Pesticide Contamination
Pakistan is an agricultural country.to increase the productivity pesticides are used. Pesticides with solubility of 10 ppm or higher are lost mainly in the water phase of runoff, and have adverse effect on human health indirectly.
www.azud.com
Aggravation by humans: Use of pesticides in farming & agriculture is aggravation.
Directly: Use of pesticides in farming & agriculture is direct aggravation
Indirectly: N/A
Aggravation by climate: N/A

Deforestation
It is defined as cutting down of trees.
Aggravation by humans: Humans play a killing role for themselves by cutting down trees.
Directly: Cutting down of trees, for burning and furniture making purpose results in continues decrease in forest cover.
Indirectly: N/A
Aggravation by climate: Floods and other natural disaster some time reduce forest cover.

Soil Erosion
Soil erosion is a natural process, occurring over geological time, and indeed it is a process that is essential for soil formation in the first place. It is removal of soil particles by the motion of wind or water.
Directly: Misuse of land, Mismanagement of arable
Indirectly: Poor canal system, forest cutting
Aggravation by climate: Floods


Desertification
Land degradation in dry lands
Aggravation by humans: Intensification of agriculture is actually one of the reasons behind desertification.
Directly: Population pressure water logging and salinity
Indirectly: Forest cutting, Mismanagement in agriculture
Aggravation by climate: Rain factor, salinity.


Water Pollution From Raw Sewage
Sewage is a water-carried waste, in solution or suspension that is intended to be removed from a community.
Aggravation by humans: Humans are responsible for not defining a proper mechanism to treat sewage or discharge it.
Directly: No proper mechanism, effecting soil and water resources.
Indirectly: Not installing sewage treatment plant
Aggravation by climate: N/A


Airborne Lead Pollution
Lead Emission during various processes is extremely dangerous for humans. : Air pollution is the introduction into the atmosphere of chemicals, particulates, or biological materials that cause discomfort, disease, or death to humans, damage other living organisms such as food crops, or damage the natural environment or built environment.
Aggravation by humans: The original sources of lead can include leaded gasoline, industrial lead emissions to air, water, and land (e.g., from smelters), leached lead from lead pipes carrying drinking water, contaminated food, lead paint, and pottery.
Directly: Gasoline, Industries Lead Pipes
Indirectly: N/A
Aggravation by climate: N/A
Recommendation: the government intervened to ban lead from gasoline. In 2001-2002 all major refineries announced that they would move to production of lead free gasoline (Paul et al, 2003).

Urban Air Pollution
Air pollution is the introduction into the atmosphere of chemicals, particulates, or biological materials that cause discomfort, disease, or death to humans, damage other living organisms such as food crops, or damage the natural environment or built environment.
Aggravation by humans: Vehicles in poor mechanical condition and low levels of fuel efficiency. Over the past decade the number of diesel trucks in major cities has increased dramatically, creating an additional source of pollution
Directly: Vehicles
Indirectly: N/A
Aggravation by climate: CO N cycle is disturbed.

Indoor Air Pollution
Within a confined area due to burning of specific fuels air accumulates causing high risk indoor air pollution
Aggravation by humans: The use of traditional biomass fuels such as wood, dung and crop residues is widespread across the country. According to the 1998 Pakistan Census 86 percent of rural households and 32 percent of urban households rely on these as their primary cooking fuel
Directly: Wood burning in closed room, use of gas heaters Crop residue and dung.
Indirectly: Person working in factory or dust arena is likely to have disease due to impact of close air pollution.
Aggravation by climate: N/A

Groundwater Changes & Limited Natural Fresh Water Resources
Ground water table is being affected and it results in reduction of small portion of fresh water reservoir. Much of Balochistan also has saline groundwater.
Aggravation by humans: Increasing abstraction has resulted in wells now reaching into saline layers.
Directly: Logging
Indirectly: Agricultural productivity
Aggravation by climate: Climatic shift and change rain pattern

Water Supply & Sanitation
It is defined as approachability of pure water to every individual Pakistan increased it from 85% in 1990 to 92% in 2010
Aggravation by humans: Govt is responsible for providing water facility to individuals.
Directly: Not supplying or Fail to create a system which creates opportunity to provide water to everyone.
Indirectly: N/A
Aggravation by climate: N/A 

Acid Rain
Acid deposition in rain water, Pollution causing gases is main source of acid rain.
Aggravation by humans: Human activities are the primary cause of gases which later become constituent of ozone.
Directly: Fuel Burning
Indirectly: Nox, Sox
Aggravation by climate: Contaminated air can act as a catalyst for acid rain.

Ozone
The ozone layer is a layer in Earth's atmosphere that absorbs most of the Sun's UV radiation. It contains relatively high concentrations of ozone (O3). Pakistan is a very small contributor in greenhouse effect; Pakistan contributes only 0.2 % greenhouse gases of the whole world. (Wikipedia)
Aggravation by humans:
Directly: Refrigerators, fire extinguishers chemicals containing chlorine and/or bromine. Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), carbon tetrachloride and methyl chloroform. Halons (brominated fluorocarbons)
Indirectly: Pesticides
Aggravation by climate: Polluted climate enhances ozone depletion.

Smog
 Smoke + fog
Aggravation by humans: Coal, transportation emission
Directly: Truck buses automobiles the unnecessarily large amounts of gasoline, oil, coal and natural gas we burn every day to heat our homes, power our vehicles, manufacture goods and provide electricity.
Indirectly: thermal power plant
Aggravation by climate: N/A

Positive Steps Taken
The government has expressed concern about environmental threats to economic growth and social development and, since the early 1990's, has addressed environmental concerns with new legislation and institutions such as the Pakistan Environment Protection Council. Yet, foreign lenders provide most environmental protection funds, and only 0.04 percent of the government’s development budget goes to environmental protection. Thus, the government’s ability to enforce environmental regulations is limited, and private industries often lack funds to meet environmental standards established by international trade organizations. National Conservation Strategy in 1992 to the formulation of National Environment Policy in 2005.

Sources:
Pakistan Strategic Country Environmental Assessment 
http://www.lawaonline.com/blog/environment-conditions-pakistan/
World Bank report http://data.worldbank.org/country/pakistan
Wikipedia



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