Air pollution, water contamination, traffic noise, extreme weather, chemical usage, soil degradation, natural disasters, desertification, and major flooding are all environmental concerns in Pakistan. According to the most recent global environment performance index assessment, Pakistan is among the countries with lower environmental safety performance globally.
Global warming and climate change are the most concerning issues, threatening the lives of millions of people all across the country. Carbon emissions, population boom, and deforestation are the primary causes of the major environmental challenges.
Pakistan is currently dealing with major environmental challenges; air pollution, lack of clean drinking water, noise pollution, and the deterioration of urban and rural populations’ health as a result of various pollution. These environmental issues not only damage the health of people and animals but also pose a significant threat to the nation’s economy. In principle, rapid industrialization, urbanization, and motorization will certainly exacerbate such issue issues.
The World Bank classifies Pakistan as a water-stressed country. On the contrary, water contamination is escalating attributed to the growing population and economy, as well as a practically total lack of water filtration. The misuse of chemical fertilizer and pesticides is a source of water contamination. Water contamination is either a direct or indirect cause of the observed health issues in Pakistan. Diarrhea causes % of baby mortality, while water-borne infections cause 60 % of all deaths.
Pakistan’s megacities, such as Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, and Rawalpindi, are tormented by noise pollution. This threshold of noise pollution can have an impact on both auditory and non-auditory functioning. Non-auditory health problems include sleep disorders, noise and cardiovascular illness, endocrine sensitivity to noise, and psychiatric conditions.
Air pollution has become a serious environmental issue in Pakistan’s main cities. As per a World Bank survey, Karachi’s urban air pollution is now one of the world’s worst, causing major adverse effects on human health and the economics of the country. According to new research published by the Sindh environment protection agency, the typical pollution level in major cities is nearly four times greater than the World Health Organization’s standards. Air pollutants have negative consequences, such as respiratory diseases, impaired visibility, vegetative degradation, and serious consequence on the agriculture sector.
The majority of Pakistan’s economic sectors, such as fisheries and agriculture, which account for more than one-fourth of Pakistan’s production and two-fifths of its employment, rely on the available natural resources. As a result, there is a strong requirement for the already limited natural resources to sustain growth in the economy. 70 % of Pakistan’s population lives in rural areas and is already disadvantaged. These people rely on natural resources for a living.
The government’s authority to enforce environmental legislation is weak, and private firms typically lack the capital needed to complete global trade association environmental requirements. To address environmental challenges, the government of Pakistan has to do so much. As responsible citizens, we also must spread awareness about these environmental issues and unite together to limit their effects by addressing them at the grass-root.
Awaran