MONITORING REPORT ISLAMABAD: As the climate change has got an alarming proportionate in the recent years, the issue could act as a ‘threat multiplier’ and has potential to stoke a conflict between nuclear-armed states of Pakistan and India.
“The climate change has been projected to increase the variability of monsoons, decrease the predictability of precipitation, exacerbate water-stress in arid and semi-arid regions, and further salt-water intrusion of coastal freshwater supplies,” reveals the Congressional Research Service (CRS) in its 2010 Report on ‘Security and the Environment in Pakistan’.
The report said that the combination of environmental degradation; anticipated future impacts of climate change and increasing demographic pressure are likely to place significant stress on many developing nations across the globe in the years ahead.
“Western Himalayan glaciers are projected to continue their retreat from the next half century, increasing Indus River flows and flooding,” the report further said.
These initial increases in river flows would likely to be followed by decreased river flows as the glacial melt decreases as the glaciers disappear,” it said.
The study also found that projected temperature, rainfall and snow projections would lead to 8.4 per cent decrease in upstream water flow into the Indus by 2050 that would threaten the food security of those dependent on the river for irrigation.
The report said environmental crises such as water scarcity; soil depletion and natural disasters can intensify conflict or stress and potentially contribute to national security issues.
http://www.technologytimes.pk/mag/2011/jan11/issue03/climate_change_issue.php
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