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July 11, 2024
The Culture of “Otherization”
August 21, 2024
Naveed Akhtar
Irresponsible technological and economic models block the road to resilient and sustainable Gilgit-Baltistan in Gilgit-Baltistan. The Government of Gilgit-Baltistan brochure 2020 describes Gilgit-Baltistan in these words “The region’s temperature remains moderate during summer, making it an attractive destination for tourists seeking to escape the extreme heat of other parts of the country”. Since then many things have become worse and heatwaves across the length and breadth of the region have been a mighty concern and scorching challenge for both the government and policymakers.
The boom in the tourism sector has been unprecedented and historic generating considerable wealth and creating vast opportunities in the tourism sector for local and non-local investors. Salman Rashid, the travel writer, writes “Gilgit-Baltistan is a haven for peace and tranquillity” with its pristine mountains, crystal-clear rivers, and pollution-free air, making it an ideal destination to escape the sweltering heat of summer.” The peace of the region is due to its natural environment and biodiversity which are found in every corner of Gilgit-Baltistan.
Gilgit-Baltistan’s glaciers are melting at a rapid rate of 0.5% each summer, threatening the primary water source for 70% of its population.
The utmost challenge that the people of GB are facing is the “rapid meltdown of glaciers” which is the only source for drinking and irrigation purposes. According to the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) glaciers in Gilgit-Baltistan are melting at the rapid of 0.5% in summer. The alarming situation is that 70% of the Gilgit-Baltistan water supply comes from glaciers according to ICIMOD, 2019. The rapid glacier meltdown has been the biggest challenge for the agriculture sector in the region, the climate change effect in the form of global warming and extreme heatwaves have been affecting the glacier bodies in the region, glaciers are melting down ultimately leading to rising in level of water in natural lakes also known as “Glacier lakes”, due to water level rise in these lakes causes the outburst and the phenomenon is called Glaciers lake outburst floods, these are flash floods bringing mud, rocks and other debris along with flood, this causes extreme damage to local people, their belongings including livestock, crops, fields, and completely washes away the cultivable land.
The dilemma is that the region 31.7% of the population in GB lives below the poverty line according to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, 2020. The climate change catastrophe further increases the poverty rate by destroying the fields, crops, and livestock which basically are the main source of livelihood of people. Agriculture accounts for 60% livelihood source of people in GB according to the Department of Agriculture GB, 2020, also agriculture contributes 25% of Gilgit-Baltistan’s GDP (Economic Survey of Pakistan 2020-21).
Agriculture, which provides 60% of the livelihoods in Gilgit-Baltistan, faces severe threats due to climate-induced glacier lake outburst floods.
The agriculture sector is the most dominant workforce in Gilgit-Baltistan, it provides 70% of workforce opportunities in Gilgit-Baltistan. Local agriculture production meets 80% food requirements of local people (Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), 2019). Despite the considerable population that relies on local agriculture production, 40% of the population faces moderate to severe food insecurity as per FAO Report 2020.
Another prominent and dominant sector in GB is tourism in which locals are now showing utmost interest and generating considerable wealth and vast opportunities. The sector contributes more than 50% of the workforce in the region. Tourism revenue accounted for PKR 12.4 Billion in 2020 (Gilgit-Baltistan Tourism Department, 2020), and also 15% reduction in poverty in GB is attributed to the tourism sector (World Bank 2019). With the rapid expansion of tourism, the infrastructure development in GB is another milestone about 500 km of roads including the Juglot-Skardu road constructed or upgraded to facilitate tourism.
Tourism revenue in Gilgit-Baltistan, once a booming sector, declined by 10-15% due to climate change impacts, including rising temperatures and GLOFs.
However due to climate change impacts the region faces an upset trend in tourism, declines tourism revenue by 10-15% (Gilgit-Baltistan Tourism Department, 2020). Each year Glacier Lakes outburst floods (GLOF) incidents claim human lives and damage fields, livestock, and sources of safe drinking water for locals. UNDP report states that GB nestles 3,044 glacier lakes and has the potential to risk the lives of 7.1 Million in GB and KPK. 20-30% increase in GLOF incidents in GB has been recorded since the 1960s (ICIMOD, 2019). Pakistan Meteorological Department data shows that 10-15% of glacier lakes in GB are prone to GLOFs.
The rise in temperature in GB is signaling a big threat and challenge, Gilgit-Baltistan has witnessed a significant increase in temperatures, with an average rise of 1.2°C since 1961 (Source: Pakistan Meteorological Department, 2020, it is a testimonial to mountain communities, local policymakers, and legislative bodies that what measures or actions are required to counter the climate change impacts.
A significant 20-30% increase in GLOF incidents in Gilgit-Baltistan has been recorded since the 1960s, posing a severe risk to the region’s infrastructure.
It is high time to call for a climate emergency declaration before we reach the point of no return. At the policy level it is necessary to address the challenges and monitor every moment to measure and assess the possible threats and timely response could be made to counter threats. The government in collaboration with local communities should mobilize all the resources and attention to combat climate change. Fast-track policy and legislative actions are inevitable to mitigate and adapt to climate change.
There is no more time to waste and watch catastrophes and worse impacts of climate change like a spectator until every one of us becomes a direct victim. Therefore a lot of time and resources have been wasted while damaging the environment and doing nothing to stop that, now it’s defining to take climate actions under “Goal 13” of parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on climate change, proposed Sustainable Development Goals from 2015-30 and do every possible action to counter climate change.
The author is an International Relations scholar at Quaid i Azam University, Islamabad. He can be reached at naveedakhtar1261@gmail.com
