It goes without saying that human life does not exist without the existence of other living creatures. One cannot deny that living things are a blessing in disguise for the survival of life on earth, maintaining eco-friendly weather temperature. Plants are one such blessing for humans.
They are an important source not only for the survival of herbivore animals but also for omnivores. Man is also a social animal and omnivore as well. In addition, plants also play a pivotal role in keeping the temperature at bay, and it acts as a thermostat for the land where life can exists. It is a bitter truth that forests (plants) cool the land because trees draw water from the soil to their leaves, where it then evaporates. Similarly, the energy needed to evaporate the water comes from sunshine and heat in the air. It is the same reason you feel colder when you get out of a pool with water on your skin.
It is true that forests act as significant carbon sinks, and absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and produce oxygen through photosynthesis. One large tree can supply a day’s oxygen for up to four people. These also absorb rainfall and release water vapour into the atmosphere through transpiration, which helps regulate local and regional climates. But Deforestation disrupts this cycle, leading to changes in rainfall patterns and an increased risk of droughts and floods.
There is no denying that a single tree in a tropical forest can cause local surface cooling equivalent to 70 kilowatt hours for every 100 litres of water used from the soil, as much cooling as two household air conditioners. However, removing trees eliminates a natural filter for particulate matter (PM), which comprises various chemicals that can cause lung and heart diseases.
Those countries which love plantation/ Forestation, are surviving climate change and enjoying friendly weather. Thry include Norway, Finland, Switzerland, Denmark, Singapore, Sweden, Iceland, New Zealand, Germany and the United Kingdom as reported by ND-GAIN’s overall rankings 2023.
Research concluded that deforestation can heat a local area by as much as 4.5℃. Moreover, it can even raise temperatures in undisturbed forests up to 6km away. As the forests store vast amounts of carbon. But the deforestation releases this carbon, approximately 5.2 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide per year, back into the atmosphere
In tropical countries such as Indonesia, Brazil and Congo rapid deforestation had contributed up to 75 percent of the observed surface warming between 1950 and 2010.
As of April and May, 2024, the recent deadly heat wave in the Sahel and West Africa with temperatures above 45°C had hit hard.
The scientists found that both, the daytime and nighttime heat waves would have been impossible if humans had not warmed the planet by burning fossil fuels like oil, coal and gas, and with other activities specially deforestation.
It is the need of the hour to stop rising urbanization in the name of so-called mega housing schemes on installments. It had led to rapid deforestation everywhere in Pakistan. Such menaces of rising population and turning forests into cheap housing businesses are no less than a safe haven for heat wave and scorching sun.
Similarly, developing countries like Pakistan is going to hardly survive under the dark cloud of extreme Heat wave every coming year. Every passing day, the media comes up with breaking news to shock people with temperatures rising at an alarming rate. According to the Global Climate Risk Index Report, Pakistan is the fifth most affected country by climate threats from 1999 to 2018.
In the country, the summer, which is the season of enjoying school vacations, tourism and mouth-watering fruits, gives the shadow of hell as a result of Big-No for Plantation at governance level as well. Since its birth on the map of south Asia, the country has been combating multifarious security issues. After a crippling of the economy, rampant corruption, severe drought, extreme poverty and the population bomb, finally the deadly disease of climate change has left no stone unturned to attack the country badly. It is one of the ramifications of increasing deforestation.
Regretfully, In Pakistan, the forestation has been given a dead end by every common man and state in the wake of growing urbanization. The country where population is exploiting at rapid rate at one end and life survival is declining at other hand due to speedy replacement of forest space into to Luxurious housing schemes.
At present the entire country is under the dark cloud of life threatening heatwave and unexpectedly prolonged monsoon rainfall. The country has been going through wave after wave of extreme heat in the past few years. It has become the fate of the Pakistani nation beginning with spikes above 50°C in 2010. Furthermore, another severe heat wave struck in 2015, peaking at 49°C in Larkana, and gradually topped by 50.2°C in Nawabshah in 2018.
Now, the research has found that climate change could make some parts of Pakistan too hot to live in by 2070. Soon the country would face heat waves in night time too like West Africa if the plantation drive would not gear up at the right time.
Even though the situation is bleak, every dark cloud has a silver lining. The nation has witnessed the ray of hope to cope up with deadly consequences of Climate change.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, The Billion Tree Tsunami was started in 2014. One billion trees were planted on 35,000 hectares of forest and barren land. The programme was appreciated by United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
In addition to it, the Plant for Pakistan, also known as 10 Billion Tree Tsunami, is a five-year project to plant 10 billion trees across Pakistan from 2018 to 2023, the Programme started in collaboration with Ministry of Climate Change along with provincial and territorial Forest and Wildlife departments. It is a part of the larger Clean Green Pakistan Movement to revive Forest and Wildlife resources in Pakistan.
Recently, the incumbent government has made headway in order to deal with the rising heat wave as a result of deforestation. The Prime Minister launched the countrywide spring plantation drive by planting a sapling with the aim of doubling the number of saplings planted in 2024, compared to the previous year’s achievement of 240 million trees. In May, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) has set up relief camps to help reduce instances of heatstroke and other heat-related diseases.
It is high time the successive government must rub shoulders with federal government to chalk our effective strategy in order to tackle the serious matter at grass level.
However, it is need of the hour that the Civil Society and NGOs should work in tandem to take initiative for plantation, The media must bring awareness by TV programmes regarding forestation.
It is an open secret that the malpractice of cutting down trees is on a peak across the country. The family planning sector of country must play its instrumental role in addressing the population explosion and turning its goals into action in letter and spirit by providing family planning services, including contraceptive surgery for males and females free.
It is the need of the hour to stop rising urbanization in the name of so-called mega housing schemes on installments. It had led to rapid deforestation everywhere in Pakistan. Such menaces of rising population and turning forests into cheap housing businesses are no less than a safe haven for heat wave and scorching sun.
Days are not so far, when Pakistan would once again enjoy the pleasant weather of summer as in heydays of 1990s by mitigating the climate change challenges.
