Indus Delta: Communities extremely vulnerable to natural calamities: experts

KARACHI: The climate change phenomenon has left a majority of communities living in the Indus Delta extremely vulnerable to natural calamities especially cyclones and coastal flooding, experts said on Tuesday. Besides, the adverse impacts of climate change on women food producers associated with the agriculture and fisheries sectors are comparatively high, they added.

Speakers during a seminar titled 'Fostering Coastal Climate Resilience and Empowering Women Food Producers in the Coastal Areas,' organized by WWF-Pakistan in collaboration with Oxfam in Pakistan at International Centre for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS) auditorium, University of Karachi, underlined the severe impact of the climate change on public living of coastal belts.

Competition for the limited available natural resources and often accelerates human migration and disappearance of wild species. Climatic changes, coupled with economic, social and cultural barriers make women more vulnerable, they believed.

In the current era, experts said, climatic changes are occurring on a larger scale and with more frequency. Not only are wild plants and animals at risk but people are the victims of the deteriorating state of nature. The event stressed that without immediate action to reverse climate change, Earth will become much less hospitable for the modern global society.

Dr Shireen Mustafa Narejo, Sindh Secretary Planning and Development Department said deltaic communities in Keti Bunder and Kharo Chan face serious sanitation and hygiene challenges.

She said release of freshwater downstream Kotri should not be considered waste as it is essential for local communities and the ecosystem. She was of the view that the issue of pollution can be effectively tackled by discouraging a consumer culture.

She shared that in order to address poverty; the Sindh government has initiated a poverty reduction programme which is being implemented in 18 districts across the province.

She emphasized that enterprise development should be part of our development agenda, adding that the Sindh government is ready to work with institutions and organizations which come up with innovative ideas to address issues facing marginalized communities.

Dr Tahir Rasheed, Regional Head Sindh and Balochistan, WWF-Pakistan said that despite its global ecological significance, the Indus Delta is ranked third most vulnerable one to climate change.

It is at a greater risk of degradation primarily due to decrease of river flow leading to reduction in sediment deposition, seawater intrusion, land subsidence, sea level rise and low rainfall attributed to climate change and other anthropogenic pressures.

He said these factors together are putting one of the largest and precious deltaic ecosystems of the world at a risk of shrinking and degradation. He was of the view that it is usually rural households, smallholders, and particularly women who are the most vulnerable to natural calamities due to gender inequalities that are inherent in our social system.

Although women are more prone to the adverse impacts of climate change they have limited representation in development planning. "It is an undeniable fact that women stand on the frontline of climate change vulnerabilities and their voice should be heard at the national and international levels," he added.

Nasir Ali Panhwer, environmentalist, said that the delta was once fed by 17 freshwater channels but currently the water source has been reduced to just one. He told the seminar that in the past the Indus Delta received adequate freshwater flows from the Indus River throughout the year, which is now limited to only two months, such as August and Sep.

He said that this allows seawater to enter the delta for hundreds of kilometres. The cost of degradation of the Indus Delta is over $2 billion per year, which has serious economic, environmental and social implications. He also shared that the Indus Delta is the fifth largest delta in the world and has the seventh largest mangrove cover.

He said that the coastal belt of Sindh has historically been highly productive in terms of fisheries and agriculture. The limited flow of freshwater is causing environmental degradation and negatively impacting traditional livelihoods, survival and resilience patterns in the presence of high levels of social inequalities.

Hamera Aisha, Manager Conservation, WWF-Pakistan said that the coastal belt of Sindh is highly prone to climate change related disasters. Due to loss of livelihood resources, local people are migrating to other cities and towns, which are putting pressure on urban populations. She shared that WWF-Pakistan is contributing towards mitigating the effects of climate change through several projects.

These efforts aim to improve the resilience of rural communities of Sindh and enhance their knowledge and skills to prepare for, adapt to and mitigate climate and disaster risks.

This includes adopting climate-smart agricultural techniques, diversifying livelihoods, long-term sustainability of the environment and mangrove conservation.

Riaz Ahmed Wagan, Chief Conservator Forests, Government of Sindh; Muhammad Moazzam Khan, Technical Advisor Fishers, WWF-Pakistan; Abdul Qayoom Bhutto, Director Pakistan Metrological Department; Dr Muhammad Ismail Kumbhar from Sindh Agriculture University Tandojam; Dr Mukhtiar Ahmed Mahar, Director Coastal and Deltaic Studies, Sindh University Campus, Thatta; Shabina Faraz, environmental writer; Shoaib Kiyani from Marines Sciences at Karachi University and community representatives from Keti Bunder, Kharo Chan and Kakapir, Karachi also spoke on the occasion. School children from Keti Bunder also presented a tableau highlighting ecological challenges facing the Indus Delta.

WWF-Pakistan in collaboration with Oxfam in Pakistan has initiated a large scale plantation of mangroves in the Indus Delta. Through this project, a total of 75000 mangrove saplings have been planted along the Sindh coast.

Both organizations integrate climate change adaptation, mitigation and resilience building into their initiatives related to biodiversity conservation and natural resources management in Pakistan.

The campaign, in this regard is contributing to reducing the adverse impacts of climate change, especially on women whose livelihoods, food and residential security are at risk due to mangrove deforestation. A theatre performance by members of local communities highlighted the significance of mangroves in addressing climate change impacts.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020