It was most welcome news for Karachiites that government has approved 22 billion rupees for turning Karachi green from rocky / sandy and concrete jungle. The City Nazim has done bit of his work by planting button mangrove plants of conocorpus, which attains height and does not need water after five months. You can see these plants on islands of the roads being lush green, but more is needed to save the city from air and sewerage pollutions.
The sea is polluted by pumping daily raw sewerage of about 400 million gallons as the city can treat about 100 million gallons. You can notice the Karachi harbour, which receives the maximum city untreated sewerage, thus depleting the marine life and making fish catch around Karachi port and east coast unhygienic and unsafe for human consumption.
One wonder as to why Karachi Port having 40 billion rupees in coffers, do not come forward to install a sewerage treatment plant, if city government is restrained with finances, Pakistan Navy may also contribute being user of the port.
I, recall attending International Maritime Organisation Committee on Marine Environment Protection commonly known as MEPC. Most of the countries agreed to Marpol convention 73/78 Annex VI to check the emission from ships funnel, however Pakistan has yet to ratify Annex VI and ballast water convention for the reasons best known to concerned or unawareness.
We now see the light at the end of the tunnel as US President Obama is seriously concerned not only about economic melt down but equally on environmental degradation and have approved 86 billion USD to protect the environment. The burning of fossil fuels and destruction of forests are expected to increase the earths average temperature upto 5 degree by 2100.
The rise will create more stress on Asias already overtaxed environment and change the way we live. Sixteen countries spanning Pakistan to the Philippines. Home to 1.6 billion people in six of the worlds 25 largest cities. It is well documented fact that Himalayan glaciers will melt causing floods.
Silty run off will contaminate water supplies and clog our hydro electric projects. It is also feared that increase in temperature may cause low yield of rice and our farms will be vulnerable to new pest and natural disasters. It is also estimated by environmental Scientists that sea level may rise by one meter flooding coastal cities.
Malaria, dengue fever and schistosomiasis will move into new regions on the margins of current endemic areas. The above effects are only for tropical Asia, whilst effect will vary from temperate Asia to Australia. It is nothing new the world was aware of the problem, thus in 1997, governments around the globe agreed to give the 1992 convention on climate change some bite and adopted the Kyoto Protocol, which came into effect by 2005.
The protocol commits developed countries to achieve goals by 2012, however, Australia, USA , Singapore, Hong Kong, Macau and China did not sign the Protocol, which was a great set back. The green house gas emission continue to rise from coal powered plants, ships, aeroplanes and burning of fossil fuels.
The developed nations committed to reduce their collective emissions of carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide by at-least five percent by 2012, whilst EU agreed to 8 percent reduction and Japan 6 percent. The protocol is silent on any penalty for exceeding the targets.
The global response to Kyoto is talk fests, usually nothing gets done, but at least protocol has pushed governments to work together to ensure developed nations cant damage the economics of developing countries. It is well recognised truth that saving environment is expensive, so the countries that reduce emissions by more than their targets can sell their credits.
Countries can also benefit by financing international projects. Pakistan can also be benefited by selling its credit due to low industrialisation. Now all eyes are set on crucial UN meeting in Copenhagen in December.
Since taking power in the US Obama has signalled his readiness to enter into international agreement on reducing emissions to be negotiated in Copenhagen, in contract to his predecessor Bush, who dropped out to sign Kyoto, as protocol did not set binding targets for big developing nations ie BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China).
The Chinese have taken a logical position, that consumer countries may take responsibility for the carbon emissions generated in the manufacture of goods, not the producer country that exports them. A deal between China and USA is imperative as China overtook USA as the biggest CO2 emitter in 2006, due to its dependence on coal fired power and likely to remain in position for decades.
China blames Western consumers as Chinese claim that 15 percent and 25 percent of countries CO2 emissions resulted from manufacturing exports. Japan and EU do not buy the Chinese stance. The two positions appear ominously far apart and critical, but there appears to be sign and scope for rapprochement.
Chinese continue to argue that wealthy nations should contribute more, as they have historically responsible for the carbon emission. All friends of earth and environmentalist have pinned their hope of saving the mother nature to December UN summit. We are seeking justice from big polluters, USA, China, India and Russia to save the earth from further devastation, for our posterity.
The good news for International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) and maritime fraternity is that in accordance with Marpol 73/78 Annex VI, a Singapore company has developed a ship exhaust scrubber CSNOX, a method of removing planet warming gases and soot from ship exhausts without causing secondary environmental damage.
This system will remove from ship exhaust 90 percent of Sulfur Dioxide, 80 percent Nitrogen Oxide 75 percent Carbon Dioxide. This new innovation is welcomed by IMO and MEPC and will help EU to enforce Annex VI by 2012. Airline industry must also come up with some solution as aeroplanes flying in stratosphere create artificial clouds due to emission and the heat is refracted to the earth.
Whilst the world is on move to arrest degradation of environment, we must increase our forest area and in particular join hand with the city government to make Karachi environmental friendly, green and free of pumping raw sewerage to our sea and also get rid of plastic bags.
Every one must contribute to save our city and country both. We must also ensure using of recycled water for farms and industries to meet growing need of fresh water. The knowledge of environment is a very necessary like grace and beauty. It breeds mutual liking and love for the mother nature.
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