35 Research on global changes in Pakistan

Abstract

Abstract The research on climate change in Pakistan is in its initial stages and has started with the commencement of the new century. Realizing the importance and potential impact of climate change on natural resources and population and their sustainable development, several projects have been initiated in collaboration with international institutions such as APN, ICIMOD, UNEP, START, and others. The focus of these initiatives is on the impact of climate change on various components of the complex system such as water resources, ecology, agriculture, socio-economics, and others. So far these activities have been centered on the resource inventories/vulnerability assessment and identification of potential threats based on which coping mechanisms could be identified and policy recommendations could be formulated. Using historical climatic data it has been concluded that since 1931 in general the extreme temperatures in the arid environments have increased while in sub-humid and humid environments these have been decreased. Several studies have been carried out to use the simulation models for climate change impact on water resources, forest ecosystems, and socioeconomic conditions. Recently an inventory of glaciers and glacial lakes in the Hindu Kush – Karakoram – Himalayan (HKKH) region of Pakistan has been completed. A Global Change Impact Study Center has also been established.