Abstract
Climate extreme events, during 1994 to 2014, have witnessed high vulnerability index for Pakistan. Droughts (particularly 1998-2002) had drastic impacts on agriculture and livestock production and forced people to migrate. Pakistan is fundamentally an agricultural economy and its Framework for Implementation of Climate Change Policy (FICCP), 2014-2030 is obviously on adaptation actions to address current and future anticipated climate change threats to Pakistan's various sectors. South Asia has generally been vulnerable to climate change and transboundary water issues are taking serious shape. This paper addresses the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) of Pakistan's current climate governance in the context of institutional arrangements at federal, provincial and diplomatic levels in relation to implementation of water sector adaptation strategies as outlined in FICCP. Standard SWOT analysis highlights key challenges and shortcomings towards climate response strategies and actions. In this attempt, the nexus of water and agriculture, post 18th amendment provincial coordination, various aspects of recently promulgated Climate Change Act, transboundary and riparian issues, and the obligations of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as well as Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction have been taken in to account. Based on overall assessment of existing gaps, this paper suggests way forward for good and sustainable climate governance in Pakistan to implement water sector adaptation strategies.
Highlights
Climate change has been the most serious externality of the 21st century that is being faced by the whole world.[1]
The major factor responsible for the climate change is the rise in greenhouse gases (GHGs) emissions and their concentrations in the atmosphere
Seven agreements are directly linked to water resources of Pakistan i.e. United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) 1992, Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 20152030, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification 1994, Indus Water Treaty 1960, Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance 1971, Convention Concerning the Protection of World Cultural and Natural Heritage 1972. These agreements were taken into account during development of National Climate Change Policy, formulation of adaptation strategies devised for the water sector in the FICCP and subsequent development of Pakistan Climate Change Act 2017 at federal level
Summary
Climate change has been the most serious externality of the 21st century that is being faced by the whole world.[1]. This paper stems out of a broad research study by the lead author, who employed qualitative research method with standard SWOT analysis for overall evaluation, content analysis for scrutiny of secondary sources, questionnaire based experts’ interviews for primary data techniques, and analyses of the adaptation strategies of water sector in current climate governance of Pakistan i.e. the overall philosophy and arrangements for climate compatible development. The questionnaire covered key challenges and shortcomings towards climate response strategies and actions, in the nexus of water and agriculture for critical review of performance on FICCP, the 18th amendment in the constitution of Pakistan regarding provincial coordination, various aspects of recently promulgated Climate Change Act at federal level, transboundary and riparian issues, and the obligations of Sustainable Development Goals SDGs) as well as Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. Situational analysis of primary and secondary data was done through a single table SWOT technique, considering the high number of interdependent issues
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