CSS 2025 Solved Current Affairs Past Papers | Environmental Degradation and Rehabilitation in Pakistan
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Question Breakdown
This question has two main parts: The first one requires Reasons for Environmental Degradation in Pakistan, and the second one requires suggesting Remedial Measures for Sustainable Environmental Rehabilitation.
Outline
1-Introduction
2-Debunking the key term “environmental degradation”
3- Focusing on the current situation of environmental degradation in Pakistan
4-Analyzing the reasons for environmental degradation in Pakistan
- ✓Increasing deforestation and lack of reforestation
- ✓Growing solid waste and air pollution
- ✓Utilizing non-renewable energy sources
- ✓Rising global warming
5-Suggesting remedial measures for sustainable environmental rehabilitation in Pakistan
- ✓Reviving afforestation
- ✓Managing solid waste pollution
- ✓Promoting renewable energy sources usage
- ✓Curbing global warming
6-Critical Analysis
7-Conclusion
Answer to the question
Introduction
The socioeconomic future of underdeveloped economies can largely be hampered by the activities performed by human societies living in these countries. Advancing further, it is the harsh truth of today’s fast-paced world that humans are engaged in practices that can be considered self-destructive, ultimately producing harmful results like environmental degeneration – a hitting point for clean and safe human survival. Jumping onto the soil of Pakistan, the country has become the hub of environmental degradation with countless ecological problems, failing healthy livelihood and sustainable future of its citizens. It is evident from Pakistan’s ranking as the world’s second most polluted country. Moreover, the reasons responsible for the environmental degradation in the country range from deforestation to solid waste pollution to global warming. However, there is always room to overcome these causes and put Pakistan on the path of progress. This can be done by promoting afforestation, managing solid waste, and improving environmental legislation. This answer discusses in detail the reasons for environmental degradation and remedial measures for sustainable environmental rehabilitation.
Debunking the key term “environmental degradation”
Before going into the details, it is essential to understand the key term “environmental degradation”. It deals with the decay or collapse of the environment owing to the depletion of natural resources, like air, soil, water, plants, and fossil fuels. Moreover, environmental degradation takes place because of many natural and man-made factors. Its natural factors range from the devastation of ecosystems to the elimination of natural habitats to the extinction of animals. In contrast, its man-made contributors cover overpopulation, tourism, industrial activities, pollution, climate change, and global warming. Thus, environmental degradation casts crucially dangerous impacts on nature and human societies, several affecting the safe and healthy survival of human beings.
Focusing on the current situation of environmental degradation in Pakistan
After debunking the key term, it is equally important to understand the current situation of environmental degradation in Pakistan. Presently, Pakistan faces countless environment-related problems, crashing the lives of citizens. To begin with, the destructive floods clearly portray changing weather patterns in Pakistan, as evident from the floods of 2022, which have deteriorated one-third of the country’s area and ruined 33 million human lives. Next to it, the nation-state faces the worst air pollution, with the highest Air Quality Index (AQI) similar to that of the world’s highly polluted countries, forcing people to survive under smog, dust, and droughts with cardiac and respiratory diseases. Further, environmental deterioration significantly increases food insecurity, leaving 40% of Pakistan’s population in food scarcity due to increasing climate change, changing weather patterns, and depleting water reserves. Last but not least, unavoidable waste pollution has added fuel to fires by boosting environmental degradation. The massive urbanization and modern ways of living have increased yearly waste generation in Pakistan to almost 48.5 million tons, ultimately destroying sea life through increasing industrial pollution. Therefore, the current situation of environmental degradation in Pakistan is heading towards never-ending consequences, eventually putting an end to the survival of mankind.
Analyzing the reasons of environmental degradation in Pakistan
There are many factors responsible for the worsening of the environment in Pakistan. Here, some of the major reasons for environmental degradation in the country will be discussed.
- ✓Increasing deforestation and lack of reforestation
First and foremost, deforestation, coupled with a lack of reforestation, is the leading cause of environmental degradation in Pakistan. In simple words, deforestation is the cutting of trees and forests to expand urbanization, aiming to meet the modern and material needs of the citizens. The situation in Pakistan is quite similar, as the massively growing population and rapid expansion of housing societies in the urban centres are the primary reasons behind increasing deforestation. To illustrate, the development of housing societies like the Defence Housing Authority (DHA) and Bahria Homes with countless phases and sectors, especially in the major cities of Pakistan, like Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad, and Multan, has given boost to the removal of trees from fertile garden lands, ultimately heading towards the loss of biodiversity and the rise of carbon emissions. This shows that deforestation and lack of reforestation are the definite causes of environmental degradation in Pakistan.
- ✓Growing solid waste and air pollution
After this, growing solid waste and air pollution are other core causes of environmental degradation in Pakistan. Unfortunately, solid waste and various harmful chemicals released in the atmosphere contaminate the environment and ruin air and water quality. Along with this, ineffective solid waste management practices lie at the heart of environmental deterioration. In Pakistan, it increases with the open-air dumping of waste materials, the disposal of industrial toxins in river basins, and the burning of solid waste. As an illustration, Mehmood Booti-the- the ages-old dumping site in Lahore- is the absolute portrayal of growing solid waste pollution and failing solid waste management practices, ultimately destroying the environment with soil contamination and air pollution. Therefore, solid waste, as well as air pollution, significantly contributes to environmental degradation in Pakistan.
- ✓Utilizing non-renewable energy sources
Also, using non-renewable energy sources is a significant cause of environmental degradation in Pakistan. In underdeveloped countries like Pakistan, the over-reliance on non-renewable energy sources, especially coal, oil, and natural gas, harms the environment and causes deterioration through greenhouse gas emissions, drilling, mining, fossil fuel combustion, and acid rain. For instance, in 2021, Pakistan’s total CO2 emissions reached 229 million metric tons (Mt), highlighting the immediate need to shift towards clean energy. In a word, adopting renewable energy has become crucial for Pakistan to save the environment from ruining.
- ✓Rising global warming
Global warming is the last but not least reason for environmental degeneration in Pakistan. To put simply, global warming can be said to be a result of man-made catastrophes, wreaking great havoc by posing a significant threat to the state. It has impacted the country’s economy and its people’s health. Global Warming is caused by major human activities, like using coal plants in industries, the emission of methane and nitrous oxide from agricultural activities, the CO2 emissions from vehicles, and the excessive cutting of trees. It has further ruined the country’s infrastructure and overall environment. In 2022, the temperature rose to 122°F in many areas of Pakistan, especially during the monsoon season, causing heavy rains, signalling the looming disaster. As a result, the globe is severely affected by the immense threats of global warming, like rising temperature, melting glaciers, unbearing floods, changing weather patterns, and increasing droughts, badly degrading the environment.
Suggesting remedial measures for sustainable environmental rehabilitation in Pakistan
Although environmental degradation lies at the heart of Pakistan’s multiple problems, it is not an issue without a solution. Here, some practicable measures are suggested that may prove helpful to ensure environmental safety in the country.
- ✓Reviving afforestation
First, the government of Pakistan should focus on reviving afforestation. The plantation of more and more trees will not only help reduce air pollution but will also act as a natural defence mechanism for improving weather in cities. Also, it will equally help during floods, creating natural barriers for the protection of masses against unbridled, excessive flood water. Pakistan’s government should take lessons from Ethiopia, an East African, underdeveloped country that has planted almost 1.72 billion out of the total target of 3.74 billion with the help of the World Bank (WB), ranking the world’s 3rd country with the maximum number of plantation drives. Nonetheless, planting trees is the simplest yet effective way to save the planet from environmental degradation in Pakistan.
- ✓Managing solid waste management
Second, Pakistan’s environmental authorities must focus on managing solid waste. It can be done by enforcing the collaboration of local municipal authorities to create pollution-free air for healthy living. Moreover, there should be strong environmental legislation and the establishment of government agencies to maintain national quality standards for waste management and ensure recycling techniques at the national level. In this regard, the government should apply Germany’s 3R recycling framework under strict rules and regulations to reduce, reuse, and recycle waste. Thus, efficiently managing solid waste is the only way to save the environment from worsening practices.
- ✓Promoting renewable energy sources usage
Third, there should be real-time implementation of a legal framework to promote renewable energy projects to overcome citizens’ reliance on fossil fuels like coal, natural gas, crude oil, and non-renewable materials. Pakistan has many challenges due to non-renewable energy sources, like environmental degradation, energy crisis, and global warming, requiring an immediate shift towards environment-friendly and economical renewable energy. Although Pakistan has started taking smaller steps in renewable energy projects like 100 MW power generating Quaid-e-Azam Solar Park in Punjab, the country still needs to encourage solar, wind and hydropower adoption to meet her renewable energy goals by 2030, ensure energy security and meet commercial needs for massively growing population. In short, moving to renewable energy sources is a prerequisite for a safe and green environment and a fundamental strategy for Pakistan’s economic betterment.
- ✓Overcoming global warming
Last but not least, the government should take practical measures to overcome global warming in Pakistan. This can be done by the heavy imposition of a carbon tax to cut off the usage of carbon, coal, and oil. Moreover, Pakistan’s environmental authorities must shift from non-renewable to renewable energy sources, like water, fossil fuels, and wind. In this regard, the example of Denmark is undeniable, as the state has cut off its greenhouse gas emissions to 70% since 1990 by adopting biofuels and solar energy usage. It will help make a pollution-free environment as renewable energy sources do not emit greenhouse gasses and offer clean energy. Furthermore, the production of genetically engineered crops can diminish the impacts of global warming. To conclude, curbing the rise of global warming is crucial for the environmental well-being of Pakistan.
Critical Analysis
To investigate critically, environmental degradation is among some of Pakistan’s most pressing issues and must be managed immediately. Primarily, it is driven by rapid adaptation to modern living and industrial practices, ultimately leading to the depletion of natural resources, economic reserves, and people’s physical and mental well-being. These practices have eventually given birth to changing dynamics of the environment in the form of climate change, global warming, wildfires, changing rain patterns, drought, and floods. Nevertheless, these changes must be dealt with with the efficiency and proactive approach of Pakistan’s government by endorsing strict environmental laws, encouraging sustainable agricultural practices, promoting renewable energy projects, and raising public awareness to preserve the environment. Last, to ensure sustainable environmental rehabilitation, effective collaboration and dialogue must be engaged among various societal stakeholders, like the government, civil society, and the private sector, to mitigate the environmental deterioration in Pakistan.
Conclusion
To summarize, environmental degradation has become a matter of grave concern for Pakistan. It has pushed the country to the brink of an implosion. Environmental degeneration has manifested itself in many forms in the country, ranging from climate change to droughts. However, dancing around the fire is not the way to any problem. The government of Pakistan should try to see beneath the surface in order to grasp an idea about the intensity of the issue and fight it with iron hands by opting for practical moves to save the environment for the survival of future generations.
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