Group MembersGul RaizNoman Karim

Introduction

The Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) of Pakistan formerly known as Northern Areas (NA) of Pakistan has a unique and vital role in sustainable development of Pakistan. GB has small geographic range of an area of 72,971 km² (28,174 mi²), lying in the extreme north of Pakistan (75 08 48.12 E & 37 00 47.33 N to 77 41 11.82 E & 35 27 26.06 N) (Khan 2012). Nature has gifted this area with high mountainous ranges, massive glaciers, glorious rivers and splendid valleys..

Bio Diversity

Gilgit-Baltistan is rich for biological diversity. It contains most important forests, extensive mineral resources and host for many endangered species of the world. The Gilgit-Baltistan is dominated by one of the most important landscape on the world.

It contains 101 peaks which are found to be above than 7,000 meters (IUCN 2003).

Mountain Ranges

. Northern Pakistan is host to three of the world's biggest and most spectacular mountain ranges, the Himalaya, the Karakoram and the Hindukush.

Mighty Mountain Ranges

Meeting point of three mighty mountains

Glaciers of G-B

With Northern Pakistan being home to 5,218 glaciers and 2420 glacial lakes – 52 of which have been classified as potentially dangerous-

Glaciers in Pakistan are receding at a rate on average of almost 40 to 60 meters per decade and post a threat to the region and the 1.3 billion people who live in the basins of the nine river systems covered by the HKH glaciers

View of Glacier located at Bagrot Valley.

The Baltoro Glacier

Majestic Baltoro Glacier, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan

Longest Glaciers of Pakistan-Baltoro Glacier

Biafo Glacier, Karakoram Range

The impacts of global warming

It's nearly impossible to overstate the threat of climate change.

Global warming will have catastrophic effects such as accelerating sea level rise, droughts, floods, storms and heat waves. These will impact some of the world's poorest and most vulnerable people, disrupting food production, and threatening vitally important species, habitats and ecosystems.

52 glacial lakes termed dangerous

The Baltoro Glacier is 62 kilometers long and it is one of the longest glaciers outside outside the Polar Regions.

At least 52 glacial lakes in Gilgit and Astore Astore districts have been identified as potentially potentially dangerous’ by a project spoored sponsored by the European Union and United United Nations Development Proramme Program (UNDP).

Retreating Himalayas

Glacial retreat is a phenomenon that scientists normally attribute to global warming; it is caused by an increase in the atmospheric concentration of greenhouse gases due to human activities such as deforestation.

Glacial retreat bodes ill for of all villagers in the region whose livelihoods are directly dependent on their cultivations.

Rivers in Pakistan

Pakistan’s river system consists of more than 60 small and large rivers.All of Pakistan’s major rivers originate in northern highlands of Himalaya, Karakoram and Hindukush mountain ranges and pour one by one into each other and finally into Indus River creating the Indus River Basin.

Climate change and Floods in the area

Gilgit-Baltistan has suffered extensive floodingsince June 2013, though this has been caused not so much be heavy-rainfall in the area as by high temperature leading to increased runoff from melting glaciers.

Landslides are a common problem after severe weather events, as excess pore water pressure can overcome cohesion in soil and sediments, allowing them to flow like liquids.

In 2010 and 2011 the region also saw extensive flooding due to melting glaciers.

Floods in Pakistan

Houses close to the river, are faced with the threat of being flooded.

Landslide at Attabad Lake on 22 January 2010

View of the landslide dam and part of the remains of Attabad Village.1 February 2010.

Villagers from the Gojal Valley surveying the scene of the Attabadlandslide on 5 January 2010.

The road and bridge was submerged under water.

The people were forced to use boats for means of transportation.

Damaged bridge from flooding in Pakistan, 2010.

Human Activities are main cause of snow melting

At 5,653 meters above sea level, two nuclear armed rival Pakistan and India are battling at Siachen, in the mountain glaciers of Gilgit-Baltistan. By now the war cost 5000 lives on both sides in additions to billions of dollars on each side on military extravaganzas at Siachen.

Since India and Pakistan are at war in Siachen, they have developed preliminary infrastructure like ports, helipads and pipelines to supply kerosene to their camps.

War at the Top of the World, Siachen

Work on way to evacuate the buried bodies

Forests

Overall Pakistan forest resources are limited, covering only 4.8 percent of total land area, which is far below the optimal standard of 25%, forest cover for a country.

Most of the natural forest resources of Pakistan are concentrated in the mountainous regions , where more than 60% of the country natural forest resources are found.

Alpine Forests

Timber movement: Illegal transportation from G-B continues unabated

Between 2000 and 2005, Pakistan’s forest cover declined by more than 2%.

Climate change and loss of capital

In the last 20 years 140 climate-change triggered events in Pakistan had lead to an average of 500 deaths every year and a loss of $200 million to the country’s economy.

In the last 120 years, the average temperature had risen by 2 degrees Celsius globally. The temperature in Pakistan had risen by 0.57 degrees Celsius.

The sea level had risen by 1.2mm annually and would likely be up by 40mm in 2100.

Harsh Facts

There are studies that by 2035, glaciers feeding theIndus will disappear and they are fast melting andwater conservation is the need of the hourfor Pakistan to ensure enough water is available forfuture generation.

Pakistan needs to focus on agriculture, improvewater storage and distribution infrastructure.

The extreme weather calamities caused Pakistanlosses worth 0.7% of the country’s Gross DomesticProduct (GDP) over 20 years.

The 2014 Climate Risk Index for 1993-2010, ranks Pakistan as the 12th mostaffected country by climate-related events.

Livelihood of Gilgit Baltistan

Impact of climate change on livelihoods

Livelihoods are becoming sensitive to climate change. The people of the region earn their livings from agriculture sector which is vulnerable to the negative impacts of climate change.

Fluctuations in climate factor, temperature, humidity, increased CO2 level, flooding and land sliding are the factors affecting agricultural productivity.

Rising temperature and humidity is leading to insect/pest sun born disease outbreaks.

Pre and post harvest losses (reduced quantity and quality in fruits and vegetables)

Soil erosion, flood, land sliding is leading to blockage of roads and irrigation channels.

Issues arising in food production from climate change

Erosion, channel/road blockage and wilting of crops

Impact On Health Conditions

Another serious impact of climate change is on health conditions. Health is affected either by direct impact of temperature changes, droughts or floodsor indirectly due to climate induced economic disruptions from factors such as crop failure, mud slides and associated malnutrition and famine. Further health can be affected by spread of diseases such as malaria, dengue, diarrhea etc.

The markhor is an endangered species of wild goat that is natively found in the mountainous regions of Gilgit-Baltistan. The decline in markhor population numbers in mainly due to deforestation resulting in the loss of their native habitats.

Marco polo Sheep

Markhor

Morcopolo Sheep, an endangered animal

Chakor is also one of the endangered birds.

Snow Leopard

Snow leopard from Himalayan highlands of Pakistan

Brown Bear from Deosai plains

Recommendations:

Communities of GB are prone and poor, they areunable to response such massive destructive eventscaused by climate change such as floods and droughts.

There should be long term projects or communitybased disaster risk management, adaptations andmitigation enhancing activities to save life livelihoods,ecosystems, biodiversity and infrastructure of Gilgit-Baltistan.

Both India and Pakistan should decide to retreat fromtheir glacial warzones and be more attentive to theirpreservation; in order that they may ensure theprosperity of agriculture, and food security in the region.

Recommendations

Advocating a new international climate agreement – one that is just and legally binding

Promoting energy efficiency – the most rapid and cost-effective way to reduce CO2 emissions

Promoting renewable energy sources – like wind, solar, and geothermal power

Preventing greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation – currently responsible for 20% of all emissions

Developing and promoting climate change adaptation strategies– to safeguard the most vulnerable people and the most exposed ecosystems.

Local focus-global perspective

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