“Let’s stop sleepwalking towards the destruction of our planet by climate change. Today, it’s Pakistan. Tomorrow, it could be your country.” - UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
Pakistan is Facing a Climate Catastrophe.
The Monsoon floods have drowned more than 1/3rd of the country. Thousands of people have lost their lives, and millions of homes have been destroyed. The flood has hit the most vulnerable population in Pakistan - millions of people who had access to limited resources and facilities. Now they have lost everything - their homes, crops, cattle, and family members.
"The Pakistani people are facing a monsoon on steroids -- the relentless impact of epochal levels of rain and flooding," UN Secretary-General Guterres said in his appeal for help.
There are many lessons for all of us in this calamity. We have been warned time and again about the impact of climate change on natural disasters. It’s ironic that most of the affectees are not even participating in the activities that trigger climate change. According to the World Inequality Report, The richest 1% of the world are the fastest-growing source of carbon emissions!
This is a global issue, and it’s time to show solidarity with the vulnerable and take action for a sustainable future.
However, it’s not just climate change. This disaster has become bigger due to poor infrastructure and urban planning.
When the Climate Disaster Meets Poor Public Infrastructure
We have seen and experienced it before - not at this massive level, but it has been a norm in the country. It’s not the first time Pakistan has been experiencing floods during the Monsoon season. So yes, climate change is a reality, but the major reasons for this level of destruction include bad governance and unsustainable public infrastructure.
I’d like to quote from Dr. Murad Ali’s article here:
“While we are helpless before the wrath of nature and we cannot stop the occurrence of natural disasters, we can certainly mitigate the financial and human cost of these events by taking concrete preventive measures that are prevalent elsewhere. Unfortunately, we forget these disasters and their victims as soon as flood water subsides. Flooding, unfortunately, has remained one of the most recurring catastrophes that have been affecting a large segment of the population every year. But the government’s approach towards preventative measures is always half-hearted.”
It’s sheer negligence, a blind eye towards the calamities that have been regularly occurring. And now, the impact of these natural disasters is mutating due to climate change - a sentiment shared by Claudia Webbe, Member of Parliament for Leicester East.
#PakistanFloodRelief: The People of Pakistan Need Your Solidarity
Pakistan needs the world’s solidarity. The damage people have endured is beyond repair, but we can still help to reduce the impact and give relief to the flood victims. Here are the ways we can help:
- Donate. There are global organizations like UNICEF, Humanity and Inclusion, and International Medical Corps. There are local foundations like Alkhidmat Foundation and HANDS Pakistan.
- Take action against climate change. It’s time to rethink our lifestyle and priorities to build a sustainable future. As a tech publication, HackerNoon welcomes discussion on reducing the technology's carbon footprint. For example, we need more discussions, thought pieces, and ideas on crypto carbon footprint.
- Spread the word. Share this article. Choose the #PakistanFloodRelief color theme on HackerNoon. Find details on choosing your color on HackerNoon here.
- This one is specifically for Pakistanis who want to send help directly - The victims need clean water and dry food (biscuits, cereal, milk powder). Women need sanitary pads (because period hygiene is a REAL issue). There is a need to connect with healthcare camps - Pakistan will be facing a massive healthcare issue amid the floods.
Hope in the Dark: #PakistanFloodRelief Efforts
We have been seeing the devastating, heartbreaking images about the #Pakistan-Floods. I wanted to share a few promising, heartwarming instances here.
A Pakistani woman official leading the evacuation activity from the front in one of the most conservative parts of the country.
The calamity has hit the animals and wildlife hard. Here, a rescue team is saving a cat.
Life wins amid all this chaos. A child is born on a boat during the rescue operation:
#Pakistan Floods Are a Wake-Up Call for All of Us
Now is the time to take global action. We have to fight the war against climate change and inequality together. We have to act NOW for a sustainable future.
PS: To show solidarity for Pakistan, you can save our new color palette, #PakistanFloodRelief, choose your color theme while browsing HackerNoon.