The increasing precarious changes in climate conditions around the world in general, and Pakistan, in particular, have caused humans to contend with the unavailability of freshwater and food shortages. The public opinion in Pakistan finds it difficult to prioritize climate change as a major global concern to other basic necessities that an average citizen is bereft of. The Worldwatch Institute stated, "Climate change poses a greater security threat than terrorism". One of the reasons is the lack of any alternative to replace it, unlike terrorism with security actions. The impact of climate change is adversely affecting our ecosystem due to incessant greenhouse gas emissions which is, as a result, causing unpredictable flooding and defiling our arable lands and compelling poor people to consume contaminated water and food. The World Health Organization has reported that consumption of contaminated food can give rise to vector-borne diseases like dengue, yellow fever, etc. It is regrettable that despite the looming threats of climate change, the people of Pakistan, as well as federal and provincial governments, have made a handful of progress in mitigating such threats. In the last twenty years, more than 10,000 people died of climate change due to flood, drought and heatwaves, and economic loss of almost 3.5 billion was incurred. Our agriculture sector which used to contribute more than fifty per cent of national GDP in the first few decades of independence has now been brought down to twenty-one per cent.

Although it is is a commendable step from the newly elected government to begin a ten-billion-tree-plantation-drive, the focus should also be shifted to reduce inordinate usage of fossil fuels. The government must also instruct the industrial sector to contain as least waste as possible, for it can pollute our land and air. Lastly, dams are the need of the hour for our country, which will protect water from wastage and prevent it from depleting agricultural lands. The clock is ticking at a faster pace.