Pakistan's Glaciers and Climate Change

Flashcards about Pakistan's glaciers, climate change impacts, and related policies and technologies.

Pakistan - Population

247 million

Pakistan - Capital City

Islamabad

Pakistan - Mega cities

Karachi and Lahore

Pakistan - Bordered by

Afghanistan, China, India, and Iran

Pakistan - Glaciers

7,253 glaciers

Pakistan - Location

South Asia

Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs)

Melting glaciers contribute to the formation of glacial lakes, which can lead to glacial lake outburst floods, further destabilizing the glaciers.

Global Warming

The average global temperature has increased by more than 1° Celsius since 1880.

Decreased Snowfall

leads to less ice accumulation, resulting in faster glacier retreat.

Deforestation in Pakistan

Pakistan has retained just 2-5% of its tree cover. Roots stabilize the ground that the glaciers bind to, so the loss of trees can lead to destabilised glaciers. Deforestation also reduces the natural cooling effect in the region by exposing more bare rock which absorbs the suns heat.

Transport Erosion

ice from glaciers is sold each day to people in villages. Everyday trucks drive to the glaciers to collect ice.

Sea level rise

Sea levels will rise by an estimated 20 – 60cm by 2100. As glaciers retreat and melt this melt water ends up in the ocean.

Pakistan - barriers to GLOF Preparation

Due to poverty, illiteracy and remoteness many of the people living in high-risk areas are ill-prepared for flooding disasters, increasing the risk GLOFs pose.

Impacts of Glacial melt on dams

As these glaciers melt, dams will need to be built at the cost of billions of dollars to replace the natural reservoir system of the glaciers.

Paris Climate Agreement

a new legally binding framework for an internationally coordinated effort to tackle climate change.

Nationally determined contributions (NDC)

Each country that signs the Paris agreement will develop their own Nationally determined contributions (NDC). This means each country will take its own steps to reduce their dependence on fossil fuels and cut emissions.

Pakistan National Climate Change Policy (NCCP)

To ensure that climate change is mainstreamed in the economically and socially vulnerable sectors of the economy and to steer Pakistan towards climate compatible development

Ten Billion Tree Tsunami Project

The project aims to revive forest and wildlife resources in Pakistan, 1.42 billion trees were planted between 2019 and December 2021, covering 1.36 million acres across almost 10,000 sites.

National Electric Vehicles Policy (NEVP)- 2020

with targets and incentives aimed at seeing electric vehicles capture 30% of all the passenger vehicle and heavy- duty truck sales by 2030, and 90% by 2040.

GLOF-II Project

a 6.5-year project, focused on reducing the risks associated with glacial lake outburst floods in the regions of Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Spatial technologies in Pakistan

Pakistan is developing its spatial technology to monitor its glaciers. Due to the difficult and inaccessible terrain, until recently technology was not well used to monitor and manage melting glaciers in the region.