SINCE recent headlines have been dominated by the spread of the novel coronavirus and themes of racial injustice, climate change has taken a back seat. Yet its effects continue to be felt by people around the world. According to a news report, residents of a village in Hunza Valley have expressed their concerns at the rising level of water and flooding, which has left a path of destruction in its wake, forcing people to evacuate their homes. As global temperatures continue to soar, and glaciers melt at an alarming pace, the urgency of addressing climate change could not be greater — especially for countries such as Pakistan, which is one of the most vulnerable to the effects of climate change and home to over 7,000 of the world’s known glaciers. This battle cannot be fought alone, but it is not as if the warning signs were not there, or that such events occur out of the blue.

For several years, residents of Gilgit-Baltistan have complained about the destruction of their natural environment due to rapid changes they have had to witness before their eyes, including receding glaciers and shrinking forest cover. Pakistan is said to have one of the highest deforestation rates in the world. Not only do trees lower temperatures and provide sanctuary from the scorching sun, they also protect the land from flooding and erosion. Memories of the Attabad Lake disaster remain fresh, and it is telling that one of the most popular tourist attractions was born out of tragedy. Ten years ago, following a landslide, 20 people were killed and 6,000 displaced as their houses were submerged in water. The people of Hunza are some of the most progressive when it comes to the environment; they are among the first in the world to impose a ban on the use of plastic bags, and it is unfair that they disproportionately suffer from the effects of climate change. Instead of slandering, arresting or eliminating climate change activists, listen to their warnings.

Published in Dawn, June 10th, 2020