Tree plantation only way to reduce desiccation of arid areas
Staff Report

ISLAMABAD—Maximum tree plantation is the only way to reduce the desiccation of arid areas, experts proposed in a report to combat the challenges of climate change.
The report observed that severe droughts might be experienced due to climate change in the future as global warming is disturbing the environment of Pakistan.
Global warming has caused shifts in weather patterns and this climate change may result in natural disasters including droughts, torrential rains and flash floods.
It has increased loss of bio diversity, damaged fresh water supply and raised fears of desiccation in arid areas, during next few decades.
Further desiccation of arid areas due to warming would endanger food production in the plain areas and the only way to reduce the risk is plantation of more trees,” the study report maintained.
According to study significant change has been noted in temperature and precipitation during the last century.
“At Sakardu, seasonal and annual temperatures have risen in comparison to the last century”, it said.
Mean annual temperature has increased by 1.4 degree centigrade with the mean annual maximum temperature rising more than 2.35 Celsius.
The winter temperatures have risen far more than the summerseason with an increase of upto 0.51 Celsius per decade since1961.
“The temperature increase might cause upward shift of almost400 meters in the frost line,” the experts said.
The report observed that the global warming might impact upon snow and rain patterns.
“The phenomenon of snow melting during summer may decrease, which is a major source of water supply in many rivers of the country,” experts warned.
On the other hand, observations of the World GlacierMonitoring Service indicate that mountain glaciers in theKarakoram mountains have been diminishing for the last 30 years.
Experts believe that the flow of water in rivers increasedduring the decade from 1990 2000 in comparison to 1975 1990.
Researches also indicate that some of the glaciers in Pakistan have retreated significantly in the recent past.