RECENTLY, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) held its second Conference on Climate Change in Vienna (9-13 Oct). Pakistani delegation — representing the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) and the Centre for International Strategic Studies Islamabad (CISS) — participated in this event of significance propelling the world towards a Net Zero future by harnessing the potential of nuclear energy. For decades Pakistan has been ranked as one of the 10 most vulnerable countries to climate change, recently, according to the United Nations Environment Programme( UNEP), Pakistan has been inundated with climate-change linked flooding globally which caused mass displacement of people and economic damages to the tune of USD 40 billion.
IAEA & climate change challenges: Climate change is disrupting seasonal weather and rain patterns, accelerating glacial ice loss, exacerbating storm frequency and ferocity, contributing to longer droughts and flooding disasters, degrading soil fertility and speeding the migration of pest insects, invasive plant species and infectious animal diseases. Through nuclear applications, temperature and drought-resistant crops strains are developed; fresh water reserves are located and mapped; and water pollution tracking and soil conservation tools are developed. Climate change is one of the most important issues the world is facing today.
The 2022 IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Reports (AR6) highlight that while steps have been taken, the world must mobilize faster and at greater scale than it has done so far to mitigate the catastrophic consequences of climate change. Nuclear power provides 10% of the world’s electricity and more than a quarter of global low carbon electricity. Nuclear technology also helps in coping with the consequences of climate change and in analysing and better understanding the climate change phenomenon.
Challenges for Pakistan: Climate change Pakistan, despite its contribution of only 0.9 percent to global greenhouse gas remissions, is highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. While the government of Pakistan has made commendable efforts in addressing environmental challenges through its current climate change policy, there are critical areas that require evaluation and improvement. Specifically, issues such as coal-based power generation, importation of used vehicles and operation of traditional brick kilns, rapid urbanization and agricultural burning significantly contribute to pollution and environmental degradation in the country. Pakistan presently adheres to Euro II and Euro III emission standards for gasoline and diesel fuels, respectively.
The members at COP27 Summit 2022 committed to establishing a ‘Loss and Damage Fund.’ It is the responsibility of affluent countries to provide nuclear technology and encourage the use of nuclear energy for climate change mitigation, as the most vulnerable poorer countries get affected by climate change. It is, therefore, not possible to accomplish the goals of the Paris Agreement to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions without relying on nuclear energy as the primary source. Nuclear energy has several other advantages for developing countries like Pakistan, along with environmental degradation prevention and climate change mitigation.
However, Islamabad has been trying its level best to make its progress toward implementing Euro VI emission standards. Additionally, there are ongoing projects and plans for the development of new coal-fired power plants, both domestically and through foreign investment. Recently, the IAEA and Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in coordination and consultation with Pakistani authorities, developed an emergency support package to assist the country in applying nuclear science to better understand the flood’s impact on soils, crops and the potential spread of animal and zoonotic diseases.
Pakistan is one of the countries responsible for 0.4 per cent of global carbon emissions but is ranked as the eighth most vulnerable to Climate Change. Nuclear power is a relatively cheap, renewable energy source that produces very little carbon emissions. Nuclear power is 9.8 per cent of the global energy mix. In recent years, there has been a resurgence in developing the nuclear energy sector globally. Pakistan is also working to increase its share of nuclear energy in the total energy mix. Other power generation sources in Pakistan are hydro, thermal, natural gas, coal, wind and solar.
Mitigating the climate challenges: Presently Pakistan’s nuclear energy in the overall mix is 12 per cent. In 2021, Pakistan was ranked eighth among the most disaster-prone nations and it experienced terrible floods and heatwaves in 2022. There are severe losses yearly due to unseasonal rains, floods and heat waves. “Nuclear energy might give a peaceful alternative to Pakistan’s expanding energy demands since it is a member of the Paris Climate Treaty and one of the countries most affected by climate change. It will also not endanger the international community’s efforts to achieve a clean environment.
Purposefully, to generate more sustainable and environment-friendly electricity, Pakistan can rely more on nuclear energy in the future. Pakistan has a robust peaceful nuclear program and long association with the IAEA — an ideal combination to achieve sustainable clean energy goals. Nuclear energy provides Pakistan with a reliable solution to the two most severe economic and social security issues, i.e., climate change and environmental degradation. These include reduction in import cost of hydrocarbons, provision of reliable and uninterrupted energy supplies, provision of economical electricity, etc.
Pakistan currently has a nuclear energy capacity of 2,332 MWe, environment. This results in hours of electricity outages in the hot summer months. The country’s transmission and distribution capacity needs to be enhanced, while another 1,100 MWe is being built. Pakistan will also be able to participate in energy diplomacy by making its resources available to other nations. It is a member of the Paris Agreement, which aims at reducing the Earth’s temperature to mitigate the worst effects of climate change.
By the middle of the century, greenhouse gas emissions from power generation must be reduced to zero percent to meet the target of lowering global temperatures. And most crucially, climate change is one of the biggest threats to humanity due to its direct relation to water, food and human security. Against this backdrop, the Islamabad-based Centre for International Strategic Studies has reiterated that the IAEA-CISS will continue to jointly contribute to a safer and cleaner world through their longstanding partnership.
—The writer, an independent ‘IR’ researcher-cum-international law analyst based in Pakistan, is member of European Consortium for Political Research Standing Group on IR, Critical Peace & Conflict Studies, also a member of Washington Foreign Law Society and European Society of International Law. He deals with the strategic and nuclear issues.
Email: [email protected]
views expressed are writer’s own.
