Country's vulnerability to disasters rises as temperature to surge in North: Saudi study.

ISLAMABAD -- Pakistan due to its geographical location and terrain is a disaster prone country where it has become most vulnerable to devastating impacts of climate change in the next 50 to 80 years as the mean temperature in Norther Areas was projected to increase by 6AdegC.

The new research 'Projections of Precipitation and Temperature over the South Asian Countries in CMIP6,' published in the journal Earth Systems and Environment in May 2020 based on the latest generation of global climate models (CMIP6) claimed that already among the countries most affected due to climate change, Pakistan needs to take 'adaptation measures' to avert associated risks posed to Pakistan's population, economy, water resources, agriculture and natural ecosystem.

This research was conducted by Professor Mansour Almazroui and his team using the supercomputer at King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

The study shows that climate change has serious threats and adverse effects on Pakistan than any other country in the South Asian region and calls for urgent steps to be taken in order to prevent associated risks to the country's socio-economy. 'Temperature is likely to increase by as much as 6 C over the northern regions of Pakistan in the next 80 years, says the study, putting these regions at 'particularly high risk' to flooding from snow and glacier melting that would have severe repercussions for downstream habitats and livelihoods.

Across the country, annual temperatures were likely to increase by nearly 5AdegC under a high emission scenario by the end of the 21st century, the study says, forecasting killer heat waves over the plains of Pakistan as a result.

'Pakistan is one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change and a large increase in projected annual mean temperature by the end of the 21st century can severely impact the agricultural sector...