Essay by Eric Worrall
Apparently the problem is not that some Pakistani men are cowardly wife beaters, the problem is climate change.
How climate change affects youth mental health in Pakistan
Aug 8, 2024
Henna Hundal
Sikander Bizenjo
Manager, External Engagements, Engro
- In 2024, Pakistan has faced devastating floods and extreme heat, hindering its recovery from existing climate crisis-related disasters.
- While the economic and physical health impacts of climate change are clear, Pakistan’s population is also experiencing the often overlooked mental health ramifications.
- How can a growing sense of climate anxiety or “eco-anxiety” in locals be addressed?
Pakistan is facing an onslaught of climate disasters. Since record floods in 2022 that affected 33 million residents and caused more than $15 billion in damages, the country has contended with several new crises that have hampered a sustained recovery.
In February 2024, flash floods further upended lives and livelihoods in the southwestern coastal region of Gwadar – the heart of a billion-dollar investment under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. The summer of 2024 has been marked by searing heat with thousands of Pakistanis succumbing to heatstroke and inundating healthcare facilities.
…
Several of the women we spoke to suggested that climate events tend to disrupt community networks that are critical for Pakistani women’s social support, in turn heightening feelings of isolation and anxiety. Not to mention, these disasters can potentially expose them to additive traumatic circumstances, consistent with reporting that early marriages and intimate partner violence surge during times of climate change-driven instability.
…
Read more: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2024/08/climate-change-pakistan-mental-health-eco-anxiety/
The evidence that climate change is playing a role in Pakistan floods is less than conclusive.
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
New study reveals the influence of natural climate drivers on extreme monsoons in Pakistan
- A new study by researchers at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory looks at the influence of natural climate variability on extreme flooding in Pakistan.
- The study analyzed over 40 years of data and found that natural climate variability accounts for over 70% of observed monsoon variability and extremes in Pakistan during the 21st century, with climate change potentially adding to their severity.
A new study by researchers at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory looks at some of the influences that could be driving the increasingly severe weather over Pakistan.
Published in npj Climate and Atmospheric Science, the study analyzed over 40 years of data and found that natural climate variability, which includes factors such as sea surface temperature and jet stream anomalies, accounts for over 70% of observed monsoon variability and extremes in Pakistan during the 21st century — with climate change potentially adding to their severity.
…
Although natural climate variability can explain more than 70% of the precipitation variability over Pakistan, Ashfaq explained that climate change may still play an indirect role. The increased variabilities in jet stream and sea surface temperatures and co-occurrence of multiple forcings may be caused by climate change. Additionally, more atmospheric moisture caused by warmer global temperatures can lead to heavier rainfall, especially when combined with other dynamic forcings. However, further research is necessary to fully understand the impact of climate change on monsoons in Pakistan.
“The link between climate change and extreme weather should be carefully evaluated,” Ashfaq said. “Climate change may have an indirect role in shaping the changes in the characteristics of identified forcings, but they’re all part of naturally occurring variability in the atmosphere and the oceans.”
…
Read more: https://www.ornl.gov/news/new-study-reveals-influence-natural-climate-drivers-extreme-monsoons-pakistan
The abstract of the study;
Published: 21 September 2023
The influence of natural variability on extreme monsoons in Pakistan
- Moetasim Ashfaq,
- Nathaniel Johnson,
- Fred Kucharski,
- Noah S. Diffenbaugh,
- Muhammad Adnan Abid,
- Matthew F. Horan,
- Deepti Singh,
- Salil Mahajan,
- Subimal Ghosh,
- Auroop R. Ganguly,
- Katherine J. Evans &
- Shafiqul Islam
Abstract
The monsoons in Pakistan have been exceptionally harsh in recent decades, resulting in extraordinary drought conditions and record flooding events. The changing characteristics of extreme events are widely attributed to climate change. However, given this region’s long history of floods and droughts, the role of natural climate variability cannot be rejected without a careful diagnosis. Here, we examine how oceanic and atmospheric variability has contributed to unusual precipitation distributions in West South Asia. Variations in sea surface temperatures in the tropical Pacific and northern Arabian Sea, and internal atmospheric variability related to the circumglobal teleconnection pattern and the subtropical westerly jet stream, explain more than 70% of monthly summer precipitation variability in the 21st century. Several of these forcings have co-occurred with record strength during episodes of extreme monsoons, which have exacerbated the overall effect. Climate change may have contributed to increased variability and the in-phase co-occurrences of the identified mechanisms, but further research is required to confirm any such connection.
Read more: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41612-023-00462-8
If the flood events are likely natural, or even if there is a threat from climate change, the real question is, what can be done about the floods?
There is evidence that Pakistan could do a lot more to alleviate the damage from floods.
What does colonialism have to do with climate change?
Sep 9, 2022
John Letzing
Digital Editor, Strategic Intelligence, World Economic ForumMinji Sung
Data Visuals and Content Specialist, Strategic Intelligence, World Economic ForumFlooding in Pakistan has revived interest in the relationship between the colonial past and the present climate crisis.
…
When flooding amplified by climate change began to submerge nearly a third of Pakistan recently, a remnant of the country’s colonial past stood between the deluge and hundreds of thousands of people: the Sukkur Barrage.
It wasn’t certain that the 90-year-old diversion dam, a onetime engineering triumph designed by local British rulers but since cited for safety issues and described as “decrepit”, would endure – making it a potentially fatal burden and a symbol of the corrosive impact of colonialism on much of the world.
The dam held, despite Pakistan’s “monsoon on steroids”. Other outcomes have been less fortunate. A German non-profit’s list of the 10 countries most affected by climate change-related extreme weather events during the first two decades of this century includes eight former colonies (one isn’t technically a country, and remains a US territory sometimes described as a colony).
…
The British Raj, which included present-day Pakistan, is far from the only historical example of an exploitative colonial presence.
…
One means of addressing the disparity might be through reparations.
…
Read more: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2022/09/colonialism-climate-change-pakistan-floods/
Given the barrage has been largely neglected in the 75 years since the fall of the British Raj, it is a testament to the remarkable workmanship of the British imperial age that the barrage held back part of the 2022 floods.
Perhaps if Pakistani politicians and officials stopped stealing all the infrastructure money, and spent a decent amount of cash on flood control measures, they wouldn’t have to rely on historic monuments to mitigate the devastation caused by likely entirely natural flood events. Bonus points if Pakistan makes a bigger effort to address cultural acceptance of child marriages, kidnapping, rape and domestic abuse of women, instead of blaming the problem on climate change.
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Ifn we could get the climate and weather to a (nice) static state, the men in Pakistan would treat the women with respect and reverence.
Isn’t most of Pakistan flood plain- and now it has over 200 M people? Why don’t they build massive dams like China- to stop the floods and help during drought periods?
Just looked it up. About half of Pakistan is Indus River flood plain.
There is nothing in their holy book about flood planes, so they either don’t know what to do or they don’t care.
No one knows how to fly them either.
Yeah I can relate to getting a bit tetchy when it’s 34C and 98% humidity.
But if my choices to alleviate my “climate discomfort” were between –
I know what I’d choose.
The six-pack, obviously. Because –
A final observation –
why don’t Pakistani blokes just settle in to a soothing session with a cold 6-pack in hot weather?
Islam generally condemns alcohol, which is considered haram, or forbidden, in the religion. Islamic scholars and religious authorities often point to a Quran verse that calls intoxicants “the work of Satan”, instructing “believers” to avoid them.
Stella Artois? aka wife beater!
Looks like “climate change did it” is a replacement for the old “my dog ate my homework”. If Pakistan men are beating their wives what happens when the men are asleep? Remember what happened when Willie Nelson came home drunk and smelling of another womans perfume? When he went to sleep his wife folded the sheet over him and sewed it shut, then got a baseball bat and beat him until the sheet turned red. Same for Pakistan women, except use a cricket bat. Fixed it.
It was Martha Matthews & she used ropes & a broomstick …
“Martha Matthews continued, “How dumb would I have to be to try to sew Willie into a bedsheet?” “You know how long that would take to sit there and take stitch after stitch? The truth is, I tied him up with the kids’ jump ropes before I beat the hell out of him”.
Martha Matthews also stated,
Islam is the official religion of Pakistan and is asserted to be practiced by about 96% of its population.
As always, “practice what you preach”.
What does Islam have to say about climate change™? Any fatwas been issued on it?
India is Hindu. Pakistan is Muslim. China is officially nothing beyond CCP. None care anything about climate change. Their main concern is poverty. China least so, India most so. And Coal is the answer in all three countries.
Oreskes would disagree.
Wife beating is much preferable to using coal as fuel for providing electricity for the masses.
Actually, according to 2022 statistics, Pakistan (with per capita GDP of $1,545 USD) is poorer than India (with per capita GDP of $2,375 USD).
— ref: https://www.worldometers.info/gdp/gdp-per-capita/
However, in terms of the above article and your comment, it is a distinction without a difference.
While India is majority Hindu, it also holds a significant number of Muslims, estimated at about 200 million people. About 10% of India’s population belong to various minority religions, including Christianity, Sikh, and Buddhism. It’s possible that the Christians are undercounted because there is a law that Christians cannot identify as one of the historically disadvantaged castes, making them ineligible for government assistance. Therefore, many of those individuals identify as Hindu on government forms.
The fact that the population has increased nearly five fold since the middle of the last century and the majority live along the Indus and its tributaries in Sind and Punjab has nothing to do with the scale of the flooding problem?
The likelihood is that a subset of Pakistani men have been beating their wives in cold, heat, rain, drought or any other condition.
It is disappointing to see such drivel when it obviously does not survive casual review.
What caused wife beating before “Climate Change”?
Exactly!
Let’s be honest about it
7th Century Ideology Causes Pakistani Men to Beat up Their Wives.
As sanctioned in their book of hate.
The far-more likely cause is the teachings of Mohammed as described in the Koran.
The Koran is an easy read. If you haven’t read it, you should so as to enable you to counter the “Islam is a religion of peace” claims.
And then read the horrific teachings of … violence against women, genocide, child rape/Pedophilia, human butchery, and mutilations in the Old Testament as found in –
Num. 21:1–3; Judg. 1:4–7; 1 Sam. 15; Judg. 19; Ezek. 16, 23; 1 Kgs. 18:39–40; 2 Kgs. 1; 2 Kgs. 2:23–25; 9; Num. 25; Deut. 7:1–11, 20:10–18; Josh. 1–12;
to name but a few.
People in glasshouses really shouldn’t throw stones.
I agree.
But most adherents of Judeo-Christian and other foundational religions shucked off the medieval barbaric aspects of their faith centuries ago.
Islam – still clinging to the old “death to infidels” crap.
So, you are saying that in Judeo-Christian religions it’s OK to pick & mix the bits you like … & ignore the rest.
But the whole thing about religions is you must have faith & ‘follow the word of god’ as it is written, without question (much like the climate séance).
Hundreds of Bible passages state that it is the written ‘Word of God’ & you must comply or never enter heaven …
The Lord your God commands you this day to follow these decrees and laws; carefully observe them with all your heart and with all your soul. Deuteronomy 26:16
Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Prov 30:5
“Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”
Luke 11:28
Even Jesus said you can’t pick & mix
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them”. Matthew 5:17.
**BTW**
The barbaric aspects of the Semitic faith were practised for at least 4,000 years before the medieval period & have continued to the present day.
Humans are very tribal & barbaric, religions only foster that tribalism.
Those passages applied to the people of Israel under the Old Covenant. They don’t apply in the New Covenant. If you read the Bible as a whole rather than just selecting a few passages you will understand this. But on the basis of your exegetical abilities you might get a job at some fundamentalist Bible college.
OK, this ‘infallible entity (god)’, makes a Covenant with the leaders of a small group of people selected from a fairly small culture base in one tiny area of the globe.
After a few 1,000 years, god realizes (he/her/it ) has cocked up, as the original plan is draconian, unworkable & only applies to the original select group, so a new marketing strategy is called for …
Enter … ‘The New Covenant’.
This has a new wider-ranging strategy by being more inclusive & a bit less draconian, so will need a new set of publicists (the gospel writers) over the next few 100yrs, but this one could go global;
The trouble is tribalism wasn’t taken into account, therefore rapidly the system split into sects, all bent on being top-dog, & because Jesus said they had to obey the Torah, they could get back to being barbaric.
Oh, & the original chosen ones are now more than a bit miffed, as they are not so special anymore.
This ‘infallible god’ either needs to go back to the drawing board, or stack shelves in a supermarket.
Or we could have a new deity; my vote is for the tooth fairy, who recently supplied my new dentures.
PS: In my experience, most fundamentalists don’t like fun, but they are mental (like the CAGW zealots).
It appears that everything coming from WEF is trash. Has the WEF done anything constructive?
made the burghers of Davos prosperous beyond their wildest dreams?
Watch ARE PAKISTAN’S FLOODS YOUR FAULT AND SHOULD AMERICANS PAY?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMBY1-ceo6Y
Cowardly wife beating never enters the analysis at all!
ARE PAKISTAN’S FLOODS YOUR FAULT AND SHOULD AMERICANS PAY?
No.
Next.
It is quite surprising how many folk blame colonialism for their travails yet run off to live in their erstwhile colonists countries where they feel safer and life is better. Then demand reparations.
Does the cold, wet weather in the UK cause the Pakistani rape gangs there?
You seem not to have noticed that the climate of places like Rotherham has been subject to an immense amount of change since the arrival of large numbers of people from Pakistan. It is well-known that people flock to these cities because of their higher temperatures. It’s known as the mosque-island effect. Build a mosque, the temperature rises by several degrees and there is a wave of migration. And the higher temperatures explain why women are encouraged to stay indoors.
So, their claim is Islam is a climate not a religion. Okely dokely.