CLIMATE CHANGE AND ITS IMPACT ON NATIONAL SECURITY; A CASE STUDY OF PAKISTAN

Abstract

Climate change is an emerging security challenge of modern times. It has threatened all the major dimensions of national security. It has global as well as regional impacts. Particularly, Pakistan is one of the most vulnerable countries facing challenge of climate change. As far as Pakistan is concerned national security spectrum needs to be broadened. National security is not only traditional security; environmental security needs to be part of it. All the major security concerns come under the umbrella of national security. Economic security, water security, food security, human security and sovereign state security are the major dimensions which are directly or somehow indirectly threatened by changing climate. It this issue will not be addressed maturely and effectively, it will be a major security concern as compared to terrorism or any other security threat. Water security highlights the importance of water dispute among arch rivals India and Pakistan. Water scarcity can lead to any major military combat among two nuclear states and can have devastating consequences for human civilization. In a nutshell, climate change is gradually becoming a serious security threat with regional and global outreach. Policy makers in Pakistan need to consider environmental security as important as any other form of security. As, it is carrying a huge potential of destructing and devastating consequences