i can recall when the floods occurred in kashmir in 2014. the damage was so severe that when i visited in 2016, you could still see the water seeping through the walls. more than 700 villages in just the city of srinigar were submerged in floodwater, and more than 300 people lost their lives, 53,082 people were sickened or injured, and 226,000 were evacuated, according to a report in the international journal of commerce and management.

in 2014 i was only 10 years old, so i did not particularly understand how large the predicament was for my family. when i was younger i would often visit kashmir once every other year. that year i hadn’t, but i remember that my other family members who were visiting were forced to scramble to get back home to the u.s. or find a safe place to evacuate to. power lines were down, so my mother had no clue what situation her parents or other family members were in, but in truth, this is a normal year for kashmir. 

whether it has to do with natural disasters or political uprisings (being that kashmir is right between pakistan and india, so there are many political tensions), there are often times when my family in the u.s. is cut off from communicating with my family in kashmir. floods are a frequent occurrence and when they happen in kashmir, they also affect surrounding areas, like pakistan. unfortunately, when these things happen, there is often a severe lack of western media coverage and aid to these eastern countries because these problems are not seen as relevant to the average person in the u.s. we are now seeing the same thing happen with the ongoing flooding in pakistan since june. 

with the growth of social media as a tool for advocacy, many people’s perceptions of international issues have changed. however, we still need to pay more attention to how developing countries are disproportionately affected by climate change issues because of a lack of resources and frequently inept governments. 

what is happening in pakistan? 

as of september 2022, about one-third of pakistan’s area was still submerged in water due to constant flooding that began in june. given the geographic location of pakistan, it has always been susceptible to monsoons. however, a study mentioned in a 2022 article written by raymond zhong for the new york times found global warming likely worsened the amount of rainfall that pakistan received during its most recent monsoon season. the main issue is that since pakistan is a vulnerable area, small changes in climate make a big difference.

additionally, a study done by the world weather attribution found that climate change made rainfall 50 percent more intense in pakistan’s sindh and balochistan provinces. jacob kurtzer of the center for strategic & international studies stated that, on top of climate change, the devastating effects of the floods are largely due to the pakistani government “paying the price for years of delays in addressing the problem.”

this includes mismanagement of the country’s water resources, like illegally or poorly built structures that cannot withstand the forces of floods or rainfall. of course, this means that those on the bottom of the economic class will suffer the most, which is, unfortunately, most of pakistan’s population. as a result of the june 2022 disaster, as kurtzer reported, 4.2 million people have been affected, nearly 1,400 people have died, more than 1,600 are injured, half a million are displaced, and more than one million homes are damaged. authorities say the water could take up to six months to recede. the financial damage of the floods in pakistan has exceeded $30 billion, causing the united nations to “(launch) a flash appeal of $160 million to help flood victims,” according to a bloomberg article. the u.s. and other countries have also pledged to give large amounts of money, but donations cannot entirely fix all infrastructural and systemic problems.

why this is our problem

due to the fact that the global north is far more industrialized than many other parts of the world, we end up being responsible for a majority of carbon emissions and global pollution. these emissions lead to climate change that affects areas in the global south, like pakistan. corporate america ignores the consequences of their actions especially when it comes to environmental regulations for their own economic gain. many s&p 500 companies (the largest publicly traded companies in the u.s.) claim that they are “accelerating efforts to reduce the climate crisis,” but the new york times reports, marketing and investor presentations reveal they fail to take into account the largest source of carbon emissions, and if left ignored, these emissions could triple what they should be in 2050. 

pakistan is home to 2.6 percent of the world’s population, but, according to kurtzer’s report, the country is only responsible for 0.4 percent of global carbon emissions since 1959, while the u.s. has 4 percent of the world’s population and is responsible for 13 percent of global carbon emissions.

countries in the global north have exceeded their global emissions quotas by more than 90 percent with 100 companies responsible for 71 percent of emissions, according to a 2017 report. so while the monsoons in pakistan are a natural occurrence, the effects have clearly worsened due to climate change with pakistan seeing 190 percent more rain than the 30-year average, reuters reported. first world countries like the u.s. have accelerated the effects of climate change in other countries, which makes it our responsibility to stay informed and fix our own failed environmental regulations that are causing harm all over the globe. 

the bigger issue

it’s equally important to address that, because climate change primarily affects marginalized communities, it often seems that many people in the global north display a lack of care and empathy when reacting to these increasingly frequent disasters. the u.n. secretary-general antónio guterres himself has said that he “never [has] seen climate carnage” at this scale and has warned that tomorrow this (in reference to the floods) could be happening to your country. guterres has called on the world to stop “sleepwalking” through this crisis and to be more aware of what is happening in pakistan, the associated press reported in september.

essentially, if this was happening to your country, or your people, you would care. however, since many in the u.s. lack an interest in the rest of the world and popular media tends to focus on domestic issues, it’s easy to stay blissfully ignorant of what’s happening elsewhere. western media and its people typically lack empathy for what is happening in pakistan because it’s an underdeveloped, non-white, and non-majority christian society, therefore people can immediately write it off as a place they can’t relate or connect to. and while pakistan has received a great deal of international humanitarian care, it pales in comparison to the response aid that some european countries have recently received.

how to help

i know i would have appreciated awareness and empathy when kashmir was hit with its disaster in 2014. so if you want to help aid in this crisis it’s likely that your school has a pakistani student association or other related south asian organizations where you can find fundraisers or places to donate. it will take time for governments globally to make systemic change and effectively lessen the effects of climate change, but you can make an impact by starting small. simply volunteering and working with your local organizers/politicians to enact policies that will aid vulnerable communities can make a big difference for the families that are affected. the intersections of race and class with climate change are important and complex issues, hence why they should never be ignored whenever we talk about the climate crisis.

it’s jarring to imagine such a long-standing custom becoming unsafe. but this threat to tradition is just one potential impact of climate change in the middle east and north africa.

the region, known as mena, is no monolith; generalization is dangerous. however, experts anticipate it being affected by global climate change more than other world regions.

while there are unknowns, certain factors make mena particularly susceptible to the effects of climate change. knowing these factors matters as we develop targeted solutions and work to piece together the global climate story across borders.

1. mena’s most populous cities are coastal; rising sea levels pose serious flood risks 

mena’s coastal cities are the most population-dense in the region. in the arabian sea and gulf region, cities like abu dhabi, doha, and dubai are at higher flood risk being located on low-lying coastal zones or islands. the world economic forum has identified 24 ports in the middle east and 19 ports in north africa they consider vulnerable to sea level rise. 

flood planning is going to be crucial as rising sea levels could make future major environmental events like cyclones even more devastating. doha may develop flood management protocol that could be relevant in california, too.

2. the mena region is the most water-stressed region in the world  

while mena will be seriously affected by flooding, it’s also the most water-stressed region in the world. by 2050, there are indications that natural water resources in mena will drop to 11 times less than the global average. 

while the water supplies are naturally lower due to heat, growing demands have pushed the limits. as a result of global warming, annual mean precipitation in the region could decrease by 10% in the region, according to a study from the cyprus institute. creative water management systems are going to be vital. efforts to desalinate and recycle water are possible, but underutilized due to issues with integration and associated costs.

3. the mena region is naturally one of the hottest, driest regions on earth

most people know mena for its naturally hot and arid climate. however, the “hottest days of today” could be daily occurrences on the gulf coast by 2070. the heat waves could make certain areas nearly unlivable. 

but even if it doesn’t escalate to that point, the implications for agriculture and the economy are vast. as average temperatures increase, dry seasons become longer and crops wither. with drier land, illness-inducing dust storms become more common, losses from dust storms total to $150 billion and more than 2.5% of gross domestic product (gdp) on average in mena already.

4. mena countries have experienced some of the fastest population growth rates worldwide

as globalization and urbanization in mena continue, so does population growth. mena experienced the highest rate of population growth of any region in the world over the past century.

as population growth continues, there will be increased water and energy demands. as we’ve discovered so far, climate change will only make resources more scarce. as water becomes scarce, water treatment techniques like desalination will require more energy input. more people means this vicious cycle is only propelled further.

5. historically, climate change and conflict have been inextricably linked throughout the region

qualifying mena solely through its conflicts isn’t nuanced or helpful. still, understanding that climate change and conflict are linked throughout mena is imperative.

in yemen, where the government has been absent, and armed conflict has increased, water has been weaponized at civilians’ expense. islamic state efforts to control the mosul and fallujah dams in 2014 speaks to how terror organizations consolidate power by manipulating resources.

as climate change causes scarcity, the relationship between climate and conflict is one of the most important dynamics to consider. the mena region illustrates the relationship, but it is not alone in experiencing it.

where do we go from here?

the rest of the world cannot be absolved from caring about these factors under the guise of distance. mena is a unique region, so it requires unique solutions. however, the trends outlined here are part of global climate patterns that can and will affect populations regardless of borders. education on mena’s risk factors, as well as its potential to overcome them, is the first step in approaching sustainable solutions. 

young sustainable impact is an oslo-based youth innovation program with a mission to empower youths to solve the sustainability challenges by creating measurable impact. norway itself is the cradle of sustainable policy-making, ranking number one in the world for initiatives like tax-free electric vehicles.

but even here the young are sick of greenwashing. “we’ve heard a lot of talking from businessmen and politicians—but where’s the action?” asks marcus bruns, 26, chief executive officer of ysi. and thus, ysi was born with a simple phrase: makers gonna make.

“our starting point was to see what would happen if you brought together the smartest young minds of our time to tackle the sustainability challenges,” says bruns.

when a friend told me that ysi was “run by a bunch of 20-year-olds in norway,” i was sold.

i joined 20 other talented youth in ysi’s third batch. in teams of three, we worked together in a five-month online innovation program culminating with a two-week conference in oslo in august 2018 to pitch our start-ups. some of the innovations included smart toilet sensors, vegan kombucha leather, and even an uber-like trash pickup service.

4 things to learn from 20-year olds

after being part of the third cohort and witnessing how ysi is reinventing innovation for the future, i have four main takeaways for how we can innovate and reclaim the reigns of sustainability:

1. crack ageism in entrepreneurship

according to ysi innovation director didrik strohm: “statistically, the best and most successful start-up founders are between the ages of 45 and 47.”

that’s why we need experienced entrepreneurs to collaborate with youths and share their experiences to reduce a dismal nine out of 10 startup failure rate. but in my experience, a mentor or founder will usually ask a young person questions about their start-up as a lead-in to a pre-packaged lecture, not to construct a dialogue.

since the younger generation gets branded as naïve and idealistic by seasoned experts in an industry, ysi advocates for an equal setting for all ages to work together. a mentor might walk into a meeting expecting to give advice for digital marketing, and leave having learned about a simple but elegant billboard bed campaign in pakistan from a participant.

strohm adds: “they [experts] know everything inside that field, but more often than not, those people don’t change systems. they keep grinding along the same path, which is why we need both old and young together.”

2. capitalise on collaboration, not competition

rather than emulating the cutthroat environment of silicon valley, where intellectual property must be guarded under legal writ, ysi is capitalising on collaboration.

the sustainability issues that each team is working on has little risk of being crowded out. two waste management projects will find more than enough trash to go around in the developing world. and it may take more than one start-up to disrupt the $100 billion leather industry. when team 7 unexpectedly sold 4,000 t-shirts made from recycled plastic bottles in less than a week, fintech expert louis wouters from team 1 was more than happy to sit with them and help write up their financials.

participant usama tauqeer from pakistan affirms: “there are start-ups that go in to win competitions, and there are start-ups that go on for the long-term and then monetise. i prefer to be the latter.”

our task as the last generation with a shrinking window for action on climate change is not to save the world, but to build the things we really need for a thriving, sustainable planet.

3. flip power asymmetries

the majority of ysi participants have never pitched in front of high-level investors to acquire seed funding. getting people twice your age to buy into somewhat crazy, futuristic concepts is a daunting task. and without investor money, it can seem like those dreams will never take off.

but what strohm advises is to flip the power asymmetry if need be. we approached investors not as streams of cash flow, but as partners taking equity in our companies. start-ups could frame the ask to an investor as:

“this is something i’m going to do anyway, and we need to find out; are we the right fit for each other?”

by doing that, the 20-year old participant is protecting his or her status and the importance of the proposition, and should also be ready to walk out of the room if that goes south.

but start-ups needs to know their audience to play hardball. a tactic like this, which might work in norway or the us, might not work in japan.

4. the market may be your best teacher

despite the science of innovation that we may read dozens of books on, or hear countless ted talks about, the market is ultimately the best teacher for what solutions work. ysi advocates breakthrough innovation, and yet the least innovative start-up this year got the most traction. a team making mixed fiber and plastic t-shirts broke us$60,000 in revenue during the two weeks in oslo. companies like patagonia have been making such products since 1993, and the team still faces criticism that they are contributing to one of the most polluting industries in the world—fashion.

the most successful product is the most easily understood. t-shirts are simple to wear, sell, and advertise. rolling out a brand-new platform or patenting an invention may take more time to gain traction. finding this this sweet spot for innovation means combining simplicity with market need.

systemic changes are difficult to build a product out of, and harder still to sell. a practical lesson is breaking away from the idealism we strive for in silver-bullet solutions, and making impactful products people will use.

our task as the last generation with a shrinking window for action on climate change is not to save the world, but to build the things we really need for a thriving, sustainable planet.

visit the ysi global website and follow these teams’ development into full-fledged start-ups in the months to come. 

—

this story was originally published on eco-business and reproduced with permission.

create a national advertising campaign to convince americans that energy conservation is not only good for their pocketbook it is good for the environment.not only will they be putting real dollars in their pocket they will be providing jobs for possible themselves and or their neighbors. the campaign will use the most popular mediums. the spoke person will be the most popular of the green activist the brad pitts , ed begley jr and tom hanks as well as the others, proponents of alternative energy and environment responsibility . the campaign would start off low key at first but would morph into a more informative approach using america’s premier corporation that are utilizing the newer greener technologies, these corporate leader would extol these new technologies as well as explain how they are making there bottom line look very much blacker in spite of the soft economy.

the second leg of this three legged stool would be the concert series , much like the 70s farm aid concert which brought to light the plight of the america farmer. the young people interested in a concert featuring top notch performers , many of which are very interested in global warming,the environment and alternative energy technologies. these would be the same people interested in the jobs these technologies would create. the series would culminate in washington dc. with the dedication of the solar electric array installed on the white house. the pr benefit for the administration would be enormous to say the least.

the third leg and not the least would be the government endorsement and the energy secretary dr stephen chu offering sponsorship and encouragement. the financial giapressure on the legislative branch would have a very positive effect and hopeful bring results in the form of some very meaning legislation. nts of american business such as warren buffet , bill gates would be offering to underwrite some,of the campaign while other luminaries would also add their endorsement.

funding for the project would come from many sources

• pro-bono gifts of celebrities’ time to create meaningful ads
  

• sponsorship by corporate america ,having their names in the public eye as they explain their involvement and subsequent benefit by going green
  

• financial luminaries gifting through their philanthropic organization

• fines levied from the bp gulf oil spill

• us government ad dollars or possible the stimulus package money

just recently bill gates gave a speech on ted which looked and sounded like it would fit easily into this program. he was looking for new way to promote energy efficiency and environmental concerns.

the american people are quite frustrated with the speed of the recovery and the lack of progress on any meaningful energy legislation, this could give a boost to the morale of the american wishing for a new agenda toward energy independence and environmental responsibility .

coming from the private sector this could have a positive affect on the psyche of america. i believe if such a campaign went forward is would have a world wide benefits as well giving america a leg up on many of the other countries doing there own alternative energy promotion. if the rest of the world is looking to the us for
leadership in the area of alternative energy technologies this program might be just the ticket. countries like china with its exponential growth in people and energy consumption would see that america was seriously committed to energy conservation and innovation in the areas of energy production and environment constraints.

this could be a definitive demonstration of america’s commitment to solving our energy and environmental problems. american needs a new approach, a new energy toward these issues and though bold in scope is not without precedent in our history.

moves that were suggested early on, ended up played much later, when their “bite” was gone. the crowd flocked alternatively to displays of bravado and early counter-attack, followed quickly by overdefensive moves that created an uncomfortable cramped position that was impossible to defend.

the world’s failure is impressive, because it had so many good things going for it: the “leaders” were part of the chess elite, and both them, and the public had a clearly defined common interest: to win the game.
in a real democracy, not only do politicians and citizens have different and conflicting agendas (e.g., raise or lower taxes, increase or decrease immigration, regulate or liberalize markets, etc.) but the quality of politicians is generally low: lnp were selected largely because of merit, putting their plans to democratic scrutiny; in a real representative democracy, both leaders and plans are subject to a vote.
not to mention the media, composed to a large extent of opinionated ignorami who have to sink to the level of the lowest common denominator of the populace in order to achieve circulation or viewership targets, rather than inform the public about the issues at hand, and the different political parties’ plans.

it could be argued that the carlsen was too smart, so we should not make too much out of the world’s failure to defeat him; yet, it can also be argued that the real-world challenges that face societies are even more complex, whether they are climate change, the organization of financial markets, the decision to go to war, domestic and foreign enemies, and so on.

the main advantage of democracy, compared to other political systems is its adaptiveness. in a monarchy, you either get a good ruler or a bad one, for long periods of time. you have the advantage of long-term planning, but the disadvantage that the long-term plan may lead to ruin. in a typical representative democracy, you get a series of average rulers. constancy and long-term planning go out the window, but course correction is built into the system.
experiences, however, bring into our attention how suboptimal as a governing system representative democracy really is. it’s difficult to see how democracy would evolve in a more efficient direction, but it is definitely worth thinking about.

http://unc.news21.com/index.php/stories/the-climate-generation.html