A sustainable industrial behavior towards the changing climate of Pakistan, by Faseeh Naveed

Our world is changing faster than anyone ever anticipated. Climate change has adversely affected all forms of life. Extreme heat, heavy storms, flooding, intensified wildfires are all linked to changing climate. It has been one of the most formidable problems humanity has ever faced in the last two centuries.

Although climate change has been addressed throughout the world many times, unfortunately, it has not been given the utmost attention it needs. One of the major factors of the changing climate is industrialization. New industries have been set up now and then, which is further escalating the problem. In Pakistan, the situation is even worse. The physical impacts of climate change in Pakistan already pose significant challenges for organizations, and the trend is surmounting.

The industrialization has been described as the process of transformational change of the human society socially and economically from an agrarian society into an industrial one. Although the process of industrialization has undoubtedly lifted millions out of poverty, created jobs, advanced technology, and increased social prosperity in countries around the world, however, the industries are also the biggest source of noxious gases and many detrimental processes which has entirely disrupted the natural cycle of our planet.

The most prominent cause of climate change is global warming, which is a gradual increase in our atmospheric temperature caused particularly by the emission of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, chlorofluorocarbons, and other chemicals into the atmosphere. These chemicals are generally raw and waste products of industrial processes.

According to a recent study, global warming has been triggered after the Industrial Revolution. The average temperature has gone up to 1 degree Celsius, a global threat to our planet, and our survival. Undeniably, conventional industrial development patterns must be entirely transmuted to become more climate-resilient to combat climate change problems.

Climate-resilient industry builds on cleaner and resource-efficient production technologies and practices that diminish the dangerous effects of the emission caused by industrial processes. Pathways for climate-resilient industries must ensure that climate change and actions to combat it do not endanger countries' development or the welfare of their citizens. For example, many industries have transformed their energy dependence from non-renewable to renewable resources such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, biomass, and geothermal. That is why more and more solar power plants are increasing day by day and wind turbine centers.

The industry is moving away from bigger transformers to cleaner and more environmentally friendly methods of producing energy. Also, many manufacturing industries are making various eco-friendly products that minimize the threat to a certain level. This century's biggest transformation has occurred in the transportation sector, which was primarily the biggest cause of global warming.

According to research done in the UK, the average petrol car produces the equivalent of 179g of CO2 every kilometer, while a diesel car produces 175g of CO2/km. In the US, the average passenger vehicle on the road releases 653g of CO2/km. Generally, the larger the car, the higher the emissions.

Now industries have started producing hybrid and Electric vehicles that are not dependent on fuel directly. This has now lowered the carbon emissions significantly, and it is undoubtedly the biggest success of manufacturing industries in the 21st century. EVs do not directly produce the emissions, but EVs' large dependence is on Electric reserves to get the vehicles charged. If the electricity production is fossils free, the industries can implement the zero-carbon policy throughout the world. Although encouraged unprecedented levels of economic growth, social and technological advancements, the industrial revolutions of previous centuries could not achieve an environment-friendly society.

The society had quantity production, but it truly lacked the quality production of goods which could genuinely sustain. Past development patterns of industries have used up natural resources unsustainable while crossing the safe planetary boundaries.

For industries, it is time to revise their strategies, processes, and patterns to make this world a better place.

References

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The Third Industrial Revolution: How lateral Power Is Transforming energy, the economy, and the world. Macmillan Publishing: United States.

Climate Change and Industrial Policy Wim Naudé Impacts of Climate Change on the Power Industry and How It is Adapting By James S McConnach, Ahmed F Zobaa, and David Lapp