ISLAMABAD, Dec. 2 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan's gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to decrease by a minimum of 18 percent to 20 percent by 2050 due to severe climate-related occurrences, environmental deterioration and air contamination, the World Bank said.
In the Climate Silence in Pakistan report released on Thursday, the Washington-based bank said that Pakistan is grappling with the effects of climate change, such as rising temperatures and a surge in natural calamities, including floods.
The repercussions of climate change are predicted to have a far more pronounced impact on the lives of today's children and their future offspring than the current generation of adults, the bank said.
It added that overall eight in 10 people in Pakistan are concerned about the impacts of climate change, with females and educated people being more concerned.
The recent floods appear to have heightened public awareness of climate change-related issues in the South Asian country, the report said.
The bank suggested that strategies to motivate action on climate change should focus on effectively encouraging behavioral change by highlighting financial savings rather than climate impact.
It noted that a mere modification of the lifestyles and behaviors of people could result in a 40 percent to 70 percent decrease in greenhouse gas emissions in Pakistan by 2050. ■
