Research-based indigenous mechanism can help overcome energy, environment issues

Islamabad

Academicians and experts at an international conference held here on Tuesday at Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) called for developing research-based indigenous mechanism to overcome energy and environment-related-issues.

They also underlined the need of initiating dialogue process at relevant forums and strengthening international collaboration to address socio-economic issues. For sustainable development, environment-related issues much be kept in view, they added.

The conference was a follow-up of 21st UN Climate Change Conference recently held in Paris that was attended by top World leaders including Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

The three-day conference was being attended by around 300 academicians and experts from home and abroad.

AIOU Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Shahid Siddiqui while inaugurating the conference said that the conference was aimed at giving its research-based findings and recommendations to implement the Paris Summit’s declaration. The conference, he said will help to bridge knowledge gap in the development process and properly addressing energy and environmental issues.

The university, he said is actively engaged in construction of knowledge through research-based activities including publication of research journals and holding of research conferences. Eight research journals were issued and three international conferences were arranged during the last one-year. A package of incentives was also given to motivate its faculty members and the students to do research work that is indigenous in nature and linked with the socio-economic problems of the society. Financial assistance was also being provided for undertaking mini projects, based on new discoveries. Dr. Shahid Siddiqui hoped that the participants during their working sessions will come up with innovative and creative ideas so as to provide solid support to the relevant departments and policy-makers in addressing the problems relating to climate degradation and environmental hazards like water pollution. While chairing the first session of the activity, Pakistan Nuclear Society President Dr. Syed Javaid Khurshid said that Pakistan Nuclear Society was established in 1992 to promote the awareness and understanding of the peaceful application of nuclear science, technology and allied disciplines in Pakistan. Nuclear Industry has a big stake in climate change mitigation, politics and policies and scenario. Environmentally, Nuclear is low carbon source of energy & can help avoid CO2 emission while providing a constant large scale power supply. In all, 88 publications and research-papers will be presented during conference for discussion, said Dr. Zafar Ilyas, Chairman of Physics Department that arranged the event in collaboration with some other national institutions including Higher Education Commission, Atomic Energy Commission of Pakistan and National Centre for Physics. The Key-note speakers included Dr. T. Nejat Veziroglu, President International Association for Hydrogen Energy, USA, Dr. Dee Chang F, a top official of China’s Institute of Micro-engineering and Nanoelectronic and renowned experts Dr. Buhauddin Yeop Majlisr from Malaysia.  Earlier, Dean Sciences Dr. Naghmana Rashid in her address of welcome spoke about the academic achievements of the University in the field of science and technology. She said they were successfully meeting the educational needs of their students through distance, blended and face-to-face learning system. An exhibition of mini-projects developed by the university’s students was also arranged on the occasion.