Conference on climate change, disaster risk concludes at QAU

Islamabad: The three-day International Conference on Climate Change and Disaster Risk organised by China-Pakistan Joint Research Centre on Earth Sciences (CPJRC), Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU) in collaboration with Chinese Academy of Science, Higher Education Commission (HEC), Pakistan Academy of Science (PAS) and International Association for Hydro-Environment Engineering and Research concluded at QAU. The objective of the conference was to explore the impact of climate change on natural disasters, reduce disaster risk, and raise people's awareness of preventing disasters and mitigating disaster effect.

While addressing the closing ceremony, Caretaker Minister for Higher Education, Muhammad Qasim Jan, emphasised the importance of energy conservation. He stated, "The increase in temperature and ocean surface levels will exacerbate the situation in the future. It's time to persuade policymakers and society as a whole to transition towards alternative sources of energy.

Chairperson of the Department of Earth Sciences and Project Director (CPJRC) Dr. Mumtaz Shah said, the climate change, has been aggravating natural disasters in recent years, has become a global concern. The unprecedented flood in Pakistan in 2022 is a particular example. “It’s a global phenomenon, and global collaboration is necessary to tackle the problem." He added. Dr. Mumtaz Shah said that Pakistan Joint Research Centre on Earth Sciences (CPJRC) at Quaid-i-Azam University will serve as a platform for joint research and collaboration in the fields of Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management.

The experts were of the opinion that natural disasters pose a common challenge for humanity today and have a devastating impact on the security of people's lives, property, and sustainable development. Over the course of the three-day conference, a total of 14 keynote speakers and 125 presenters shared cutting-edge research on the topic. The conference was attended by a large number of faculty members, students, scholars, government officials, and policymakers.