Coordinated efforts urged to reduce impacts of climate change

SWABI: The speakers at a two-day conference here on Wednesday called for coordinated efforts among stakeholders to reduce the impacts of climate change.

Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology had organised the two-day “Sustainability Conference” in collaboration with the Fatima Group. Experts and academia from the leading universities of the country and abroad attended the event. Speaking on the occasion, GIK Institute Rector Prof Dr Fazal Ahmad Khalid said that the climate change was very critical and students of the institute had been educated about the impacts of climate change.

“We should engage youth to learn about the new emerging challenges and climate change is one of them,” he said. Prof Dr Muhammad Salman Siddiqui of Norwegian University of Life Sciences spoke in detail on “Role of Advancing Global Sustainability Initiatives,” stressed on addressing environmental challenges, sustainable economic growth, promoting innovation and result-oriented research and bridging the gap of knowledge in this field.

Other speakers stressed on strengthening interaction between industry and academia. They termed the role of government and high seats of learning critical in boosting the economic sector and enabling them to cope with the situation.

The experts said that there was a dire need for more such conferences to better understand the phenomenon of climate change.Dr Khurram Imran Khan, who led the organising team of the conference, said that the main objectives of the conference were: to reduce impact of climate change on human beings; to provide a platform to academia and industry to work together; to bridge the gap between gender, race and communities and boost academia-industry relations and interaction.

Prof Dr Javaid Rabbani Khan, head of Chemical Department, highlighted the importance of discussing issues related to climate change.Dr Mirza Jahanzeb, dean faculty of industrial engineering University of Engineering and Technology, Taxila, Asghar Naveed, general manager manufacturing, Fatima Group, Dr Ahmad Abbas, Dr Naveed Ramazan and other experts spoke on the occasion.