Conference begins today

LAHORE
WWF-Pakistan is organising a three-day conference titled international conference on mountains and climate change-resources, challenges and opportunities for better life and livelihoods.
Karakoram International University Gilgit-Baltistan (KIU), WWF-Pakistan, International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), Integrated Mountain Area Research Centre (IMARC), EV-K2-CNR; NORHED, Department of Agriculture Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), Forests, Wildlife and Environment Department GB, Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (AKRSP) and Mountain Agriculture Research Center (MARC) of Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (PARC) are partners in organising the conference.
The conference will start on Thursday (today) in Gilgit. Gilgit Chief Minister Hafiz Hafiz-ur-Rehman will be the chief guest of the conference.
The last day of the conference will be followed by a field visit to highlight the impacts of climate change in the region.
WWF officials said Pakistan was facing losses worth billions of dollars due to climate change. According to the Global Climate Risk Index 2012 developed by German Watch Institute, Pakistan is ranked number three after Haiti and the Philippines in the list of top ten countries most affected by this scientific phenomenon, therefore climate change adaptation and mitigation, and decisive policy-making is essential to save the nation from further damages both of lives and property.