The speakers at an exclusive dialogue "Avenues for Climate-resilient Development through Regional Collaboration" Wednesday stressed the need for regional collaboration for climate resilient development.
The speakers at an exclusive dialogue "Avenues for Climate-resilient Development through Regional Collaboration" Wednesday stressed the need for regional collaboration for climate resilient development.
The dialogue was organized by Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) at the outset of its 21st Sustainable Development Conference and 11th South Asia Economic Summit.
Speaking on the occasion guest of honour and Chairman Board of Directors SDPI, Ambassador (R) Shafqat Kakakhel, said that significance of regional collaboration was evident from the fact that whatever climate change impacts occur in Pakistan and their findings would definitely had effects over India as well. He remarked, "We cannot divide Himalayas and monsoon season between India and Pakistan bearing the fact that both have border drawn between them as climate change is a global phenomenon and needs to be addressed accordingly." Ambassador Kayak while referring to research projects under taken by SDPI along with its implementing partners and donors said the SDPI board of directors has been regularly kept informed about the project performance and collaboration of the stakeholders.
He said the programme focused on the dry land areas whereas the challenge was to empower its inhabitants and to meet the climate change challenge in that area, adding to develop the abilities of the inhabitants to withstand the environmental pressure.
"The fundamental decision taken from this area is that 40 percent population was in dry land areas. With this ratio of directly or indirectly affected people of the area well deserved global attention," he said.
India, he said has very efficiently reduced dry area in Rajasthan, whereas both India and Pakistan could draw cooperation on bilateral initiatives mitigating climate change impacts.
Kashif Salik of University of Hampton deliberated upon key challenges during research and policy engagements including Migration futures in Asia and Africa with respect to climate change and climate resilient development.
He said that migration households have comparatively higher scores of resilience than non-migrant households. Migration is socially embedded process, which should be taken as opportunity for rural households' betterment where developed and under developed countries alike take migration as a threat and the research proved the idea as outdated.
Nathalie Nath from ODI UK shared the success stories and initiatives that helped in developing climate resilient development projects and highlighted the lack of opportunities in the under developed countries that could assist in climate change risk reduction. She also mentioned the generic approach of parliamentarians in Pakistan on climate change resulting into parliamentary caucus on climate change.
Anne Mootian from Kenya underscored successful decentralized efforts in the country's local county government like the one in Narok as there are 47 semi-autonomous units in Kenya.
She said that Kenya generates US $30 million through wildlife tourism whereas it was a semi-arid zone required augmentation of efforts and enhancement of facilities in climate change risk. While giving an account of regional collaboration she said Narok developed association with WWF-Kenya, UNESCO, UNDP, KMT/PRISE and others have started successful projects.
"Narok is encouraging people to adopt smart agriculture," she added.
PRISE, she said under Project4 was empowering women in Narok financially through income generating activities, promoting climate resilient economic development through regional collaboration and investments in green energy projects.
Dr Babar Shahbaz presented a synthesis paper on the policy researches submitted under the project. He said PRISE research indicates that small vendors, entrepreneurs and agriculturalists were the most vulnerable, however capacity building of the marginalized was necessary.
Source: https://www.urdupoint.com/en/pakistan/regional-collaboration-vital-for-climate-resi-498120.html
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