Host: Mr Ubaid ur Rehman Zia, Senior Research Associate, Sustainable Development Policy

Institute, Islamabad, Pakistan

Speakers/Guests:

• Ms Mandavi Singh, The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), India
• Ms Trinayana Kaushik, The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), India
• Dr Khalid Waleed, Research Fellow, Sustainable Development Policy Institute, Islamabad, Pakistan
• Dr Hassan Daud Butt, Associate Professor, Bahria University Islamabad

Key Recommendations:

• South Asia is one of the least politically integrated regions in the world. A diplomatic and coordinated approach is needed to ensure capacity building and promote sustainable green transition amid the multi-faceted challenges. Civil societies can play a crucial role by being spokespersons for these common challenges all these nations face.
• Countries in South Asia are facing common challenges. COP28 is an effective forum to highlight such challenges with a collective voice. At this forum, we must put forward just energy transition, climate finance, and disaster and risk mitigation.
• For a just energy transition, the role of academia and think tanks is important to help make models based on reliable data. Our targets should be realistic and consistent.