USPCAS-W to host International Conference on Water Security and Climate Change in Pakistan
U.S.-Pakistan Center for Advanced Studies in Water (USPCAS-W) at Mehran University of Engineering & Technology (MUET) Jamshoro will host International Conference on Water Security and Climate Change in Pakistan: A System Approach.
It has been informed in the agenda meeting of the conference held at USPCAS-W, MUET today. Participants of the meeting were of the view that Pakistan is among the top ten most affected countries on the Global Climate Risk Index (CRI, 2016), and currently faces a number of climate related challenges including rising temperatures, unpredictable changes in precipitation patterns, increased frequency and intensity of extreme weathers events, recurring droughts and floods, ground water pollution, rising sea levels, increased health risks, environmental degradation, declining of agricultural productivity and governance issues associate with these stresses.
Mr. Ghulam Hussain Dars, Assistant Professor at USPCAS-W shared the introduction and objectives of the conference to be held in August 2017 at Islamabad or Karachi to be decided later on. Mr. Dars said that the objective of the proposed conference is to undertake a professional assessment of the expert literature on the various elements of this challenge especially projected climate change impacts, impact of glaciers, variability of precipitation. He further said that call for submission of research papers will be announced soon whereas the compilation of the expert papers will achieves number of primary and ancillary objectives. Ms. Jewell Lund, PhD student at The University of Utah (UU), USA, shared presentation of her ongoing research studies on Himalayan Glaciers through Skype, whereas she along with Mr. Dars will present paper on “Climate change impact on future precipitation and temperature trends in Pakistan”. Dr. Tariq Banuri, Associate Director USPCAS-W, UU, who also participated in the meeting through Skype recommended some valuable suggestion to be incorporated in the conference. Dr. Mohammad Aslam Chaudhry, Chief of Party, USPCAS-W, UU moderated the session of the meetings and said that proposed conference will help out to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Pakistan.
Dr. Asif Khan, form University of Engineering and Technology (UET) Peshawar, faculty members of USPCA-W MUET includes Prof. Dr. Altaf Ali Siyal, Prof. Dr. Abdul Latif Qureshi, Mr. Waqas Ahmed, Ms. Rakhshanda Bano and other presented their respective research studies which will be presented in the International Conference with latest findings.
Dr. Bakhshal Khan Lashari, Project Director USPCAS-W, MUET said that participants of the conference will be invited throughout the world to make the event more fruitful. He further said the recommendation of the conference will be sent to the relevant agencies of the government of Pakistan for further implementation. Dr. Lashari said that USPCAS-W is a state of the art and modern applied research center established with financial support of United States Agency for International Development (USAID), which will generate cost-effective and sustainable solutions to Pakistan’s challenges related to water and climate change. Dr. Kamran Ansari, Deputy Director USPCAS-W, Mr. M. Shahid Panhwar, Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist and others participated in the meeting.
