Saba Javed

Climate change remains the single biggest threat to human security in the long-term, according to experts at a symposium with the theme of “Climate Change Risk and Human Security” held at the Fatima Jinnah Women University (FJWU), Rawalpindi. The symposium was part of the National Research Program for Universities (NRPU) funded by the Higher Education Commission (HEC). It was organized by the Department of Economics of FJWU and moderated by Khudeeja Nadeem, student of BS Economics, while Dr Bushra Yasmin, Project PI, presented the project overview.

Dr Bushra Yasmin said that the project was based on people’s perception of the climate change problem and that it will offer information based on exposure, sensitivity, and adaptability of households towards climate change risk. She said that the project will help in the evolution of indigenous policy solutions to the problem. It will also help in spreading awareness among the people to develop resilience against the threat of climate change. She was hopeful that the project will improve human security through dialogues on the necessity of taking credible actions to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change.

She thanked the HEC for its support in the initiation of such awareness raising programs. After the initial project overview, an introductory video was played to acquaint the audience with the topic. Thereafter, the project Co-PIs Ms Iffat Irshad and Ms Sadia Sherbaz presented the methodology and findings of the research project and explained that climate change risk has a significantly negative impact on human security and all its constituents. “Through adaptation,” they concluded, “human security can be increased but the level of adaptation is quite low when compared to the levels of exposure and sensitivity to climate change.”

Guest speaker Ms Afia Salam, Environmental Journalist & Member of National Climate Change Council, addressed the symposium on “Climate Change Research: Need of the Hour.” She said that climate change risk was not given importance as a significant factor affecting human security until recently. Afia Salam congratulated the team of the Department of Economics on carrying out evidence-based research on the topic of climate change. She highlighted the role of government as the single most important factor in taking the lead to resolve the climate crises. She said, “governments can strengthen institutions, improve governance, increase community engagement and initiate policies for the mitigation of the negative effects of climate change.”

Credit : Independent News Pakistan-WealthPk