Climate Change: Impact on Economy, Governance, and Livelihoods
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Islamabad, April 19, 2023 – NUST Institute of Policy Studies organized a lecture on “Climate Change: Impact on Economy, Governance, and Livelihoods” as part of its Lecture Series 2023. The lecture was delivered by Dr. Muhammad Fahim Khokhar, Head of Department, Institute of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, NUST. The lecture emphasized the need to recognize climate risks and to take proactive measures towards climate-resilient development.
During his lecture, Dr. Khokhar emphasized the urgent need for climate-resilient development due to the significant surge in greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the exponential growth of the global population, which has led to devastating impacts on various sectors in the Asian region.
Dr. Khokhar also highlighted the governance failures and the low knowledge capacity that are major barriers to addressing climate risks. He cited the SASCOF report of April 2022, which predicted above-normal rainfall in Pakistan that year, but appropriate preventive measures were not taken, leading to severe flooding.
He stressed the economic implications of climate change, with the 2022 floods expected to severely stall economic progress. He mentioned the profound impact of changing climate patterns on agriculture and its direct influence on livelihoods.
The lecture concluded with a call for a proactive approach, leveraging emerging technologies, better risk awareness, and improved forecasting capabilities. Dr. Khokhar emphasized the need to declare a climate emergency in Pakistan and for all stakeholders to work together towards a climate-resilient future.
Dr. Ashfaque Hasan Khan, in his closing remarks, emphasized the need to develop an understanding of the importance of climate change as a step towards achieving sustainable development, and to build capacity in government institutions to deal with the threat of climate change. He highlighted the importance of educating small farmers as they make up a significant proportion of our agricultural sector. He also suggested the establishment of a specialized Climate Change Center of Excellence as a hub of expertise to develop innovative solutions to mitigate the impacts of climate change.
The lecture was moderated by Mr. Amir Yaqub, Director Operations and Collaborations, NIPS, and attended by NIPS officials, industry personnel, students, veteran statesmen, think tank experts, and researchers.