Emerging tech revolution transforming climate vulnerable sectors provide opportunities for developing nations: Dr Suleri
Regional Climate Coalitions to forward diplomacy, inclusive collaborations must for climate resilience: Romina
ICESCO leading cooperation avenues among members states on knowledge sharing in climate domain: Dr AlMalik.
The global experts at a critical discussion on the sidelines of the global climate conference COP29 highlighting linkages among water security, peace and biodiversity advocated for multilateral coalitions among regional states of the global south amid emerging tech revolution transforming climate vulnerable sectors.
The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) in collaboration with the Commission on Science and Technology for Sustainable Development in the South (COMSATS) organised the sideline event titled “Fostering Water Security, Biodiversity and Peace Through Innovation and Earth Observations” here at the COP29 venue.
In her special remark, Prime Minister of Pakistan’s Coordinator for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, Romina Khurshid Alam said the climate crisis has been accelerating at an unmanageable pace that pushes the world to spearhead out of the box solutions like regional cooperation as the lead forum for all the experts and intelligentsia.
She added that in Pakistan the rising impacts of climate change and policy challenges have augmented the need of holistic and inclusive policy solutions that cater for all the regional partners and not merely a single community or nation.
Romina Khursheed Alam pointed out that the scale of climate catastrophe is gigantic with its risks and hazards permeating into every aspect of life which was evident during the 2022 devastating floods that totally dismantle life, livelihoods, development and social fabric in the affected areas.
Pakistan, she said had a clear agenda at the COP29 demanding sincere pledges for climate finance, debt neutral just energy transition, loss and damage fund mobilization, and attention of the developed towards adaptation related finance for the developing countries as they also needed adaptation along with mitigation.
Dr Abid Qaiyum Suleri, Executive Director, SDPI said water, biodiversity and peace were directly linked to climate change whereas the use of cutting edge technology was crucial in transforming the global approach towards enhancing resilience of the vulnerable sectors.
Dr Suleri cited the example of landmine detecting technology usage in detecting water and soil quality in the arable land to ascertain the resources required to reap desired yield in a particular amid climate change impacts.
He added that the new emerging technologies like unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) usage in agriculture and other such new emerging technologies were providing an opportunity to address climate-induced challenges of the impacted sectors.
Dr Salim AlMalik, Director General ICESCO said the water management was an archaic practice that lead to traditional approaches with different scope and success ratio. The ICECO had the vision to collaborate with its member states for the transfer of technology and knowledge sharing as key pillars towards climate resilience, he added.
The collaborative approaches could also help in developing regional strategic cooperation on water conservation and other associated pertinent issues, the ICESCO DG said.
Samaddin ASADOV, Chairman of the Board, Azercosmos Space Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan said the country has increased its capacities to ensure satellite-based data coverage of its climate vulnerable sectors to arrange digital data modelling and space data collection for informed decision making and proactive policy decisions.
He said in terms of biodiversity nearly half of the world’s population relied on natural resources which underscored the need for better preparedness and conservation measures through better information of climatic impacts on the vulnerable sectors to ensure better planning and decision-making.
Stewart Maginnis, Deputy Director General Programme, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) said biodiversity conservation was a ‘one stich saves a nine’ strategy that helped in managing carbon sinks, soil health improvement and ensuring agricultural diversification.
He commended that the ICESCO efforts were complementing in averting conflicts through better management of natural resources as ecosystem and biodiversity were one of the key areas in that regard.
