Environment & Natural Resources

Environment protection is one those issues that require education and discussion. Perhaps, a lot of parents do not consider environment issues significant enough to be taught because they think that the children themselves might know about it once they are grown-up. Or, they might think that it is the responsibility of schools and teachers to educate the children on these issues.

Muhammad Idrees Kamal worked in the private industrial sector for many years on a variety of topics. He is the Executive Director of the organization “Citizen Rights and Sustainable Development”.

Dr. Abid Suleri is a Pakistani social policy analyst and development practitioner. He is a prolific writer and regularly contributes articles for various national and international newspapers. He is a strong supporter of social justice and warns that militancy and violence cannot be tackled without addressing individual insecurities such as food insecurity, poverty, and marginalization. He specialized in food security and obtained his Ph.D. in this subject from the University of Greenwich, UK.

Shagufta Malik is a political scientist and currently provincial president of the ANP (Women Wing). She is Chairperson of the Standing Committee Sports, Cultural, Tourism, Archeology, and Youth Affairs, Chairperson of the Standing Committee of Planning and Development (PND) as well as Chairperson of the Public Safety and Police Complaint Commission. As the provincial president of the ANP, she arranged a Women Peace Convention, which was a great success with more than three thousand women participating. Here is an interview with her on the occasion of our conference.

Dr. Ayesha Siddiqa, Independent political scientist and writer, Islamabad, about gender struggles in the Pakistani elite, her 2007 book “Military Inc.” and why there will be greater conflict in the Pakistani society. This is an interview with her on the occasion of our conference.

Acknowledging the multiple challenges that Pakistan is facing in this regard, the Ministry of Environment, in cooperation with partners, organized an “International Conference on Climate Change and Development” on 21st - 22nd October 2010 at the Serena Hotel in Islamabad. This interdisciplinary conference brought together a wide range of international organizations, academics, civil society and private sector to deliberate on climate change and development issues.

Wild garbage dumps are one of the biggest nuisances in Kabul. It just takes one walk through the streets of the capital to experience all kinds of odors. With children and animals also digging in the garbage, the piles also pose a severe health risk for Kabul’s citizens. The newly established garbage bins are a first step to make the city cleaner. Still, getting the entire system up and running will take some time.

Environmental protection is a hot discussed topic in industrialized countries, especially in Europe, whereas in developing countries such as Afghanistan this issue is not very popular due to poverty, war and the daily struggle to survive.

Developing countries are strongly affected by the consequences of climate change. So what can they do to protect themselves? How to act if those responsible for environmental pollution and climate change do not.

On the 24th of October, 2009 Punjab University students in collaboration with Rotaract Club Lahore, Pakistan Youth Climate Network, and Heinrich Böll Stiftung organized an event, which had two fold agenda.