Living in the Age of Adaptation: Climate and Development in Pakistan
Centre for Climate Research and Development (CCRD), COMSATS University Islamabad (CUI) hosted Dr. Adil Najam, Inaugural Dean, Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies; Professor of International Relations and Earth & Environment, Boston University, USA, for a talk titled, “Living in the Age of Adaptation: Climate and Development in Pakistan”. The event was held on Wednesday, 19 Dec. 2018 in the Main Library Auditorium, CUI. Different universities and organizations participated, including from International Islamic University Islamabad, Global Change Impact Study Centre, Pakistan Meteorology Department and the United Nations.
Dr. Adil Najam, using his classic higher level approach, briefly introduced the earth climate system and noted that “the severity of weather events is not the biggest concern, but rather the unpredictability,” and that “the addition of greenhouse gases over a relatively short period of time has messed with the atmospheric system”. Such evidence-based conclusions of a changing climate warrants development of resilience mechanisms, since it is no longer something completely reversible.
Dr. Najam explained that living in the “Age of Adaptation” will be tougher as weather patterns will be more erratic, and that the real cost of climate change would mostly be borne by vulnerable, ordinary people. His argument that the Earth is a poor and divided planet juxtaposed the challenges associated with climate change with that of the global economic and financial systems – namely, the massive and burgeoning divide between those who have, and those who do not.
Managing life in the age of adaptation, he posited, was then a moral issue, one that the scientific and political realms must arrive at cohesively. Despite the complex challenges associated with global climate change, and particularly its impacts on Pakistan, Dr. Najam maintained that living with climate change is possible. It presents new opportunities for greater efficiency and resilience to the global community.
After a vote of thanks by Hassaan Sipra, Scientific Officer, CCRD, CUI, a souvenir was presented by Prof. Dr. Athar Hussain, Head, CCRD, to the guest speaker and a group picture of the participants was taken in front of Junid Zaidi library. Refreshments were served to participants.