The Nation
Published Date: Dec 14, 2013
Pakistan, India need unique disaster management
Experts on Friday unanimously urged both Pakistan and India to adopt a
unique approach on national disaster management to amicably deal with
extreme climate events and establish robust emergency food reserves and
financing capacity for rapid humanitarian responses to vulnerable
populace.
Experts, on second day of the plenary session titled
"India-Pakistan Dialogue on Climate Change and Energy" organised by the
Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) and Heinrich Boll
Stiftung (HBS) which was held here in a private hotel, were of the
opinion that India and Pakistan are in dire need to develop a research
agenda. They unanimously said this while speaking on their turn. They
said both countries must adopt a unique approach to cope with national
disaster management following the extreme climate events.
They also
urged that both neighbouring should also establish robust emergency food
reserves along with a financing capacity that can deliver rapid
humanitarian responses to vulnerable populations threatened by the
climate change. This dialogue between India & Pakistan will forge
ways to cooperate and collaborate in critical areas, experts observed.
In
the session Food Security: India Perspective, Ram Kishan Regional
Emergency Manager South Asia, said that unfortunately, climate change
increased migration and in the result, displacement of agricultural
producers has implications for national food security.
In this
regard, an international mechanism is needed to address loss and damage
and slow onset impacts on agriculture. Pervaiz Amir, Senior Economist,
ASIANICS discussed the impact of climate change on agricultural
productivity and energy security in Pakistan.