DADU: Experts at an international moot have called for enhancement of early warning systems and improvement in preparedness and response to climate-change induced disasters in Sindh.

They were speaking at the second international conference titled “Consequences of environmental degradation, natural disasters, socio-economic & governance challenges for Sindh, Pakistan and way forward” organised by the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Sindh, which concluded in Jamshoro the other day.

The recommendations prepared on the basis of research papers read out at the moot urged development and implementation of integrated climate resilience plans for addressing specific challenges posed by climate change in Sindh.

The plans should incorporate climate change projections, vulnerability assessments and adaptation strategies across various sectors, including agriculture, water management, infrastructure and urban planning.

The moot emphasised the importance of mainstreaming climate resilience into development policies and said that plans and investments should build adaptive capacity and reduce vulnerability to climate-related disasters.

It said there should be investment in development alongside deployment of advanced meteorological and hydrological monitoring systems as well as community-based early warning networks to provide timely and accurate warnings of extreme weather events, such as floods, droughts and cyclones.

It stressed the need for launching public awareness campaigns and capacity-building initiatives to ensure that communities were adequately prepared to respond to climate-related disasters.

It called for promotion of ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) approaches to enhance climate resilience and reduction in impact of climate change in the country.

It recommended supporting conservation, restoration and sustainable management of ecosystems, such as mangroves, wetlands and forests, which provided natural buffers against climate-related hazards, regulated water flow and supported biodiversity.

The moot advocated the integration of EbA measures into disaster risk reduction strategies, land use planning and development projects to enhance ecosystem resilience and ecosystem-based livelihoods.

The experts advised to encourage the adoption of climate-smart agriculture and water management practices to build resilience against climate change impacts on agriculture and water resources in Sindh and Pakistan.

They agreed to promote sustainable agricultural practices, such as crop diversification, agro-forestry and soil conservation that enhanced productivity, conserved water and mitigated greenhouse gas emissions.

They recommended supporting the development and implementation of climate-resilient irrigation systems, water-harvesting techniques and drought management strategies to improve water security and agricultural resilience in the face of climate variability and change.

They termed capacity-building and knowledge-sharing indispensable and said there should be investment in strengthening resilience of communities, government agencies, and civil society organisations to climate change impacts in the country.

They recommended providing training and technical assistance on climate change adaptation, disaster risk reduction and sustainable development practices to enhance local capacities for climate resilience planning, implementation and monitoring.

They agreed to foster collaboration and knowledge exchange among stakeholders, including researchers, policymakers, practitioners and community leaders to facilitate learning, innovation and best practices in climate change adaptation and disaster management.

On ecosystem restoration and conservation, they recommended advocating comprehensive ecosystem restoration and conservation initiatives in Sindh to mitigate the impacts of environmental degradation and enhance resilience to natural disasters.

They advised rehabilitation of degraded ecosystems, such as forests, wetlands and mangroves to restore their ecological functions, biodiversity and ecosystem services.

They said that support of community-based conservation efforts and sustainable land management practices were necessary to contribute to ecosystem resilience and reduce vulnerability to disasters.

The conference called for integrated water resource management approaches that addressed the challenges of water scarcity, pollution and unsustainable water use in the country.

The moot was presided over by vice chancellor of Sindh University. Dr Niaz Ahmed Bhutto, Dr Pasand Ali Khoso, Dr Abdul Razaque Channa, Prof Khaleeque Mahesar, Dr Ameer Ali Abro, Dr Mohammad Younis Leghari and many national and international researchers hailing from the USA, the UK, Thailand, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Egypt and other countries also attended the concluding ceremony.

Published in Dawn, February 29th, 2024