HYDERABAD: Experts at different climate-related programme emphasised the need for taking climate change fight beyond global summits to everyday decisions in life, and issued a stark warning “If we act against nature, nature will react”.

At a programme organised under the aegis of UNDP-supported Climate Promise Green Skills Training Programme in collaboration with Dawood Global Foundation and Maple Solar Solutions in Hyderabad on Wednesday, the experts acknowledged serious challenges posed by climate change, particularly in Sindh.

The organisers of the event distributed of 100 solar ovens to students and rural women to promote eco-friendly cooking practices and reduce reliance on firewood, which posed health and environmental risks.

Sindh Agriculture University Vice Chancellor Dr Altaf Ali Sial said that Sindh’s rural areas faced acute fuel shortages, dependence on firewood, and health risks for women. Solar ovens would not only help reduce household expenses but also cut carbon emissions and promote an eco-friendly lifestyle, he said.

Warn ‘If we act against nature, nature will react’

He urged graduates, particularly female students, to support rural women in adopting sustainable practices and improving livelihoods through local resources.

Hyderabad Deputy Commissioner Zain-ul-Abidin Memon said that over 1,200 students from Mirpurkhas, Tando Allahyar, Larkana, and Dadu districts had received training in organic farming, water harvesting, beekeeping, digital marketing, and fuel-efficient cooking.

Ms Tara Uzra Dawood, president of Dawood Global Foundation, stated that over 85pc of trainings were conducted in Sindhi, ensuring accessibility and impact. “We are not only fighting climate change but also creating opportunities, empowering youth and shaping future,” she remarked.

Founder of Maple Solar Solutions, Mohammad Hassan, called solar ovens “symbols of a cleaner future,” praising enthusiasm of students and expressing hope for lasting change in rural communities.

At Shah Abdul Latif University, Khairpur, speakers issued unified call for climate action at Green Skills Workshop, jointly organised by the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), Embassy of Denmark and Salu.

Prof Dr Rasool Bux Mahar, vice chancellor of the Benazir Bhutto Shaheed University of Technology and Skill Development, Khairpur, delivered a stark warning “if we act against nature, nature will react”, pointing to the catastrophic floods of 2025, 2022 and 2010 as direct consequences of occupying natural waterways.

He outlined a vision for a circular economy, citing examples from using biomass for clean energy to recycling wastewater, and urged the audience to adopt long term, sustainable thinking in all endeavors.

Prof Dr Muhammad Yousuf Khushk, VC of Salu, framed climate change as a profound social, economic, and moral crisis, highlighting five key threats: critical water scarcity, severe agricultural vulnerability, increased natural disasters, polluting energy dependence, and a dangerous urban air quality crisis.

Linking these challenges to rapid population growth and unsustainable practices, Dr Khushk issued a direct call to action for the academic community.

Peter Emil Nielsen, Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of Denmark in Pakistan, recalled in his message that in 2022, Denmark and Pakistan had developed a comprehensive framework engagement plan, which laid the foundation for long term cooperation on just and sustainable solutions.

Highlighting the Green Skills Program as a key component of this partnership, he said the initiative was not just about training but about equipping the youth with knowledge and skills to face the pressing climate challenges Pakistan was encountering today.

Published in Dawn, September 4th, 2025