HYDERABAD: The three-day ‘5th International Conference on Energy, Environment and Sustain­able Development-2018’ ended at the Mehran University of Enginee­ring and Technology (MUET), Jam­shoro, on Thursday.

It was organised by the Energy Environmental Engineering Rese­arch Group (EEERG) in collaboration with MUET and the US-Pakistan Centre for Advanced Studies in Water (USPCAS-W).

Speakers at the concluding session called for using modern-day technology to meet the energy challenges.

“Technology is a key to the vision. Close gaps on technical issues, develop, demonstrate advanced systems, integrate distributed resources, close gaps on electrical integration issues, identify optimal community power solutions and resolve policy and market rules,” said Prof Dr Akhtar Kalam from the Victoria University, Australia.

Pointing out fragility of the power distribution system in the country and energy shortfall, he noted: “As most of Pakistan sizzles in scorching heat, the National Transmission and Despatch Company (NTDC) states that national power shortfall soars beyond 6,000MW, necessitating loadshedding of over eight hours throughout the country; and even more in the rural areas of the country — stoking protests in some areas.”

He said renewable energy, storage technology and smart power grid were pillars of a third industrial revolution.

Sindh Energy Minister Imtiaz Ahmed Shaikh welcomed the recommendations made by experts during the three-day conference and held out the assurance that he would do his best for their implementation after discussing them with the chief minister.

Dr Adeeba A. Raheem from the University of Texas quoted recent estimates that 55 per cent of the world population residing in urban areas in 2018 would increase to 68pc by 2050. She said that related challenges would also increase which summoned an enhanced urgency of sustainable and smart actions.

Dr Sajid Amin Javed from the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), Islamabad, said that consuming local labour was important if the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was to create some long-lasting impacts on socio-economic conditions in Pakistan.

Others who spoke at the concluding session were MUET Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Mohammad Aslam Uqaili, Prof Dr Khanji Harijan, Prof Dr Amir Khan and Prof Dr Muhammad Arif Khan.

USPCAS-W Prof Dr Rasool Bux Mahar presented the recommendations. Some of them are: Academicians and women be involved in policymaking and planning; environmental flows be released to stop Indus delta degradation and sea intrusion; water conservation technology be adopted to save the commodity, use of untreated waste water be stopped and all industries install treatment plants.

Published in Dawn, November 16th, 2018