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ISLAMABAD, Apr 11 (APP):The International Training Workshop on Climate Change and Water Safety Effects along the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was inaugurated today at the Pakistan Academy of Sciences (PAS), Islamabad.
The high-level event was jointly opened by Dr. Zia Ul-Qayyum, Executive Director of the Higher Education Commission (HEC), Pakistan, and Mr. Xu Hangtian, Minister Counselor at the Embassy of China in Pakistan.
Organized by the China-Pakistan Joint Research Center on Earth Sciences (CPJRC) in collaboration with PAS, and sponsored by the Alliance of National and International Science Organizations (ANSO), the five-day workshop (April 10–14) has drawn more than 120 participants from leading academic and research institutions across Pakistan and 20 international delegates from the Hindu Kush Himalaya region, including China, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan.
The event brings together renowned experts, academicians, policymakers, and representatives from key national and international organizations to explore the pressing challenges of climate change and water security along the strategic CPEC corridor.
Notable dignitaries from the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), including Dr. Kang Shichang, Director General of the Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, and Dr. Su Lijun, Director General of CPJRC at Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU), Islamabad, were present at the inaugural session. Prominent Pakistani scholars such as Prof. Dr. Muhammad Aslam Baig, Secretary General of PAS, and Prof. Dr. Mumtaz Shah from QAU also delivered insightful remarks.
Representatives from major Pakistani institutions, including the Pakistan Science Foundation, Global Climate Change Impact Study Centre, National Disaster Management Authority, PMAS Arid Agriculture University, and Pakistan Meteorological Department, actively participated in the opening ceremony.
In their keynote addresses, Dr. Zia Ul-Qayyum and Mr. Xu Hangtian highlighted the vital role of Sino-Pakistani cooperation in fostering academic, scientific, and socioeconomic advancement.
They underlined the increasing threats posed by climate change-particularly its impact on the cryosphere, water resources, agriculture, disaster risk, and human livelihoods-and called for coordinated, innovative, and transboundary approaches to ensure sustainable development and water management.
Other speakers emphasized the growing frequency and intensity of water-related disasters in the region, stressing the need for integrated research and collaborative strategies to address these critical issues.
They reaffirmed that the strong partnership between China and Pakistan is pivotal to building climate resilience and achieving sustainable progress along the CPEC corridor.
The workshop is expected to serve as a platform for productive dialogue, mutual learning, and long-term research collaboration.
The outcomes from the discussions are anticipated to support evidence-based policy making and practical strategies for climate adaptation, disaster preparedness, and water security in the region.