Government sets up first think-tank on climate change

The Ministry of Climate Change has a hammered out a high-level think-tank of experts, which will support the ministry time to time in taking better and informed decisions in various areas of climate change and allied issues. The think-tank, called Consultative Group on Climate Change, has been formed on the directives of the Federal Minister for Climate Change, Senator Mushahidullah Khan, said a press release issued here on Wednesday.
The Director-General of the Ministry will lead the consultative group on climate change, as secretary (ex-officio), according to the Ministry's notification. The 27-member think-tank comprises, among others, members of national and provincial assemblies, senators, renowned scientists, researchers, climatologists, glaciologists, weather scientists, agriculturists, academicians, water, environment from government and non-governmental sectors. Senator Dr Ayesha Raza Frooq, MNA Maryam Aurengzeb, MNA Romina Khurshid Alam, MPA Punjab Assembly Syed Uzma Qadri, MPA Balochistan Assembly Raheela Durani, Director-General Pakistan of Pakistan Meteorological Department Dr Ghulam Rasul, Special Advisor to the United Nations' World Meteorological Organisation's Secretary-General Dr Qamar-uz-Zaman Chaudhry, Former head of the Global Change Impact Study Centre (GCISC) Dr Arshad M Khan, former chairman of Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resource Dr Muhammad Akram Kahlown, Dr Ghulam Raza Bhatti of the Higher Education Commission, Chairman Pakistan Business Council (Dubai) Khwaja Tanvir, among others, have been selected as members of the country's first think-tank on climate change.
"The consultative group on climate change will assist the ministry in taking better, viable and knowledgeable decisions in the fields of climate change, forestry, international climate change negotiations, boosting awareness about climate risks at public and all levels and possible remedies to strengthen country's resilience against climate change-induced disasters, particularly floods, heat waves, shifting rainfall patterns, erratic summer and winter seasons," the minister said. He also said the consultative group would also advise policy-makers on any climate change-related issues and help develop cost- effective policy solutions to cope with the natural disasters, caused by changing weather patterns, which are becoming frequent and more intense.