Caretaker Prime Minister Mohammedmian Soomro on Saturday directed to launch a media campaign to aware people about the impacts of climate change. "We need to launch an effective campaign for public awareness on climate change through print and electronic media including talk shows," Soomro said while chairing the meeting on climate change.
Dr Ishfaq Ahmad, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister briefed the meeting on effects of climate change. The Prime Minister expressed serious concern about the vulnerability of Pakistan to the effects of climate change and directed Planning Commission to be cognisant of the phenomenon of climate change.
Soomro said the universities should start teaching climatology as a regular subject and develop competence in mathematical modelling and simulation. "There should be an integration of efforts on climate change among various agencies with Ministry of Environment being the focal point," the Prime Minister said. "We also need to approach developed countries to share development of new technologies," he added.
Soomro also directed to arrange a briefing on climate change at the next meeting of the cabinet and decided to include Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Minister for Education, Chairman Higher Education Commission, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Inter Provincial Co-ordination into the Prime Minister's Committee on Climate Change.
The Prime Minister said that proposal for commencement of research and studies on climate change should be discussed with Higher Education Commission. He also directed to co-ordinate with Suparco for setting up satellite observatory to monitor glacier melting, erosion of coastal area, degradation of mangroves coral reefs, monitoring of atmospheric and sea surface temperatures and tracking for early detection of cyclones, their path, growth, time and place of landfall.