Global South Needs Climate Finance, Predictive Tools for Resilience: NDMA, COMSATS

News Desk

Islamabad: The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and the Commission on Science and Technology for Sustainable Development in the South (COMSATS) jointly urged enhanced collaboration, strategic resource mobilization, and accelerated climate adaptation across critical sectors during a seminar held to mark World Environment Day 2025.

The seminar, titled “Bridging the Climate-Adaptation Divide Across the Food-Water-Agriculture Nexus,” was organized at the NEOC Auditorium, NDMA Headquarters. The event brought together policymakers, scientists, development partners, and private sector leaders to address the pressing climate adaptation challenges facing agrarian economies, particularly in the Global South.

Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, Dr. Musadik Masood Malik, graced the event as chief guest. Justice Jawad Hassan of the Lahore High Court delivered the keynote address, underscoring the legal and constitutional dimensions of climate justice and environmental stewardship.

Key speakers included Chairman NDMA Lt Gen Inam Haider Malik, Executive Director COMSATS Ambassador Dr. Zakaria, UNEP Country Director Dr. Mushtaq Ahmed Memon, and WHH Country Director Ms. Aisha Jamshed. All emphasized the urgent need for equity-driven, systemic approaches to climate resilience that bridge the existing adaptation divide.

A thematic panel session featured leading climate experts and decision-makers, including PM’s Coordinator on Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Ms. Romina Khurshid Alam, CEO of Fauji Fertilizer Jahangir Piracha, former Federal Minister for Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam, and CEO of the National Disaster Risk Management Fund (NDRMF) Bilal Anwar.

Key takeaways from the discussion included the strategic role of digital climate advisories, the promotion of farmer-led innovation ecosystems, and the integration of predictive modeling into rural development strategies. Panelists also called for prioritizing gender-sensitive and nutrition-informed adaptation frameworks, and for recalibrating climate finance portfolios to support long-term infrastructure and ecosystem resilience.

The seminar was attended by over 200 participants, including government officials, diplomats, climate scientists, media professionals, civil society leaders, and private sector representatives, all united in their call for bold, inclusive, and cooperative climate action.