Curtain raiser at IUCN office: Tube-well culture is not sustainable, moot told
By: Nawaz Khuhro
KARACHI: A curtain raiser was organised by IUCN Pakistan at the IUCN Country Office, Karachi the other day. The purpose of the curtain raiser was to brief the media about the IUCN World Conservation Congress which is being held from September 6-15, 2012 in Jeju, South Korea.
Shah Murad Aliani, Country Representative, welcomed and thanked the media representatives for their participation. Javed Jabbar, IUCN Global Vice President and Regional Councillor, made a detailed presentation on proceedings, processes and activities to be taking place at the World Conservation Congress.
Jabbar briefed the media on the democratic model of the congress where leaders from government, the public sector, non-governmental organisations, business and UN agencies discussed, debate and decide solutions and influence governments of their respective countries for better environment. The theme of the Congress is Nature+.
More than 10,000 delegates are expected to participate in the Congress from all over the world.
From Pakistan, 23 representatives of IUCN member organisations including National Conservation for Conservation of Wildlife (NCCW), WWF, SDPI, SUNGI,, Indus Earth Trust, Taraqee Foundation, National Institute of Oceanography, Khwendo Kor, Scientific and Cultural Society of Paksitan, Trust for Conservation of Coastal Resources, Baanhn Beli, Planning and Development Department FATA, HEJ.
Research Institute of Chemistry, Shirkat Gah – Womens Resource Centre; Strengthening Participatory Organization; Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (PILER), Aga Khan Rural Support Programme ; Haashar Association; South Asia Partnership – Pakistan; Shehri: Citizens for a Better Environment.
As Javed Jabbar, IUCN Vice President and Regional Councillor will be completing his second term and final 4-year term as Councillor, Malik Amin Aslam Khan, and former Minister of State for Environment has been unanimously nominated as a candidate from Pakistan for the position of Regional Councillor for the 2012-2016 term.
Javed Jabbar will serve as the Chairperson of the Credentials Committee of the World Conservation Congress and as Vice President will be a Member of the Congress Steering Committee. He will also preside over a session of the Members’ Assembly.
Jabbar said resolutions adopted in the IUCN Congresses had enormous impact in shaping the important conventions and treaties in the world on environmental issues.
Jabbar informed the media that Sustainable Development Policy Institute from Pakistan has submitted a motion titled: “Legally binding Global Mercury Treaty to protect wildlife, ecosystems and health” to be presented in the IUCN Members’ Assembly for adoption. This motion calls on the Director General of the IUCN to work with the IUCN Commissions and membership networks for the promotion of enhanced awareness regarding adverse health effects of mercury exposure and protection.
Madiha Aijaz, Coordinator, Education Communications and Outreach also made a detailed presentation on how to get up to the minute updates on the World Conservation Congress and availability of the information on social media, live blog and the comprehensive web portal that has been set up for the purpose of keeping the world media and general public in the loop. This information, including high-resolution audio files, video footage and photographs are available free of cost on IUCN’s website.
While talking about IUCN Pakistan’s advocacy event at the WCC, efforts towards revival of the centuries-old water management system in Balochistan, Shah Murad stressed on the importance of nature based solutions and adaptation of IUCN’s Integrated Development Visions. He also said that tube-well culture is not sustainable as it depletes the water table and is owned by individuals where as Karezes are owned by communities, which harnesses harmony. He also mentioned IUCN’s work in the plantation of sand dune stabilising, mangrove forests in Balochistan and the conservation work being carried out in the Juniper forests of the Ziarat valley.
He said that Pakistan has the second largest concentration of Junipers and in density it has the largest Juniper forest in the world. IUCN is also working towards declaration of Pakistan’s Juniper forest as a natural heritage site under its Man and Biosphere project.
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