PU, WWF-Pakistan join hands to save environment

LAHORE: Punjab University and World Wide Fund for Nature-Pakistan (WWF-Pakistan) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for protection of environment and counter climate change challenges. In this regard, a ceremony was held at PU Vice Chancellor’s Office here on Monday. PU VC Prof Dr Niaz Ahmad Akhter, Director General WWF-Pakistan Hammad Naqi Khan, Manager Zohaib Javed Bhatti, Director External Linkages Dr Sobia Khurram, PU Deans’ Prof Dr Umbreen Javaid, Dr Abdullah Khan Durrani and others were present. According to MoU, both the parties will work to promote research related initiatives pertaining to key practices of WWF-Pakistan to minimize the impact of climate change on environment and focus on the betterment of vulnerable communities. WWF would extend its services to promote the objectives and themes of environment days while mutually engaging the concerned stakeholders. Both the organizations would collaborate on various thematic areas of WWF-Pakistan to conduct multiple science-based studies and engage students for internships, thesis, seminars, workshops, awareness campaigns, walks, etc.

Addressing the ceremony, PU VC Prof Niaz Ahmad said that PU would collaborate with WWF-Pakistan to leverage support from across different academic departments and research centers at PU in research projects of mutual interest. He said that PU would offer training sessions/ capacity-building workshops for WWF-Pakistan staff on mutually agreed thematic areas. He said that both the organizations would develop joint research projects in collaboration with WWF-Pakistan and ensure the participation of researchers from both institutions. He said that PU would coordinate with WWF-Pakistan’s Communication Department, for jointly developing communication material. He said that PU would promote WWF-Pakistan’s awareness material within students, both general and those enrolled in relevant courses. He said that there was a need to educate the people living in villages about climate change. He said that a lot of material being used in agriculture sector and kilns was dangerous for health and therefore we need to create awareness among the villagers. Hammad Naqi Khan said that WWF-Pakistan would provide opportunities for the students for resolving environmental issues in Pakistan.