The two days (June 3 to 4, 2010) international workshop on "Climate Change and Sustainability of Agro-Environment: Challenges and Interventions" was held at PMAS-AAUR. The workshop was organized by the Department of Environmental Sciences of PMAS-AAUR, as being part of World Environment Day celebration activity in collaboration with Institute of Agro-Environment and Forest Biology, National Research Council of Italy and Higher Education Commission of Pakistan.

The objectives of the workshop included risk assessment of climatic changes to agro - environmental system, dissemination of possible interventions available for these changes and formulation of strategy for sustainable development of agro-environmental system. Federal Minister for Environment, Mr. Hameedullah Jan Afridi was the chief guest on the inaugural session of the workshop. In his address, he said that “Rising temperatures and reduced precipitation is one of the biggest threats against global ecosystem sustainability. Pakistan is ranked at 28th place by the Maple Croft, a UK based organization, amongst those that will be most severely affected. But since 22 of those countries are in Africa, Pakistan is ranked amongst the top ten outside Africa”. The minister said the government has already identified some options for climate change mitigation and adaptation for agriculture sector such as sustainable land and forest management but there are also other options that need to be closely looked keeping in view the growing challenges in the environment sector.

Federal Minister congratulated Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi for holding a workshop on such an important aspect. He paid gratitude to the international participants from Italy, Greece, Germany and Uzbekistan who have come here to deliver their informative lectures on this vital issue, especially Dr. Mauro Centritto from Institute of Agro-Environment and Forest Biology, National Research Council of Italy for his contributions in extending scientific co-operation between Pakistan and Italy who are jointly putting their efforts to combat the challenges of climate change.

PMAS-AAUR Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Khalid Mahmood Khan in his welcome address said that climate change is a global phenomenon that is adversely affecting the humans, animals and plants around the globe. He said the Indus Valley, which is the backbone of Pakistan’s agriculture, is presently threatened by the influence of climate change, largely due to anthropogenic activities that result in global warming.

Prof. Dr. Khalid Mahmood said the Department of Environmental Sciences of the University has established close links both locally and internationally with major academic and research institutions to share knowledge and conduct joint activities in different areas of environment sciences.

Workshop contained four technical sessions and issues related to climate change and its impacts on agro-environmental system of Pakistan were addressed. The experts highlighted current challenges posed by climatic change and possible interventions to develop a sustainable development in future. Eminent scientist from Italy, Greece, Uzbekistan and Germany also delivered their research papers regarding climate change and its impact on Agro-Environment with special focus on Pakistan.