LEAD Climate
Briefs
December 7-18
2009
LEAD Pakistan,
Islamabad
 
In view of the Conference of Parties (COP-15) in December
2009, LEAD
Pakistan has published a LEAD Climate Brief on “Countdown to
Copenhagen” which gives a highlight of the
circumstances building up to COP-15, the position of
developing counties and an overview of the global climate
debate. For post conference analysis click
COP-15
Copenhagen Postmortem
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LEAD Pakistan Introduces the Ecological
Footprint Tool for Innovative Resource Management
2009
LEAD Pakistan,
Islamabad
In continuation of LEAD Pakistan’s effort to respond to the
critical issue of climate change, LEAD Pakistan in
collaboration with Asia-Pacific Forum for Environment and
Development (APFED) and the United National Environment
Programme (UNEP) has embarked upon a journey towards
Greening Organizations to Reduce Ecological Footprints. The
purpose is to initiate eco-friendly and sustainable resource
conserving trends among corporations and private sector
organizations in Pakistan through the Ecological Footprint (EF)
assessment tool. The EF tool – developed for the first time
in Pakistan using local factors - estimates the
environmental and climatic consequences of business
operations and helps to adopt and manage sustainable office
practices.
  LEAD Pakistan intends to
introduce this innovative concept of the EF tool for
the first time with
various stakeholders especially corporations. For this
purpose, stakeholder workshops are being
held in October 2009 in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad in
which the EF framework will be introduced and participants
will learn how they can effectively apply and benefit from this
resource management tool within their own work spaces.
For further details,
refer to the Ecological Footprint website:
www.lead.org.pk/efc
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Civil Society Consultation on World Bank
Climate Change Strategy for
South Asia
March 19-20, 2009
Kathmandu, Nepal
LEAD Pakistan was invited by Climate Action Network South
Asia (CANSA) to participate in the regional consultation on
the Climate Change Strategy for South Asia developed
recently by the World Bank. The civil society consultation
was held from 19-20 March 2009 and was organized with the
support from Oxfam GB and Heinrich Boll Foundation (India).
Ms. Hina Lotia represented LEAD Pakistan at the
consultation.
Over 30 civil society organizations in South Asia from 6
countries participated in the consultation to review and
draft recommendations. The initiative focused on informing
the World Bank’s strategy with civil society perspectives.
The meeting covered themes as outlined in the World Bank’s
Draft Strategy document. The discussion during the
consultative meeting revolved around 1) Strategic Priorities
outlined by the World Bank in its Draft Strategy document,
such as financing adaptation and mitigation; 2) Sectoral
contexts and strategies including water and climate change,
agriculture and rural sector and others as defined in the
document; 3) and CANSA recommendations to the ‘World Bank
South Asia Region Climate Change Draft Strategy’ (with a
special focus on civil society.
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Climate Change:
Emerging Issues and Recommendations for Sindh
February 20, 2009
Sindh Assembly Secretariat,
Karachi
Dr. Adil Najam, Professor, Boston University, USA, delivered
a talk on Climate Change: Emerging Issues and
Recommendations for Sindh at the Sindh Assembly Secretariat
in Karachi, on February 20, 2009. This talk was arranged in
collaboration with
Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, Speaker of the
Sindh Assembly and the government of Sindh, to engage
parliamentarians and policy makers in Sindh on the climate
issue. The talk was attended by about 70 parliamentarians
and members of the provincial cabinet and legislative.
Dr. Adil Najam, highlighted impacts of climate change on Pakistan
and in particular, Sindh to the parliamentarians, so that
effective measures could be taken at the policy level to
address this grave issue.
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Corporate Summit on Climate Change
February
19, 2009
Defence Authority Country & Golf Club,
Karachi
Recognizing the need for Pakistan’s private sector to play a key
role in managing climate change, LEAD Pakistan organized the
first ever Corporate Summit on Climate Change in Pakistan,
with an aim to increase understanding and response to the
impact of climate change by, in particular, the corporate
sector. The corporate summit was a unique event that
convened the corporate sector for the first time ever in
Pakistan, on the issue of climate change.
The corporate summit, organized on the theme of Climate Action,
aimed to promote climate action among a wide range of
stakeholders, in particular, corporations. There were over
250 participants at the event from multi-sectors, including
the government, media, civil society, academia, researchers
and in particular, corporations. The corporate summit
comprised three sessions: Inaugural and Plenary Session, the
Technical Session and the CEO Summit. Each session targeted
a unique group of stakeholders, with a special focus on
corporations.
The theme of the Inaugural and Plenary session was Convening
Partners for Climate Action and thus there was participation
of leaders of the highest level from the government,
corporate sector and civil society. The welcome address was
delivered by Dr. Tariq Hassan, Board Member of LEAD
Pakistan, who stated that, “In addition to the government
and NGOs, the largest share of responsibility for mitigating
the affects of climate change falls on the corporate
sector.” The Minister of Environment, Hameed Ullah Jan
Afridi delivered the ministerial address, whereas the City
District Nazim Karachi, Syed Mustafa Kamal delivered a
special address. They both stressed on the concept that
environment and development should not be treated
separately, as environment is a critical aspect for
development. The Deputy British High Commissioner, Robert
Gibson also addressed the audience and highlighted that, “We
all need to work together to strike a balance between the
need to create economic prosperity and the need to preserve
our environment for future generations.” Ali Tauqeer Sheikh,
CEO, LEAD Pakistan, delivered a presentation on LEAD
Pakistan’ s Climate Action Programme, which is a multi-year
programme, that envisions building Pakistan’s capacity to
effective contend with climate change at the policy,
institutional and grassroots level.
The Technical Session – based on the theme Mutual Learning for
Climate Action comprised corporations, presenting case
studies of their work on climate change for sharing of best
practices. Dr. Harish Jeswani, Research Associate from
Manchester University,.presented his paper on Corporate
Response to Climate Change in Pakistan – one of the first
climate change researches involving the corporate sector in
Pakistan. Malik Amin Aslam, Former State Minister for
Environment also presented his paper on Carbon Market
Development-Pakistan’s Experience. Rafal Serafin,
Development Director from the International Business Leaders
Forum-UK, also presented a paper on Local to Global
Partnerships for Climate Change.
The CEO Summit, an exclusive session for CEOs was attended by the
heads of leading corporations, such as Hussain Dawood,
Chairman, Dawood Group and Parvez Ghias, CEO, Indus Motors.
Corporate heads stressed that the society needs to be more
aware about climate change and the moral argument for
climate action is as equally important as the business
argument. Members of LEAD Pakistan’s Advisory Board on
Climate Change, including former Federal Minister for
Education, Science and Technology, Dr. Shams Kassim Lakha,
Advisor, Science and Technology /Minister of State, Planning
Commission, Dr. Ishfaq Ahmad, Professor, Boston University,
Dr. Adil Najam – USA were also present at the occasion.
Programme Manager Climate Change, LEAD International (UK),
Alex Hannant, delivered a presentation on Climate Leaders to
urge corporate leaders to exercise leadership for climate
action.
The British High Commission, the Ministry of Environment and the
City District Government were partners for this event. Other
partners included the University of Manchester (UK), Boston
University (USA), Pakistan Metrological Department, Global
Change Impact Study Center and the International Business
Leaders Forum (UK). Sponsors of the event included the
Henrich Boll Foundation, Overseas Investors Chamber of
Commerce and Industry, Pakistan State Oil, Engro Chemicals
Limited, and the Pakistan Tobacco Company.
There was immense media coverage of the event from all leading
newspapers and TV channels in Pakistan. Press releases and
electronic coverage of the event can be downloaded from our
Corporate Summit website
www.lead.org.pk/cscc
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Media Summit on Climate Change
February 18, 2009
Avari Towers, Karachi
“Climate
solutions at the individual and collective level need to be
determined, as climate is a reality which cannot be
ignored,” stated Shazia Marri, Minister of Information and
Archives, government of Sindh, during the Media Summit on
Climate Change, organized by LEAD Pakistan in collaboration
with Shazia Marri, on February 18, 2009 in Karachi. The
Media Summit sensitized and enhanced awareness of media
about climate change. Distinguished media experts from Sindh
attended the Media Summit, including Hamid Haroon, CEO, DAWN
Media Group and Arshad Zuberi, CEO, Business Recorder.
Dr. Adil
Najam, Professor, Boston University, USA, delivered a
presentation on Climate Change: Recommendations and
Opportunities, during the Media Summit, highlighting climate
issues, impacts and recommendations pertinent to Pakistan
and in particular, Sindh.
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Paper on Corporate Response to Climate
Change launched
February 18, 2009
Karachi Press Club
LEAD Pakistan launched occasional research paper, titled
Corporate Response to Climate Change in Pakistan by Dr.
Harish Kumar Jeswani, at the Karachi Press Club, on February
18, 2009. Dr. Jeswani, a Research Associate from the
University of Manchester, UK, is an eminent researcher with
a doctorate in climate change. This paper represents one of
the first researches in Pakistan on corporate response to
climate change. The paper also recommends several measures
to encourage more proactive responses from companies in
Pakistan.
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Climate Change : Emerging Issues and
Recommendations for Punjab
February 17, 2009
Chief Minister Punjab’s Secretariat,
Lahore
A talk by Dr. Adil Najam, Professor, Boston University, USA
on Climate Change:
Emerging Issues and Recommendations for Punjab was held at
the Chief Minister Punjab’s Secretariat in Lahore, on
February 17, 2009. This talk was arranged in collaboration
with the Government of Punjab to engage parliamentarians and
policy makers on the climate issue. About 70
parliamentarians and members of the provincial cabinet and
legislative attended the talk. Distinguished leaders,
including Punjab’s Minister for Environment, Sardar Dost
Muhammad Khan Khosa, Chairman, Chief Minister’s Task Force
for Environment, Dr. Owais Farooqui, and Secretary
Environment Punjab, Dr. Zafar Nasrullah, attended the talk.
Dr. Adil Najam, highlighted the impacts of climate change on
Pakistan and in particular, Punjab to the parliamentarians,
so that effective measures could be taken at the policy
level to address this issue.
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Communicating Climate Change
February 17, 2009
LEAD House, Islamabad
To explore the latest communications and engagement
approaches with regards to climate change, a day long
training workshop titled Communicating Climate Change
was organized on February 17, by LEAD Pakistan, at LEAD
House, Islamabad.
Alex Hannant, Programme Manger, LEAD International,
facilitated the sessions on creating linkages between
climate change communications and behavior change. The
training dispelled myths increased participants’
understanding in relation to effective engagement on the
issue of climate change and provided a methodological
approach to designing effective communications and
engagement strategies and campaigns.
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ADB-Climate Change Implementation Plan
February 16, 2009
Islamabad
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has identified climate
change as one of five core long term operational activities.
ADB is mandated by its Management Committee to develop
Climate Change Implementation Plan (CCIP). Undertaking
planning for the initiative at the regional level, the
Central and West Asian Department of ADB, which also covers
Pakistan, has drafted a regional CCIP to outline
key investment opportunities for climate change mitigation
and adaptation
interventions in the region.
Seeking multi-sectoral feedback on the drafted CCIP, ADB and
LEAD Pakistan jointly organized a consultative workshop in
Islamabad on February 16, 2009. Attending the consultation
were imminent stakeholders from government, civil society,
research and development partners to review the ADB’s
regional climate change strategy and assess its
appropriateness in the country specific context. Discussions
revolved around the four interrelated elements of the CCIP
strategy, namely policy development, adaptation, mitigation
and carbon market development.
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2nd National Training Session:
Climate Change-Exploring Adaptation Strategies for Pakistan
(Cohort 13)
January 12 – 16, 2009
LEAD Pakistan, Islamabad
LEAD Pakistan organized a five day training for the mid
career professionals on the theme of Climate Change:
Exploring Adaptation Strategies for Pakistan. The
training was scheduled from January 12th – 16th, 2009 at LEAD
House, Islamabad. This training was a part of the Leadership
Development Programme for Cohort 13.
The training revolved around the overall objective of
considering strategies for adapting to climate change, in
particular to water, agriculture, and infrastructure sectors
in Pakistan. The session also summarized the key
internal interests that need to be considered in the
formulation of major national policies related to climate
change and the external negotiating position of Pakistan.
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Megacities and
Climate Change – “Sustainable Cities in a Changing World”
November 16-22,
2008
Mexico
To discuss the impact of increased urbanization on our
environment and challenges of ever increasing Climate
Change, LEAD International organized an International
Session on
Megacities and Climate Change,
at Mexico City from November 16-22, 2008.
The
International Session aimed to spearhead a debate on the
role of leadership in addressing the direct and indirect
problems of climate change in megacities. Placing the debate
in the context of the world’s third – largest megacity,
Mexico City, the session focused on exploring the
opportunities and challenges presented under the following
key issues of: Water and Sanitation, Energy production and
consumption, Land Use and Urban Development, and Urban
Transport and Mobility.
More than 150 LEADER’s (Associates, Cohort 13 and Fellows)
from all 14 member programmes, participated in the seven
day, training programme. Through presentations, interactive
panel discussions, dialogues and site visits, participants
were provided the opportunity to better understand the
aforementioned four core issues, placing them in a local
dimension while also considering the broader picture, of how
these issues impact at a global level and interact with
cross cutting themes, like governance. The Minister for the
local government and rural development, and other renowned
professionals talked through the various sessions as faculty
and speakers.
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MoU signed between
LEAD Pakistan and Global Change Impact Studies Centre
October 28,
2008
Islamabad,
Pakistan
LEAD Pakistan and the
Global Change Impact Studies Centre (GCISC) signed a MoU on
October 28, 2008 to formally extend institutional support to
each other for furthering the Climate Change agenda.
According to terms of agreement both organizations pledged
to share strategic benefits of research and capacity
building for supporting a range of climate change
initiatives undertaken by both partners.
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Ecological Footprinting Technology in
Pakistan
As part of its Corporate Greening mission, LEAD Pakistan is
set to pilot the project “Climate Change Mitigation:
Greening Organizations to Reduce Ecological Footprints”. The
project intends to adopt scientific and evidence based
approaches for raising awareness of climate change and
sustainable development among the target audience and will
introduce the innovative Ecological Footprinting (EF)
technology in Pakistan. The EF calculator developed by the
project will be promoted among target organizations in
Pakistan as a consumption planning tool and will guide
decision makers on reducing the ecological impacts of their
work related activities. Information of applying and
utilizing the technology will be provided to selected
organizations through training workshops, documentaries and
case studies.
The project is co-sponsored by the APFED Showcase Program,
2008
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The Planning Commission Task Force on
Climate Change
October 14, 2008
Islamabad,
Pakistan
Mr. Ali Tauqeer Sheikh (National Program Director, LEAD
Pakistan) has been selected as a member of the task force
established by The Planning Commission to address the
challenges related to the phenomenon of climate change. The
task force comprises prominent scholars, renowned scientists
and managers, having vast experience in dealing with the
subject. Science and Technology Adviser/Minister of State
Planning Commission Dr Ishfaq Ahmad, a prominent scholar and
a highly reputed scientist would chair the task force. It would be co-chaired by former
chairman of WAPDA Shamsul Mulk, who is considered an
authority on Pakistan’s water resources.
The task force will comprehend the scope of impact due to
the climate change to Pakistan’s economy and devise
guidelines for mitigation and adaptation to cope with the
challenges. Besides, it will evaluate institutional
weaknesses and suggest measures for strengthening the
capacity of relevant institutions in addition to promoting
programme for advocacy and awareness.
Mr. Sheikh, will represent the civil society on this forum
and will contribute based on the experience that it has
gained in the area of
Climate Change. LEAD Pakistan is well poised to advise
the task force as they have policy advice structure in
place, that are An Advisory Board
consisting of eminent experts, the National Network on Climate
Change (NNCC) and the Knowledge
Network on Climate Change (KNCC), for furthering
the climate change agenda and promoting knowledge exchange
and communication among diverse actors.
Ambassador Shafqat Kakakhel, former United Nations
Environment Programme deputy executive director, who has
vast international experience at policy level and is well
versed with the challenges and opportunities associated with
climate change in Pakistan’s context, is also a member of
the task force. The other members include Environment
Secretary Khushnood Ahmed Lashari, WAPDA Chairman Shakeel
Ahmed Durrani, Pakistan Meteorological
Department Director General Dr Qamar-uz-Zaman and Global
Change Impact Study Centre Executive Director Dr Arshad M
Khan.
http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=140902
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008\10\14\story_14-10-2008_pg5_16
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ASEM Seminar on Adaptation to Climate Change
October 02-03, 2008
Tokyo, Japan
As a result of our credible work related to Climate Change,
LEAD Pakistan was invited to attend the seminar under
the auspices of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) on Adaptation
to Climate Change. Ms. Dina Khan represented LEAD Pakistan
at the seminar jointly organized by the European
Commission and the Government of Japan, held on
October 2008 in Tokyo, Japan.
This forum was an opportunity for participating
countries and organizations to showcase policy and research
developments, as well as future plans to address the issue
of Adaptation. Ms. Dina Khan presented LEAD
Pakistan's work in a
presentation. The Chair's conclusions will feed into the ASEM Summit, to be held in Beijing in late October. Further
event information can be found at:
http://www.aseminfoboard.org/Calendar/Activities/?id=243
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2008 Asia – Pacific Leadership Programme
On Environment for Sustainable Development
September
15-20, 2008
Tongji University, Shanghai, China
http://www.rrcap.unep.org/leadership/ptcp.cfm
Our colleague from LEAD Pakistan, Isma Sana from training
unit shares reflections from her recent visit to China, as
she participated in 2008 Asia – Pacific Leadership Programme
on Environment for Sustainable Development, held from 15th
to 20th September in Tongji Institute of Environment for
Sustainable Development, Shanghai, China.
The Asia Pacific Leadership Programme aims to improve the
overall thinking and decision making abilities of young and
emerging leaders working with government organizations, NGOs
and private enterprises in the Asia - Pacific Region, direct
and guide them to take into account the balance between
environment and sustainable development in decision making
and foster their insight, enabling them to coordinate
factors of human, environment and sustainable development,
while dealing with complex rather demanding practical
problems.
Read
more about the reflections, experiences and
international exposure
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MoU signed between LEAD Pakistan and Pakistan
Meteorological Department
July 08, 2008
Islamabad, Pakistan
An MoU was signed between LEAD Pakistan and PMD with the
intention to promote collaboration and coordination on a
broad range of climate change activities. The agreement
states that:
PMD and LEAD wish to support each other in their work and
provide strategic benefits of research, management,
training, and development programs on Climate Change.
-
PMD agrees to collaborate with LEAD in utilizing
knowledge and expertise for designing and implementing
development activities that can be effective in the
field of Climate Change. PMD and LEAD will work
together, in a mutually beneficial arrangement to
advance the use of said expertise and knowledge. This
MOU may be amended, modified and/or extended only by
mutual consent and in writing from both of the Parties
hereto.
-
LEAD agrees to work with PMD to identify and establish
relationships which, mobilize, capacitate and provide
training to communities and stakeholders at various
levels to effectively work on the identified climate
change issues and to provide services tailored to their
needs.
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