News & Events

The LEAD Network is constantly working towards achieving a sustainable future, these news items give an indication of the breadth and diversity of our work such as our capacity building programmes, innovative projects, the successes of LEAD Fellows, and effective international networking.

 

Ask questions from scientists & key Govt officials about climate extreme & disasters in Asia

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) and local partners are hosting an outreach event on ‘Managing the Risks of Climate Extremes and Disasters in Asia – What can we learn from the IPCC Special Report?’ at Le Meridien, New Delhi, India on 2 – 3 May 2012.

This event forms one of a series of outreach events taking place around the world in April and May 2012, which are designed to provide information about the possible impacts of climate extremes and disasters by region, and options for managing the potential risks arising from them, as assessed in the IPCC Special Report.

A press conference for the event will be held on Wednesday 2 May, 12.30 IST / GMT+4.30 and streamed online at http://cdkn.org/srex/

The Press Conference will be moderated by Robert Donkers, Minister Counsellor for Environment, Delegation of the European Union to India. A panel of regional experts, practitioners and policy-makers will make an initial 3-minute introduction on the findings of the IPCC SREX report and the implications for South Asia.

·         Dr R K Pachauri - IPCC Chairman

·         Hon'ble M. Shashidhar Reddy, Vice Chairman, National Disaster Management Authority, India

·         Mr Krishna Gyawali - Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Government of Nepal

·         Dr Zafar Iqbal Qadir - Chairman, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Pakistan 

There will then be 15 minutes available for questions from the press. Clare Goodess, IPCC SREX author, will also be available at the press conference to answer any technical questions related to the report.

For journalists in Islamabad, you are invited to watch the press conference from LEAD Pakistan’s office, LEAD House, F-7 Markaz, Islamabad. From here you will have the opportunity to ask questions to the panel. Please inform Abbas Mushtaq amushtaq@lead.org.pk (+92 (51) 265 15 11) if you would like to take up this opportunity.

Please find attached a media advisory, as well as two IPCC press releases and the agenda for the event. For more information, and to watch the entire event live, please visit http://cdkn.org/srex/.

Leadership Development Program (LDP) Cohort 16 & 17 to attend CBA-6 at Hanoi Vietnam

The Regional training session is an integral part of Leadership Development Program as it encourages learning from different countries. The Leadership Development Program understands that the challenges of sustainable development are growing day by day. The only way to begin to address these challenges is through the adaptation of sustainable models of development at the local, regional and global levels.

This year, as part of the Regional Training Session for Leadership Development Program Cohort-16 and Cohort-17 will be attending the Sixth International Conference on Community-based Adaptation (CBA 6) at Hanoi, Vietnam from 19 - 22 April 2012. LEAD Pakistan is also an official sponsor for this conference.

The four days of interactive conference focuses on communicating how communities are adapting to Climate Change. There will be different sessions focusing on different themes related to climate change. This conference holds great importance for our Associates in terms of learning and experience sharing with other participants (expected to have 200 participants from all across the world) from different countries and also to share knowledge on adaptation models being tested and applied.

The conference is planned to be held at the Melia Hotel in Hanoi, Vietnam. The conference consists of a plenary session and a number of parallel, interactive discussions relating to the following thematic areas:

• Communicating about climate change at global, regional, national, and local levels

• Scaling up Community-based adaptation

• Water resources

• Biodiversity and forests

• Urban areas

• Coastal zones, dry lands, drought prone areas, mountainous areas and floodplains

• Food and agriculture

• Human health

• Disaster risk reduction/management

• Gender equality and integration

• Vulnerable communities (including indigenous people)

• Monitoring, evaluation and tools

• Economics

• Climate change and adaptation: information, knowledge, education and awareness

 

Framing Responses: Journalist Workshop on Climate Change Impacts and Challenges

20-22 March, 2012

LEAD Pakistan, Heinrich Boll Stiftung Pakistan

 

A three-day workshop titled "Framing Responses: Journalist Workshop on Climate Change Impacts and Challenges" being organized by LEAD Pakistan in collaboration with Heinrich Boll Stiftung Pakistan was held on 20-21 March, 2012 at local hotel.

The workshop organized for journalists (mid to junior level from print and electronic media) from India and Pakistan in Islamabad, will be facilitated by internationally recognized trainers and experts. Subject matter specialists as well as practitioners from the government, NGOs and civil society will be invited to have interactive discussion and presentations on the impacts of climate change and requisite responses. Through a participatory learning approach, the participants will be sensitized on various issues and challenges. Training will include activities such as interactive talks/discussions, presentations, group work, case studies, role plays, videos and field visits.

The proposed workshop will bring journalists from India and Pakistan together to discuss how climate change will affect their region and what can be done at a local and possibly a regional level through media awareness and action planning at micro and meso level.

At the end of the workshop, what we achieved was;

A set of recommendations developed by the participants on the effective role of journalism in raising climate change awareness;
A group of journalists in India and Pakistan sensitized on climate change issues, challenges and possible responses; and
An e-mail based network of participating journalists, policy makers, climate change negotiators, scientists/ subject News articles and blogs in the newspapers (English, Urdu or local languages) in India and Pakistan on the issues covered during the training workshop.
 

Climate Asia Communication20-21 March, 2012

BBC Media Action, LEAD Pakistan
 

A two-day workshop on Climate Asia Communication being organized by BBC Media Action in collaboration with Leadership for Environment and Development (LEAD) Pakistan was held on 20-21 March, 2012 at the Islamabad Club.

The purpose of the workshop is to share key insights on climate change and communications more widely and to develop ideas for outputs that will benefit both audiences and communicators. The output from the workshops will directly impact the research and strategy process of the BBC Action's Climate Asia project as a whole. Participating organizations will be considered privileged partners in the communications strategy process.

The Climate Asia project spans seven countries in Asia – Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Pakistan and Vietnam – and has two goals: firstly- to create an evidence base for knowledge and attitudes on climate change across the region and secondly- to design communications solutions that can be used by vulnerable communities and influencers to deepen understanding and enable action.

For more details please contact Abbas Mushtaq at amushtaq@lead.org.pk.

Training course on Developing Local Adaptation Plans of Action for Climate Change Resilience concludes at LEAD house, February 18, 2012

ISLAMABAD: A three day training course on “Developing Local Adaptations Plans of Action for Climate Change Resilience” was concluded at lead house on Thursday where climate change experts and participants tested a training module and a toolkit of local adaptation plan of action for its efficiency and effectiveness.

The training was organized by LEAD Pakistan and it focuses on developing strategies and action plan as preventive measures for further damages if natural disasters occur in regions like Southern Punjab, Sindh and Swat.

The three days training was attended by seven participants belonging to international non-profit organizations where experts of climate change sensitized them on various climate change issues. The master trainers were trained on awareness raising issues regarding climate change and developed Model plans to help other community based NGOs design mitigation and adaptation strategies in their respective areas.

Activities in the training session included interactive talks/discussions between experts and participants, presentations from experts, group work between participants and video documentaries related to climate change and its impacts Globally, Regionally and Nationally.

Speaking to concluding ceremony the CEO LEAD Pakistan Ali Tauqeer Sheikh said that this training is a pilot project and in this regard, a dry run is planned to be conducted and it aims to enable the Master Trainers to plan, integrate and mobilize climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies at the local level. He emphasized the need of empowering grassroots communities to cope with climate change, based on specific, vulnerability Assessments, tools & analyses.

The Project Manager Umara Asim said in the ending remarks that adapting to climate change will entail adjustments and changes at every level. She said that the most appropriate approach in Pakistan can be a bottom up approach in form of an action plan which the master trainers have successful tested during the training. 

• Agenda
• Presentations
  › Science of Climate Change
  › Impact of Climate Change
  › Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies
  › Climate Change situation in South Asia
• Update
• Communications
• Media Coverage
  › Daily Times
  › The Frontier Post

Serious steps needed to protect child during disasters: DO PDMA February 09, 2012

MULTAN: Director Operations Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Ahmed Ranjwana has stressed the need for making serious steps for child protection in general and in disasters specifically.

He was addressing as chief guest at a one day training session on “Child Protection in Disasters” held on February 09, 2012 at a local hotel.

The training was organized by Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Punjab in collaboration of UNICEF and LEAD Pakistan. 

Referring to recent flood disasters in Pakistan, Director Operations said that this aspect has not given due priority however frameworks and policies are being prepared to protect and mainstream child issues.

Training coordinator Jawad Ullah explained United Nations Convention on Rights of Child (UNCRC) to participants and linked relevant to issues during emergencies. While referring to his experience in recent emergencies, he sensitized participants with separated, accompanied and unaccompanied issues in local cultural and religious context. Issue of birth registration, distribution of relief items to under-age un-accompanied children were discussed in detail.

During briefing on Draft Policy document on child protection, he said that National consultation has been done and draft is in final stages of approval at provincial level.

The training Workshop was attended by more than 60 representatives of 10 districts in Multan, Bahawalpur and Dera Ghazi Khan. These included Representatives of district government, Rescue 1122, line departments, TMA, PHED and civil society.

Speaker series on mainstreaming on RH in social development held, February 13, 2012

LAHORE: Speakers at a seminar, titled ‘Mainstreaming Reproductive Health (RH) in Pakistan’, organised by LEAD Pakistan, emphasised on the need for concerted effort to help improve reproductive health indicators in the country.

They impressed upon the fact that without a cohesive strategy, including economic, health and environmental indicators, Pakistan’s current deplorable situation could not be improved.

The seminar, held at Kinnaird College (KC) for Women on Friday, aimed at creating awareness among leaders from non-reproductive health background about the concept of RH beyond a bio-medical approach, to enhance understanding of implications of RH on individuals, communities and societies and to develop ideas, through real-life examples, for non-RH professionals to incorporate RH initiatives into their organisational structure and circle of influence.

Among the notable speakers were renowned philanthropist and Adviser to Packages Limited Syed Babar Ali, former chancellor of Agha Khan University Shams Kassim Lakha, Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) Vice Chancellor Adil Najam, Country Adviser of David and Lucile Packard Foundation Dr Yasmeen Sabeeh Qazi, KC Vice Principal Dr Nikhat Khan and CEO of Leadership for Environment and Development (LEAD) Pakistan Ali Tauqeer Sheikh.

Speaking on the occasion, Ali Tauqeer said that LEAD had launched a new project “Our World” –Women Leadership in Reproductive and Health (WLRDH) in collaboration with David & Lucile Packard Foundation to assist in raising the profile of RH in social development sector by mainstreaming RH issues through public policy engagement and media.

Adviser Packages Ltd Syed Babar Ali said that one of the main problems of the country was uncontrolled population growth. He gave the example of Bangladesh, which at the time of partition was faced with numerous crisis but was able to reverse the situation to a great extent by controlling its population growth.

Meanwhile, Adil Najam said that the country was likely to face scarcity of clean drinking water and shortage of water resources in the days to come. He said that there was a direct relation between poverty, education, health and women empowerment. He also advised the youth to acquire leadership qualities, not the political or positional leadership found in government institutions but the real leadership qualities found in parents and teachers, who are the mainstream leaders of society.

In her concluding remarks, Dr Yasmeen Sabeeh Qazi stressed on the international significance of reproductive health as being essential for achieving all Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). She said that according to a recent study, the situation of reproductive health in Pakistan was not satisfactory because the government as well as society was not playing its required role. Courtesy Daily Times

 

Pilot Training on "Developing Local Adaptations Plans of Action for Climate Change Resilience"
14th, 15th and 16th of February 2012
LEAD House, Islamabad

LEAD Pakistan is introducing a training course on “Developing Local adaptations plans of action for Climate change resilience”. The training focuses on developing local adaption plans of action which can be used by the local community as preventive measures for further damages if natural disasters occur. This initiative tends to empower the provinces to respond to climate change. The area currently under our study is Sindh and Punjab.

Aims and Objectives:

This training is a pilot project and in this regard, a dry run is planned to be conducted and it aims to enable 10-15 Master Trainers (ideally two from each INGOs) to plan, integrate and mobilize climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies at the local level. Also, since this a pilot project, the selected master trainers will provide feedback on the learning outcomes of the training and how useful it is in terms of adaptation.

Learning Outcomes:

• Increased awareness about climate change issues at the regional, national and international levels and clear understanding of the science of climate change.

• Better understanding of predicted climate impacts and the associate risks

• Better understanding of strategies, policies and plans prepared at the global level, regional level and their implication/compliance at national level.

• Better understanding of the effects of climate change on human health and environment.

• Better understanding of the role of communities in climate change mitigation planning and implementation.

• Increased knowledge of best practice in terms of adaptation actions relevant to planning services.

• Increased knowledge of designing and executing plans for further trainings regarding climate change adaptation and mitigation at the local level.

Target group

The training course is designed for INGOs and the expected audience is mid level managers working closely with the community, Social organizers or professionals who aspire to link this with climate change adaptation. We would be requiring two participants each from different INGOs.

Length of the course: 3 days

Methodology

Through an interactive participatory learning approach, the participants will be sensitized on various climate change issues. The master trainers will be actively trained to raise awareness regarding climate change and make plans to help other community based NGOs design mitigation and adaptation strategies in their respective areas. Activities will include interactive talks/discussions, presentations, group work, and video documentaries. Relevant reading material will be provided to participants to broaden their perspectives and prepare them to make their final plans.

Outcome

The expected outcome from this pilot project is a practically more useable module and toolkit for implementing for ground level adaptation and mitigation strategies.

Certificate

Participants will be granted a Certificate of Attendance.
 

Seminar on LRH-Paradigm held in Lahore, December 20, 2011

LEAD Pakistan held a seminar entitled “ Leadership for Reproductive Health  (LRH)– Paradigm” to share the district leadership model of reproductive health of  Khairpur . The participants belonged to health department (population welfare department , directorate of health services Punjab, Planning & Development Department – Punjab ) , civil  society ( HANDS, Shirkat Gah,  Rahumna – FPAP, Marie Stopes Society , Agahe, Bunyad Foundation, DAMEN, AIDS -Awareness and  Prevention Society etc  ) ,  academia  (A llama Iqbal Medical College), Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Jinnah Hospital Lahore  ), research Institutions  (Phoenix Foundation for Research & Development ) etc.

Dr. Suleman Qazi, Chief Technical Advisor LEAD Pakistan shared the theoretical framework of the project and explained the rationale and the theoretical underpinnings of LRH model. This project aims to address outstanding gaps in Reproductive Health (RH) by developing and enabling the leadership capacity of a cadre of key, multi-sectoral stakeholders. The project has provided training to a selected group of mid to senior level professionals on RH issues, Leadership, Strategic Planning, Management, Monitoring and Social Mobilization. This was followed by presentation by Waqas Sheikh, Project Coordinator who  spoke about the 2 pronged approach of the project, one aimed to being a change at policy level and the second at the c ommunity level. 

A video documentary was also shown that told the project journey, its purpose, important milestones and the impact at the community and policy level.

The review of  “Health Facility Management Team “  (HFMT) was given by Mr. Safdar Bhatti, Leadership for Reproductive Health Cohort Fellow. The innovative idea of HMTs have demonstrated that if residents or community are engaged  at the local level , they are much more productive than the District Health Management Team. (DHMT)

The review of Cohort Action Teams (CAT) was given by Aumir Mangi- Leadership for Reproductive Health Cohort Fellow. CAT is also a unique idea of multi layered engagement of the opinion leaders such as religious leaders , media , eminent political leaders and lady health workers. The experience of CAT identified the categories of religious figures , their potential, limitation and area of influence.  CAT has pointed out that there is a great need of sensitizing the local political leadership not only about the basic of RH and its implication in the development . CAT Media has been successful in demonstrating that media is receptive to RH issues and can be sensitized to report and educated masses on RH matters. 

The  cohorts unique initiative of engaging with out of school girls generated great interest.  There was a presentation on “Girl Leader Engagement “by Syeda Yumna Hasany, Program Assistant – LEAD Pakistan that focused on leadership and capacity building  of out of school girls. This was an innovative feature of the project , through which 22 young girls between the age of 18-22 underwent 6 months training on different aspects of basic hygiene, reproductive health, social mobilization and leadership and communication.  These girls were agents of change as they not only reached out to their peers but also to other members of the community. As a result the girls have become sensitized not only about RH issues but they are discussing issues like right to information and education, early child marriages and gender rights.

Climate Vulnerable Forum delivers powerful message to the world, November 21, 2011

Nineteen of the world’s most vulnerable countries to climate change delivered a powerful message calling unanimously for a legally- binding agreement for implementing the UNFCCC, in an impressive meeting held in Dhaka, Bangladesh on November 13-14, 2011.

The meeting was inaugurated by UN Secretary General, Ban-Ki Moon and attended by ministers of the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF)– a body of counties facing major climate change challenges. The Forum Declaration is of particular significance in view of the fact that it has been issued days before COP 17 will be held in Durban.

The Declaration calls for urgent adoption of a comprehensive and legally-binding global agreement capable of fully attaining the objectives of the UNFCCC. It also reaffirms the commitment by climate vulnerable countries to focus on adaptation, particularly in the short term in order to minimise immediate danger, and calls on developed countries to support the implementation of schemes. Similarly, the declaration recognises an urgent need for technology transfer from the international community as a means of ensuring fuller and more pragmatic technological developments.

The forum reminded the world that the survival of people, and even countries, is at stake. As Sheik Hasina, Honorable Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Bangladesh, said in his address:

“Climate change caused over 300,000 additional deaths last year. We the vulnerable countries suffer the most for our limited coping capacities. Bangladesh and other vulnerable countries could not wait for international response to climate causes…we are implementing 134 climate change adaptation and mitigation action plans.”

CDKN is supporting developing countries, through the Climate Vulnerable Forum, the Advocacy Fund and other initiatives, to take a leadership role in the UNFCCC negotiations.

As the forum declaration itself proclaims, the CVF is not waiting for the industrialized world to act on climate change.

“We are resolved, as vulnerable states, to demonstrate moral leadership by committing to a low-carbon development path on a voluntary basis within the limitations of our respective capabilities, which are to a large extent externally determined by the availability of appropriate financial and technological support and call on all other nations to follow the moral leadership.”

CDKN supported DARA to provide assistance to the Government of Bangladesh as hosts of the 2011 CVF. Briefing Notes provided the most up to date evidence on the impact of climate change to delegates and will be a useful resource for the upcoming COP 17.

With CDKN support, the CVF received high-profile attention and participation. Coverage by Al Jazeera, BBC, The Washington Post and a lot more,guaranteed the forum’s message is heard around the world.
One World provided online coverage of the forum and interviewed some of the key players, including Ahmed Naseem, Maldives Foreign Minister, José MaríaFigueres, former President of Costa Rica, and SaleemulHuq CDKN Asia’ Climate Change Advisor.

The 19 signatory countries who adopted the declaration are: Afghanistan, Bangladesh (chair), Bhutan, Costa Rica, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Kiribati, Madagascar, Maldives, Nepal, Philippines, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and Vietnam.

Earthly matters: Less talk more action needed


The planet might be getting warmer and climate disasters might be more frequent, but it seems that the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) talks are not making any headway..  Read More

 

 

Explosion of solar power in Bangladesh, July 08, 2011

Guest CDKN blogger, journalist Abu Rushd Md. Ruhul Amin, reports from Bangladesh on the extraordinary rise in solar power generation in the country, and the policy frameworks that have aided its growth. Read more

 

Harnessing media potential in the fight against climate change, July 08, 2011

CDKN's Fayyaz Ahmad Khan reviews the recent Climate Change Media Partnership report on why the media should matter more to policy-makers tackling climate change in the developing world. Read more

 

A new climate ‘order’

Nero played the violin while Rome burnt. World leaders these days are not as insensitive, so they play politics – an exercise of shifting blames and responsibilities. This is why the climate change negotiations — as the earth chokes — remains entangled in, well, politics. And the recently concluded session in Bonn was no exception, — much to the delight of the political scientists.

 

While academics can afford to gloss over theories, hegemonies, and orders in geopolitics, time for many countries is running out. Science of climate change is scaring the hell out of them. Others, not as scared, feel outright fatigued. There is little hope in their minds about any outcome in Durban CoP also later this year.

But amidst inordinate delays and inexplicably stretched debates that now threaten any meaningful reduction of green house gas emissions in the immediate future, there was one silver bullet – rightly directed science and research – that got the entire debate back on its ‘right’ track. In Bonn, quite a few research reports were published that pressed the panic button so hard that it got the negotiations back on the track that was deftly abandoned in Copenhagen in 2009 and further neglected in Cancun last year.

This piece of science, thanks to UNEP initially and now Ecofys and others, is now being used as the main tool of negotiations by developing countries – the ever widening gap between what kind of emission reduction is required and what we have got on the table from countries. Future of Kyoto Protocol was back in the negotiations again, countries including India made it clear during Bonn negotiations that it was non-negotiable. Though that does in no way ensure an extension of KP neither it implies that even with a legally binding commitment, countries would be ‘accountable’ (with ineffective punitive clauses in KP itself), it is at least the right move by the South in a time when voluntary pledges were all it was left to deal with climate change.

Weary and disgusted Southern countries should in fact take a leaf out of the book of the developed countries which seem so committed to their respective domestic pressures in not accepting any binding commitment. If George Bush can insist that the American way of life is non-negotiable, developing countries surely have a right to emphasise on development of the poorest of the poor as equally non-negotiable. The fate of climate negotiations must elicit an emission reduction regime that would not compromise development of billions of underdeveloped people across the world. India in fact has the lion’s share of them, about 650 million, and despite its belligerent claims of development and vertiginous growth, the country has failed miserably in improving upon excruciating poverty and human development indices which are often are poorer than many parts of the African continent.

Bonn did not throw up any surprises, and many of the negotiators felt that they were engaged in an unproductive exercise as they did not have the political mandate to take impromptu political decisions. In the corridors of Maritim Hotel in Bonn, hapless negotiators kept on discussing how unequipped they were in this round of negotiations as the deadlocks could only be solved politically.

Other aspects of negotiation, such as adaptation, technology and finance under AW-LCA track have progressed with mandatory hiccups, dictated by various obvious economic interests. Sources of long term financial cooperation remain unexplored still, thanks to the US. The political will seems lacking here as well, and decisions are pending still.

India, owing to its might, must take a leadership role in safeguarding the interest of its people, and the underdeveloped in various parts of the world. A new global order, if indeed inevitable as suggested by the economists, must reflect itself in the climate negotiations as well. Now is the time.

The blog is written by Aditya Ghosh who is an Indian climate change expert and works for the centre for science and environment in Delhi.

Govt of District Khairpur lauds the efforts of LEAD Pakistan in LRH project, June 28, 2011

The District Government of Khairpur, Sindh has lauded the efforts made by LEAD Pakistan in one of its project titled “Enabiling Effective Leadership for Reproductive Health (LRH)” in District Kharpur, Sindh. In a message on the official website of District Khairpur, Sindh the cohort of the LRH project has been called the "most active cohort of the professionals in District". Read More

 

SCOPE fighting desertification, mitigating drought effects in Thar, June 28, 2011

Mithi, Tharparkar: Fast expanding desertification and drought in Thar, caused by unsustainable exploitation of natural resources, loss of vegetation cover and reduced rains, has gravely threatened survival of the livestock, local people and wildlife in the area. Read what Saleem Shaikh, a development journalist says about this.  Read More

 

 

 

Cancun to Durban via Bonn June 24, 2011

In an exclusive blog for CDKN, Dr. Saleem ul Haq, Senior Fellow Climate Change Group, the International Institute for Environment and Development, London, gives a detailed account of what happened in UNFCCC talks in Bonn. Read his insider's account of the progress of the talks along with a forecast for the results of CoP17 in Durban, South Africa. Read More

 

Policy Dialogue on Reproductive Health held in Lahore, June 21, 2011

A Policy Dialogue on Reproductive Health was organized by LEAD Pakistan in Lahore today. The basic objective of this Dialogue was to discuss and debate research conducted under “Enabling Effective Leadership for Reproductive Health”, a project of LEAD Pakistan in collaboration with David and Lucile Packard Foundation, and provide recommendations to the government for improvement of the Reproductive Health indicators of Pakistan. Read More

 

Deadlock likely at Bonn climate talks

In his exclusive write up for CDKN,  Mr. Navin Singh Khadka, a senior Nepali Journalists analyses the situation prior to the Bonn climate talks and believes that with the BASIC countries (Brazil, South Africa, India and China) and the G8 lining up on opposite sides of the fence, the prospects of any breakthrough at Bonn are unlikely. Read More... 

 

Fighting climate change is only possible with cheap renewable energy

Tariq Banuri, Director of the United Nations Division for Sustainable Development, argues that making renewable energy available to everyone at an affordable price is the only meaningful way to fight climate change. Read more...


 

Renewable energy to save planet Earth?
 

Syed Ayub Qutab, Executive Director of the Pakistan Institute for Environment & Development Action Research (PIEDAR), gives CDKN an analysis of the recent UNFCCC report on renewable energy. Find out what he has to say about the consequences of a large-scale shift to renewables. Read More

 

 

‘It’s impossible to separate climate from development,’ says UNFCCC Executive Secretary Christiana Figueres. Feb 09, 2011

Climate Change is a development issue and it is completely impossible to separate it from the development. If climate change continues unchecked, the estimation is, the development achievements that the world had made over the past 20 years will be threatened and we will go back in terms of health, agriculture, food security and water availability. The UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has called for this intimate interlining between climate and development to be the focus of Rio+20 [20th anniversary of the 1992 Rio meeting]. And the entire world will be looking at this link between climate change and development, said Christina Figueres, Executive Secretary, United Nations Framework on Climate Change Convention [UNFCCC] in an exclusive interview with Mohammad Shehzad, editor http://www.pol-dev.com/ for Climate Development Knowledge Network [CDKN] and Leadership for Environment And Development [LEAD] Pakistan. more

 

Engaging Decision makers in Health Policy
Regional Training Session (RTS) - II, Leadership for Reproductive Health (LRH) - II
27th - 31st December 2010, BRAC University, Bangladesh

LEAD Pakistan, in collaboration with Institute of Governance Studies at BRAC University organized a second regional training session, in Bangladesh. The training  held at BRAC - CDM Savar from 27th to 31st December 2010 acted as a basis of comparative study of the reproductive health system and reproductive health service delivery between the two countries. This training provided insight of the ground realities regarding the problems and  obstacles faced by the health practitioners providing reproductive health care to the poverty stricken inhabitants of urban slums. It also highlighted the general attitude, behavior and trends in accessing and using knowledge & tools of improving their reproductive health status.  This training showed the practical approach at the policy and community level adopted by the specialists and experts of Bangladesh.

The training was quite beneficial as it provided an opportunity for the cohort members to study health structure &  model , reproductive health policies, health financing , role of public and private stakeholders of Bangladesh and most significantly the methodology , processes , tools and strategies of policy engagement. The cohort members learnt about the micro-finance models of institutions like BRAC  and Gonoshasthaya Kendra. Most importantly , the cohort members learnt the process of policy formulation. The cohort members learnt about the steps of devising polices to engage important stakeholders and it’s  practical implications on health , particularly on  reproductive health. The cohort members will now replicate these models and apply the lessons learnt in their districts of Kahirpur and Lodhran.

Pakistani High Commissioner in Bangladesh, H.E Ashraf Qureshi on a special invitation by LEAD, CEO was the chief guest at the certificate distribution ceremony held on December 30, 2010 together with Dr. Rizwan Khair of IGS – BRAC.

LEAD Pakistan also signed a MOU with the Institute of Governance Studies – BRAC University Bangladesh. Which is a great step towards establishing regional linkages and partnerships.

 

Population, Climate Change and Development - Challenges and Opportunities for a Sustainable Future
International Training Session (ITS)
October 31st - November 6th 2010, Port Elizabeth, South Africa

Each year LEAD International arranges an International Training Session (ITS). The objective behind this is to bring together professionals in different areas from across the globe to learn, debate and share, through a combination of case studies, skills modules and interactive sessions. This year the International Training Session is being held at Port Elizabeth, South Africa from October 31st to November 6th, 2010.

The focus of the session will be on, ‘Population, Climate Change and Development’ and the relationship between climate change and health will be one of the thematic areas covered therein. Participation in this session will not only enable our cohort members to network with relevant stakeholders from around the world; but will also provide them with an opportunity to show case their research work to a much larger audience. Details of the said event are available on; http://southafrica2010.lead.org

 

Project kick-off and planning phase
Women Leadership in Reproductive Health (WLRH)
Oct - Nov 2010, Islamabad

LEAD Pakistan launches Women Leadership in Reproductive Health project with the support of Packard Foundation. The main purpose of the project is to create leadership at national level for Policy change impact so that reproductive health has a higher profile in the development sector, in terms of human rights issues, meeting national social development goals, international commitments and gender equality.

To read more about this project click here

 

Teacher’s training session
Bhit Rural Sustainability Program (BRSP)
30th - 31st October 2010, UC Jhangara, Bhit

Education is one of the core objectives of Bhit Rural Sustainability Program (BRSP). 18 primary schools (2 girls and 16 boys, compromises of 714 students) have been established so far to improve the level of education level in the community.

Every year BRSP arranges capacity building courses for all BRSP school teachers. In this regard, on October 30-31st, 2010, a two days training titled “The effective role of teacher, teaching methodology and lesson planning” was held at Civil Society Support Programme office, Hyderabad. BRSP school teachers expressed their delight and satisfaction regarding the session and expressed their resolve to implement the new skills & teaching tools learnt and improve the quality of education imparted.

 

The Asia-Pacific Climate Change Adaptation Forum 2010
21st - 22nd October 2010, Bangkok, Thailand

The Climate & Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) team from LEAD Pakistan attended the Asia-Pacific Climate Change Adaptation Forum in Bangkok. The forum provided opportunity to share practices, knowledge and experiences on mainstreaming adaptation to climate change into development planning in Asia and the Pacific.

The event attended by more than 500 development practitioners in the region, presented a venue through which tools and mechanisms that support the process of adapting to climate change were shared, and current findings from frontline development and adaptation challenges were showcased. The participatory format of the Adaptation Forum included plenary and keynote sessions, panel discussions, business roundtables, thematic side events, market place, photo and poster exhibitions. The sessions were facilitated by eminent climate scientists, adaptation experts and development planners from the region.

The Adaptation Forum was successful in stimulating regional knowledge sharing and facilitating networking among participants to maximize synergy. It was able to add value to existing country/regional level knowledge platforms and activities to enhance and support cooperation and coordination. Most importantly, it stressed on the link between local level adaptation initiatives with those at national and regional level.

Details of the said event are available on; http://www.asiapacificadapt.net/adaptationforum2010/

 

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(Last updated: April 19, 2012)