New Delhi, 19 JULY 2024:
South Asian University held the first meeting of the proposed Interdisciplinary Centre on Climate Change, Green Transition and Sustainability at its Maidan Garhi Campus. The South Asian region’s fragile ecosystem necessitates a dedicated Interdisciplinary Centre to address issues such as climate change, energy transition, and sustainability.
The impacts of climate change in South Asia are severe, affecting biodiversity, human health, and livelihoods and this requires effective adaptation strategies, tools, skills, and collaborative interventions involving a variety of stakeholders. With a mandate to build knowledge networks across borders, the Interdisciplinary Centre on Climate Change, Green Transition and Sustainability is visualized as a Centre of excellence, that aims to build knowledge networks and bring together academics, policy makers, practitioners, thought leaders and change makers.
Chaired by Professor K K Aggarwal, President, SAU, the gathering was graced by the presence of academics, policy practitioners, and entrepreneurs. During his remark, Prof. K K Aggarwal underscored that South Asian University was envisaged as a space for cutting edge academic, research and technological hub that taps into collective resources available in the region, to foster shared prosperity and promote harmony. The proposed Centre is one step forward in that direction. He said development and sustainability can coexist in our society, and educational and research institutions have a responsibility to create the ecosystem for finding innovative solutions to the challenges posed by climate change.
While setting the context of the Centre, Ambassador Anup K. Mudgal, Former India High Commissioner to Mauritius, underlined the imminent risk posed by climate change. He expressed the necessity for the Global South to question solutions to climate change that necessarily do not speak to these nations. He said solutions could not stand in silos and Global South has to build their own capacity and try to find the right answers to difficult questions concerning climate change and sustainability.
Prof. Pooran Chandra Pandey, the Chair of the Centre’s Committee, made a detailed presentation on the proposed Centre delving into the operational model, funding patterns, activities and initiatives that will be undertaken by the Centre, among others.
The experts and special invitees presented their perspectives about the Centre including its nomenclature, operational model, integration of technology, learning from best practices, attracting talents, possible collaborations and activities.
Prof. Pooran Chandra Pandey also shared his perspective on why South Asian University is an apt location for the Centre.
South Asian University is a unique University, jointly established by the governments of the eight SAARC nations. About half the students in SAU are from India while the remaining half are from the rest of the SAARC countries.