BEIJING: MNN
Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, Dr. Musadik Malik, has described Pakistan and China’s glaciers as a shared natural heritage and a symbol of their common civilization, while addressing the 5th China Xizang Trans-Himalaya Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing.
The minister said China has always stood by Pakistan in both prosperous and difficult times, calling the two countries trusted partners. He stressed that the rapidly accelerating melting of glaciers is increasing the risk of floods, droughts and other climate-related disasters across the region.
Highlighting the human cost of climate change, Dr. Malik said nearly 6,000 people have lost their lives in floods in Pakistan over the past 15 years, while climate-related disasters have displaced around 40 million people and resulted in the loss of approximately 1.8 billion learning days.
He emphasized that joint scientific research and stronger regional cooperation are essential to protect glaciers, urging Himalayan countries to adopt a coordinated strategy to address growing climate challenges.
Dr. Malik also proposed the establishment of a Virtual Green University, a Green Fields Initiative for Youth, and a Green Cloud Platform to support scientific research at public universities. He said these initiatives would promote glacier conservation, climate resilience, sustainable development, green startups, renewable energy, and environmentally friendly technologies.
Concluding his address, the federal minister said the world can learn from Xizang’s model of balancing development with environmental protection, adding that collective responsibility, scientific collaboration, and international cooperation are vital to effectively combat climate change.
