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Afia salam
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Climate Sans Frontieres

afiasalam by afiasalam
March 2, 2009
Home Stories Environment
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Newsline, 2 March 2009

While the formation of organisations like Médecins Sans Frontières and Reporters Sans Frontières spelled hope that human-rights issues were finally transcending boundaries, the ‘sans frontières’ element does not always stand for all that is positive. The indiscriminate use, misuse and abuse of the bounties of nature have earned us the wrath of Mother Nature, who is now punishing us through a climate sans frontières, which is impacting the lives and livelihoods of all who come in its wake.

Scientists and environmentalists have been sounding out a warning about the looming spectre of climate change. However, their voices were drowned by the din of consumerism. An ostrich-like approach of governments lacking long-term vision and steeped in a prosperous ‘here and now’ mentality, have resulted in unprecedented environmental degradation. This is why the rejoicing over the booming economies of the West, followed by the emerging economies of China and India, seems so misplaced to people who have been sounding a note of caution about the manner in which this prosperity has come about.

Many communities are already facing the effects of climate change through depleting water resources, advancing deserts, melting glaciers, vanishing fish stock, soil degradation leading to lowering of crop yields and sea intrusion into coastal areas, washing away cultivable land and impacting the lives and livelihoods of coastal communities.
drounghtIsland nations like the Maldives, already below sea level, run the risk of going under due to rising sea levels because of global warming.

However, the threats posed by climate change are not distant ones. Closer to home, despite the fact that Pakistan produces just 0.4% or so of the greenhouse gases emitted annually worldwide, it still ranks 12th on the list of countries most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.

Just go along the coast of Thatta and Badin and you will see how the sea intrusion has played havoc with the area – fights over water have always been a part of the political landscape, and are rapidly gaining decibels – and how the patterns of food crop production have changed.

If these impacts are quantified, then documented figures show that environmental degradation cause economic losses of Rs 365 billion annually, which amounts to 6% of the GDP.

Degradation of resources is not the only thing Pakistan has to contend with. Issues of food security and the rising costs of energy will remain in the forefront, driving other imperatives like health, education and gender mainstreaming onto the back burner. The costs to health are likely to go up due to climate change. Warmer climes are ideal breeding grounds for the malarial mosquito, which is likely to make its way up from the plains to the mountains. Changing weather patterns resulting in cyclones and floods risk millions of lives through the subsequent outbreaks of diarrhea.

coastalLoss of livelihood in traditional locations will lead to migration to seemingly richer urban areas, adding further strain on an infrastructure already stretched beyond limits. Problems of strain on utilities, energy consumption, waste management and pollution will again be multiplied. This in itself has resulted in, and will exacerbate the social problems of urban poverty and its nexus with crime.

Despite the presence of naysayers to protocols like Kyoto, which bound the major polluters to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, these problems have strengthened the numbers of those who are sounding a note of extreme caution.

These voices were heard in full force at a conference held in Islamabad to highlight the impacts of climate change, with particular focus on the South Asian region. Besides, when people of the stature of Dr Rajendra Pachauri, Nobel Laureate and chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and Dr Adil Najam of Boston University, speak, people listen.

They, along with leading experts from Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka, were present at the conference which was jointly organised by the ministry for the environment, government of Pakistan, and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, Pakistan.

The conference served as a curtain-raiser for the National Year of the Environment announced by the government, and was a platform for experts from the region to share their learnings about how their countries are being impacted by various aspects of climate change, and what mitigation measures are being undertaken there.

The exchange of regional experiences brought home Dr Najam’s assertion that climate change was the quintessential global challenge. However, as the experts made clear, its impacts hit the poor first, and hit them the hardest, and South Asia is inhabited by a very large number of the poor and vulnerable of the world.

Experts at the conference drove home the point that all climate change concerns need to be linked to sustainable development. This needs innovation in mitigation as well as adaptation measures, and the clarion call was for developing a unified plan of action to combat the threat of climate change.

This means that all stakeholders need to be on the same page on this issue and that all means for awareness raising and advocacy need to be pursued by employing the “what’s in it for me” approach. Eco-friendly measures need to be seen as beneficial, not just theoretically, but practically, at the individual, community, state, as well as a global level, because as Dr Pachauri had said while accepting the Nobel Peace Prize, quoting from a Sanskrit saying, “The universe is one family.” Hence, if we are a family sans frontiéres, then we should pay heed to the dangers of a climate sans frontiéres.

// Afia Salam is Pakistan’s first female cricket journalist. She now writes on the environment and other social issues.

afiasalam

afiasalam

  Resume Freelance journalist and Communications consultant A bridge connecting ideas to people & solutions   Name: Afia Salam DoB:  03021957 Nationality: Pakistani Experience: Journalism: I have been associated with the media in many capacities since 1978. ·   Started as Pakistan's first female cricket writer. ·   Worked at The Star, eveninger of the Dawn group of Newspapers. ·   Editor of an Aviation and Defense magazine (Wings) ·    Executive Editor of The Cricketer magazine in the 80's and 90's, ·   Editor of Pakistan’s first Energy publication in 2001(Energy Update). ·   Joined Dawnnews which was launched as Pakistan’s first English language channel. Worked as a senior copy editor, Head of Culture Desk and content in charge of its flagship morning show titled Daily Breakfast@Dawn. ·   Content head of SpeakforChange blog and its associated web channel 247online.tv where I hosted a show and co-hosted another. ·   Communications Consultant for Exponent Engineers on the charged parking component of the World Bank-Government of Sindh KNIP project ·   Project lead for #C4CC (Conversations for Climate Change) Media capacity building project of High Commission of Canada in Pakistan and UNESCO ·   Project Lead for UNESCO supported  #MIL (Media Information Literacy) for Climate Change Stories from Pakistan, a nationwide media support project I contribute articles as a freelancer to many media outlets eg: Dawn, Tribune, Newsline, Aurora, The News on Sunday, Thirdpole, Nayadaur, The Friday Times. GEO English and Pique magazine.   Advertising: Worked almost 15 years as Creative head and Director Special Projects of three different advertising agencies, Blazon, Argus, and Blitz. From 1991 to 2005.         Development Sector: ·       Headed IUCN-Pakistan (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Education, Communications and Outreach Unit, and also briefly headed their Business and BioDiversity portfolio to kick start engagement with the corporate sector and industries to promote sustainable practices. ·       Served as Sindh coordinator of the newly formed Imran Khan Foundation to provide relief, rehabilitation and resettlement to the victims of 2010 floods in Sindh and of 2011 Badin cloudburst.   Socio-Cultural/Education Sector: ·       Project Manager for Pakistan for Google Cultural Institute  2014-15 to showcase Pakistan’s cultural and historical assets through digital exhibits prepared according to the GCI template.  ·       Communications Lead at Badal Do, a school and education reform programme ·       Visiting faculty at IoBM, having taught courses on Media Law and Ethics, and Environmental Journalism. Training: I have been involved in media development through training of journalists in reporting on environment, climate change, gender, labor, digital security, election reporting, effective use of social media and media ethics. ·       These trainings were held across Pakistan on behalf of organizations such as Pakistan Press Foundation-UNESCO, Intermedia-ILO, IRADA, Civic Action Resource- Solidarity Center, Intermedia-Democracy Reporting International, IUCN Pakistan-Oxfam-GB, LEAD Pakistan-HBS, LEAD-WWF, Green Media Initiatives- GNMI, Pakistan Water Partnership, CEJ-IBA. ·       Have also been a conducted trainings of school teachers, college and university students, and Government officials on the subjects of Environment, Climate Change and Media matters on behalf of IUCN Pakistan,  LEAD Pakistan, Friedrich Naumann Foundation, Greenwich University, Institute of Business Management, Heinrich Boll Stiftung, Islamic Relief Pakistan, , High Commission of Canada in Pakistan ·       Have held media management training for Marie Stopes Society , Unilever Pakistan, Uber- Pakistan and KElectric for their middle and top management.   Authored a commissioned researches on: ·       Needs Assessment for Promoting Ethics and Transparency in Pakistan Media  for Pakistan Press Foundation/Internews ·        Effect of Covid-19 on Journalism. commissioned by Friedrich Ebert Stiftung   Official Nominations: ·       Working Group on Climate Change and Security formed under the National Security Division and Strategic Policy Planning for the preparation of the National Security Policy ·       Member of the National Climate Change Council under the Federal Ministry of Climate Change ·       Multi-stakeholder National Coordinating Body of the Ministry of Climate Change, Government of Pakistan to set up Marine Protected Areas in Pakistan and am part of the team that saw through the declaration of Astola Island of Balochistan as Pakistan’s first MPA. ·       Curriculum Review Committee of Government of Sindh to assess gender balance and pluralism in primary school textbooks of 3 subjects ·       Review Committee to assess Climate Change content in Science and Geography Curriculum being developed under the Single National Curriculum ·       Consumer Protection Council announced by the Government of Sindh ·       Baaghban Core Group of Karachi Municipal Corporation’s Horticulture Department. ·       Focal Person and Communications lead for the unique “Art for Climate Change” initiative began under the aegis of Ministry of Climate that has broadened outreach of Climate Change through the art community by taking them on retreats and exhibiting their outputs. Was part of the retreat in 2018 to Naran, and to the Sindh Delta under Government of Sindh banner in 2020. ·       Member of the Gender Based Violence Sub Committee of the Sindh Commission for Human Rights ·       Member of Fact-Finding Committee for the archives verification at National Museum, Karachi ·       Was a member of the first ever rafting expedition on the river Indus which traversed from its entry point into Pakistan to where it drains into the Arabian Sea     I have moderated seminars, Panel discussions, Roundtables, Inception report launches etc for UNDP Small Grants Programme, UNDP Climate Finance in Bangkok, WWF Pakistan, IDRC/Kings College London/IBA Karachi, World Bank ‘Pakistan @100’ launch in Karachi to name a few.   Have ghost written, edited and translated several books and reports of some leading personalities and organizations.   Have also done third party qualitative assessment of projects.   Fellowships:   ·       Fellow of Lead Pakistan (Cohort 16) under its Leadership Development Programme on the subject of Green Economies and completed an additional Fellowship on Indus Basin Benefit Sharing. ·       GRID graduate, which is a leadership development course. ·       Completed a course from on Water from  LUMS Water In Technology School ·       Received scholarship by International Labor Organization for an online course on Gender from its ITC in Turin, Italy. ·       Am an IAF alumni, having completed a course on Liberalism, Environment & Property Rights. ·       Participated in a short course in Women in Executive Leadership at the University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia on a fellowship from Australia Awards. ·       Was an Journalists Exchange Programme participant of US Consulate on CVE (Countering Violent Extremism)   Memberships and Associations: ·       Advisor for National Forum for Environment & Health, Bolo Bhi, a digital rights research policy and advocacy organization ·       Member of  WWF Pakistan, IUCN Commission on Education and Communications, and IUCN CEESP Commission on Environmental, Economic and Social Policy. ·       Core Group for Water Energy & Food Nexus for Sindh and Universities for Water Network created by the Hisaar Foundation ·       Think tank on Hoga Saaf Pakistan   Member Steering Committee: ·       Alliance on Diversity and Pluralism in Media, ·       Urban Forest Coalition Civil Society Organizations: Trustee and Chair of Board of Indus Earth Trust, a rural development organization Trustee of Helpline Trust, which focuses on consumer and civic rights Trustee of Saneeya Hussain Trust that assists in girls’ higher education, as a President Executive Committee of Baanhn Beli Founding Board member and Vice President Salman Sufi Foundation Member Advisory Committee of FFOP (Faith For Our Planet)     My website is being redone and will be accessible at www.afiasalam.com Some information of my work is available at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afia_Salam   I have traveled to Japan, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Thailand, India, UAE, Kenya, Poland, Germany, Netherlands, France, Saudi Arabia, Nepal, UK, USA, and Australia in an official as well personal capacity.                                                                                                                                                                        

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Afia salam

Media consultant and trainer, content developer/editor, documentary concept and script writer, presenter/producer.
Currently working as free lance journalist and media trainer, especially in the field of Environmental journalism.

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