Musadik Malik calls for global cooperation on mountain research
Islamabad, Oct 26: Federal Minister for Climate Change Dr Musadik Malik on Monday called for international cooperation in glacier and mountain research to better understand the wider impacts of climate change.
Addressing a pre-COP31 dialogue, he stressed the need for joint scientific research to monitor changes in glaciers, mountain ecosystems and the global ice system, and to help vulnerable communities prepare for climate-related risks.
“The first hit is taken by the mountains,” he said, inviting the international community to collaborate with Pakistan on mountain research.
Dr Malik said studying changes in mountain regions could help scientists better understand potential climate risks in other areas, including plains and polar regions, and strengthen preparedness for future impacts.
He proposed establishing a virtual Green University to promote international research and scientific collaboration, saying Pakistan had reached agreements with two countries and was seeking further partnerships to advance the initiative.
He said the research agenda should extend beyond the physical and scientific dimensions of climate change to examine its social, economic and human consequences, including displacement, infant and child mortality, and maternal mortality.
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Highlighting the dangers posed by melting glaciers and glacial lake outburst floods, the minister referred to the glacier-related disaster in Hasanabad, Hunza, which caused extensive damage to a long-established community.
He recounted the experience of a resident, Zahra, whose family escaped the disaster but lost livestock and essential community infrastructure.
Recalling an account of a child whose childhood, in her words, lay buried beneath the rubble of the family home, Dr Malik said glacier-related disasters could destroy livelihoods and disrupt entire communities.
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The minister said Pakistan had identified around 13,500 glaciers and was assessing the risks associated with glacial lakes and potential outburst floods. He also referred to cooperation with Italy on glacier research and partnerships with international organisations and countries, including Germany, France and the United Kingdom.
He stressed that the global ice system, encompassing mountain glaciers and ice in polar regions, required coordinated international research to improve understanding of climate-related changes.
Dr Malik also highlighted the disparity between countries contributing to greenhouse gas emissions and those bearing the brunt of climate change, calling for greater access to climate finance for vulnerable countries.
He said rising temperatures driven by greenhouse gas emissions were accelerating glacier melt and increasing risks for mountain communities, underscoring the need for collaborative research, risk assessment and early preparedness.
