Experts call for climate-resilient CPEC development at conclusion of DRR Training Workshop

ISLAMABAD, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th Jun, 2026) Experts on Wednesday underscored the importance of integrating disaster risk reduction (DRR), climate resilience and science-based planning into infrastructure development under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) at the concluding of a five-day international training workshop on DRR and Green Development.

The workshop, COMSATS University Islamabad, was jointly organized by the Alliance of National and International Science Organizations for the Belt and Road Regions (ANSO), the China-Pakistan Joint Research Center on Earth Sciences (CPJRC), and the Commission on Science and Technology for Sustainable Development in the South (COMSATS), in collaboration with the UNESCO Chair for Mountain Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience and ANSO-DRR.

Speaking as the chief guest at the closing ceremony, Coordinator to the Prime Minister on Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, Romina Khurshid Alam, said Pakistan remained highly vulnerable to climate-induced disasters and stressed the need for strengthening early warning systems, developing resilient infrastructure, promoting climate-smart planning, and ensuring science-based policymaking to mitigate disaster risks.

Executive Director COMSATS Ambassador Dr. Mohammad Nafees Zakaria reaffirmed the organization's commitment to science-driven solutions for climate challenges.

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He emphasized the integration of risk-informed decision-making, climate science, ecosystem conservation and innovation into national and international development frameworks to support sustainable growth.

Executive Director of CPJRC Prof. Hong Tianhua said disaster risk reduction and sustainable development were closely interconnected and must be pursued together to build a resilient future, particularly in the context of large-scale regional development initiatives such as CPEC.

During the workshop, 18 experts and scientists from Pakistan and China delivered technical lectures and practical training sessions covering landslide dynamics, geophysical flow modelling, glacier systems, high-altitude hazard monitoring, disaster risk assessment, early warning systems, resilient infrastructure, de-risking investments under CPEC, circular economy approaches and regional energy cooperation.

A total of 70 participants from Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Somalia and Syria attended the training programme.

The organizers expressed confidence that the knowledge shared and partnerships developed during the workshop would contribute to strengthening disaster resilience, promoting green development and supporting climate-responsive planning across CPEC and the broader Belt and Road region.