SAARC CCI Conference on “Climate Change and Energy Cooperation in South Asia”
SAARC Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SAARC CCI) in association with Bhutan Chamber of Commerce & Industry (BCCI) Supported by Freidrich Naumann Foundation, Fur Die Freiheit, organized two-day Conference on “Climate Change and Energy Cooperation in South Asia” in Paro, Bhutan.
Hon’ble Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Bhutan Mr. Jigme Thinley was the chief guest of the conference. Hon’able Prime Minister inaugurated the conference in presence of H.E. Lyonpo Khandu Wangchuck, Minister for Economic Affairs, Bhutan, Hon’ble Patali Champika Ranawaka, Minister for Power and Energy of Sri Lanka, Dr. Pema Jamtsho, Minister for Agriculture, Hon’ble Lyonpo Khandu Wangchuck, Minister for Economic Affairs Bhutan, Mr. Vikramjit Singh Sahney, President, SAARC CCI, Mr. Iftkhar Ali Malik, Vice President (Pakistan) and Mr. Pradeep Kumar Shrestha, Vice President(Nepal) of SAARC CCI, & the guest of honour, Dasho Topgayl Dorji, President BCCI, Mr. Iqbal Tabish, Secretary General SAARC CCI, Mr. Subodh Kumar, the Executive Programs FNSt and other dignitaries present at the occasion.
Mr. Vikramjit S. Sahney, President SAARC CCI presenting official crest
to Hon’ble Prime Minister of Bhutan Mr. Jigme Thinley.
to Hon’ble Prime Minister of Bhutan Mr. Jigme Thinley.
During his inaugural address Hon’ble Prime Minister stated that “Shared vision and collaborative efforts at Public and the Private sector level can mitigate the impact of climate change and cooperation in energy can help south Asia for it transformation from energy constraint to energy surplus region.” He offered the policy makers and SAARC Secretariat at Kathmandu to work together to formulate doable action plan for users of power generated through hydroelectric and non conventional energy sources. He shared that investors from India have considerable interests in investing and transferring skills and technology in the energy sector of neighbouring countries.
Mr. Vikramjit Singh Sahney, President, SAARC CCI in his keynote address urged upon the need for collaborated efforts to devise out mechanisms to tackle the adverse effects of natural calamities due to climate change; for instance, sharing knowledge and technology. He also recommended that all the SAARC nations should articulate common positions on climate change. For this, he said, a SAARC Climate Change Fund could be created to finance projects directed towards climate and environment protection.
Mr. Iftkhar Ali Malik, Vice President, SAARC CCI (Pakistan) and Mr. Pradeep Kumar Shrestha, Vice President SAARC CCI (Nepal), Mr. Subodh Kumar, Executives Programs FNFMr. Iqbal Tabish, Secretary General, SAARC CCI and the guest of honour, Dasho Topgayl Dorji, President BCCI, also shared their views at this ocassion.
The First Technical session on Climate Change chaired by Dr. Pema Jamtsho, Minister for Agriculture & forest while H.E. Lyonpo Khandu Wangchuck, Minister for Economic Affairs Bhutan chaired session on Energy, which was addressed by prominent academicians, experts from Bhutan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Sri Lanka and Pakistan including Speakers from Pakistan included Ms. Raina Khan, environment expert, Engr. G.R. Bhatti, Member PEC and former Gm, KESC.
The Conference suggested policy framework for Energy cooperation and address various challenges faced by SAARC countries as a result of Climate Change. It is pertinent to mention that according to the global database on disasters, over the past forty years, South Asia has faced as many as 1,333 disasters that killed almost a million people, affected 2.4 billion lives and damaged assets worth $105 billion.
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