By Abdul Samad Tariq
ISLAMABAD, Oct 27 (APP):Federal Minister for Climate Change Dr Musadik Malik on Tuesday called for a shift towards research-driven green innovation, saying Pakistan needs to create opportunities for young scientists and entrepreneurs to develop technologies addressing environmental challenges.
Addressing an event organised under the GIZ-SDPI Green Skills Development initiative, the minister said short workshops and conventional training programmes alone could not produce meaningful innovation without sustained scientific research, funding and opportunities for practical experimentation.
He proposed a Green University framework to connect Pakistani universities with leading international institutions through science and technology exchange programmes, research collaboration and structured academic partnerships.
Under the proposed framework, Pakistani graduate students would participate in degree programmes with clearly defined learning outcomes and dedicated research funding, while international experts would mentor students and help them undertake scientific research, he said.
The minister cited glacier research as one area for collaboration, saying researchers at Quaid-i-Azam University could work with leading Arctic research institutions to study glaciers and related climate risks.
He also highlighted a proposed $10 million fund to support young innovators, arguing that students should be given financial resources and the freedom to develop and test new ideas.
“Give them money and get out of their way,” he said, emphasising the need to remove barriers that prevent young people from turning scientific knowledge into practical solutions.
Dr Malik said Pakistan’s environmental challenges, including smog, unsafe drinking water and climate-related disasters, created an urgent need for locally developed technologies.
Referring to the difficulties posed by air pollution, he said innovation should help improve air quality and reduce public exposure to smog.
He also questioned the safety of drinking water from taps, arguing that the lack of confidence in basic environmental services reflected the scale of the problems requiring scientific solutions.
The minister identified electrification, battery technology and artificial intelligence as areas offering opportunities for innovation, including technologies that could improve electricity-grid systems.
He said Pakistan’s universities had talented graduates whose potential could be better utilised if they were given access to research facilities, funding and international scientific expertise.
He also stressed that innovation depended on the intensity of demand for solutions and the ability of institutions to respond through research and technological development.
The minister said green skills should be linked with practical innovation and entrepreneurship to enable young people to contribute to the green economy.
He urged universities and relevant institutions to move beyond counting workshops and training activities and instead focus on measurable research outcomes, including scientific publications and the development of technologies capable of addressing real-world problems.
Dr Malik said the government wanted to promote green science, innovation and entrepreneurship as part of a broader effort to change Pakistan’s development trajectory.
Source: APP (Associated Press of Pakistan)
