The experts at a dialogue on Rethinking Urban Development in Pakistan: The Potential of Youth for Eco-Entrepreneurship have said that capitalizing on youth’s potential for Eco-Entrepreneurship in managing urbanization well in Pakistan and aligning it with natural resource conservation is imperative for a livable and climate-resilient future.
This entails a critical assessment of the current and future urban trends, incorporating principles of sustainability in the urban development process, and bringing together thinkers and implementers for co-creating solutions to this complex problem.
Youth can play an important role in this regard especially since youth forms a sizable segment of the population and is likely to be most impacted if proactive steps are not taken to enhance environmental protection.
Institute of Urbanism (IoU) and school of Leadership Foundation (SoLF) with the support of the U.S. Embassy Islamabad organized a dialogue titled ‘Rethinking Urban Development in Pakistan: The Potential of Youth for Eco-Entrepreneurship’.
In the session, the students of Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU) who were a part of the 02-month Green Urban Development School (GUDS) shared the projects they proposed for solutions on urban solid waste management and urban water management in Islamabad with the relevant experts, media, policy-makers, and researchers and discussed how such solutions can be scaled up in the city to create a long term impact to encourage green development practices in Islamabad.
In Pakistan, unleashing the potential of youth is the game changer in climate adaptation. Their fresh perspectives and innovative ideas break conventional boundaries, paving the way for sustainable solutions. Engaging youth is crucial for understanding local contexts, as their deep knowledge of community dynamics informs effective adaptation strategies for green urban development. These empowered youth aren’t just researchers; they become the driving force behind community outreach, advocating for policy changes that prioritize sustainability and resilience. In a nutshell, investing in youth engagement in climate adaptation research is the catalyst for a resilient and environmentally just future in Pakistan, said Mariyam Irfan, Managing Director at SoLF in her welcome remarks.
With the increase in various amenities and infrastructural development in an urban environment, people are shifting from rural to urban areas, which results in urban expansion. Most of this expansion is unplanned resulting in environmental degradation. One possible option is to look for sustainable and environmentally friendly urban development. The GUDS (Green Urban Development School) program was developed to build the capacity of youth to introduce concepts related to environment-friendly urban development. While giving a brief about the program Dr Ejaz Ahmad, Senior Program Fellow IoU, mentioned that under the GUDS program, SOLF and IoU were able to build the capacity of 15 students from QAU during July-August 2023 in solid waste management, water conservation, green infrastructure. The participating students in the group of 4 reached this round where two of the groups will win the grants to work on their proposals.
Notably, Pakistan, facing environmental challenges such as air and water pollution, deforestation, and the impacts of climate change, requires dedicated efforts for sustainable urban growth. IoU, SoLF, and the US Embassy have played pivotal role in encouraging and promoting green urban development among the youth. Their collaborative efforts have resulted in the active participation of young individuals, fostering a sense of responsibility and empowerment among them to contribute to a more sustainable and resilient urban future for Pakistan. This was mentioned by Dr Sohil Yousaf, Associate Professor of Environmental Sciences at Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU) while appreciating the GUDS in his special remarks.
Students from Quaid-i-Azam University who participated in the Green Urban Development School (GUDS) took the stage to present their proposed projects. These projects focused on innovative solutions for urban solid waste management and urban water management in Islamabad. The presentations were a culmination of the students’ two-month-long efforts in the GUDS program.
Implementing sustainable systems for water conservation at the household level is crucial for ensuring the efficient use of this precious resource. The first presentation was of Marfa Naseem, GUDS participant and student of QAU. She came up with the project titled “Sustainable Systems for Households”.
In response to the escalating challenges of water scarcity, and reduced access to fresh, organic products in Islamabad and Rawalpindi.—APP
