Kudos Series: Pakistani Scientist in Nobel team
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Here’s a great news about a Pakistani intellectual and blogger who has been recognized by the Nobel Peace Prize committee. Prof. Adil Najam is well-known for many reasons: researcher, teacher, writer, blogger. His diversity of interest and expertise is one of the things which amazes me – there are many other impressive facets of his personality as well. Here’s more from Dawn:
Pakistani professor Adil Najam, now teaching at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University, US, is amongst the team of scientists and experts in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change that shares the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize with former US Vice President Al Gore.
The 2007 Peace Prize, announced in Stockholm, Sweden, on Friday includes a gold medal and $1.5 million, is to be shared between Al Gore and the IPCC for enhancing the understanding of the science of climate change. The IPCC is a panel of the world’s most eminent and leading scientists working on global warming and it produces its scientific assessment every 4-5 years.
Dr Adil Najam holds a doctorate and two Masters degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), a specialisation in negotiation from Harvard Law School, and an engineering degree from UET, Lahore.
3:19 pm
That’s awesome. Congrats to Adil Najam and Pakistaniat.com
4:14 pm
Congrats
1:53 pm
This is amazing news. I have known of Adil Najam’s multiple talents for many years now and always expected big things from him. But this is huge. Wonderful. Congratulations.
Searching on the web I found this interview of his on this award. It demonstrates his love for Pakistan and for humanity really and his large vision.
http://www.app.com.pk/en/index.php?option=com_cont ent&task=view&id=18622&Itemid=2
Pakistani expert on Nobel panel hopes for greater action on climate issues
WASHINGTON, Oct 16 (APP): A Pakistani scientist, who is among experts on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, that shares the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize with former US Vice President Al Gore, hopes recognition of the crucial importance of climate change to development and security will help spur greater worldwide action toward stemming environmental degradation.
Adil Najam, a professor at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, stated the Nobel committee’s Peace Prize reflects recognition of the fact that the future well being and security of the planet and of its people depends upon the environment.
“That climate is a security issue, not just a ‘feel good’ issue. This will clearly raise the profile of the climate issue,†Najam, who has served the IPCC for eight years as a lead author and the last four years as a convening lead author for its latest assessment report, told APP.
He also felt that highly industrialized nations including the US, which have been slow to act on the climate issue, will now find additional pressure on them to act and do something.
As for developing countries like Pakistan, environment is really a development issue at its core, said Dr Najam, who holds a doctorate and two masters’ degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), a specialization in negotiation from Harvard Law School, and an engineering degree from UET, Lahore.
“It’s about the quality of life of people. If we care about people, especially poor people, then we must care also about the environment. Because the poor – whether they are farmers, or herders, or fuel wood gatherers, or fisher folk – they all depend on the environment for their livelihoods. If the environment deteriorates then the quality of their lives will deteriorate. That, ultimately, is the real environmental challenge,†he emphasized.
So what is the single most important factor that can help stave off further environmental decline around the world?
“The most important thing that we can do to stem environmental degradation is to look at our own consumption and lifestyle; especially amongst the rich and in rich countries. In this respect the environment is also a justice issue. Till now the poor are subsidizing the lifestyles of the rich. This cannot, must not, continue.â€Â
As regards saving the planet from further warming, the avid scientist argued part of the solution to climate change will come from technology – better automobiles, alternative and renewable energy, better building technologies.
“But, ultimately, if we want to address global climate change in the context of sustainable development, then we will need to also address consumption issues amongst the rich, in both developing and industrialized countries.
“This does not mean we have to halt development in the developing countries; it means that we have to rethink what we mean by development,†he explained.
In countries like Pakistan, he added, “we cannot afford to make the same developmental mistakes that others have made. We have to leapfrog and do better than others.
“But this will only happen if the industrialized countries also do their part… first, by assisting developing countries and second by reducing their own emissions and cutting their own consumption.â€Â
On collective prize for the panel, he said it is acknowledgement of the work and research of a lot of people.
“It gives one the motivation to keep doing what we are doing and work harder to find solutions for what is probably one of the biggest challenges faced by the world.â€Â
4:53 pm
Three Cheers to Prof. Adil Najam, Hip Hip Hurray… it gives me even more pleasure that he is a UETIAN, from the same univ as i am.