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Lead course on environment, ecology begins'

KARACHI: The national training session for the cohorts of Leadership for Environment and Development (LEAD) Pakistan began here on Monday to provide them an insight into ecology and environment.

The participants of Leadership for Environment and Development (Lead) nine-day programme will be informed on "Challenges for Sustainability", as an interdisciplinary tool for creating and maintaining the quality of human civilisation.

The course provides the participants with the basic factual data necessary to understand current environmental issues. They will be informed how various aspects of the natural environment interconnect with each other and with human society, besides making several field visits.

Lead is a non-profit organisation, working to promote leadership for environment and development. With programme offices in 11 countries, its objective is to develop a network of professionals with capabilities.

According to Lead, it is now increasingly acknowledged that environmental sustainability is a necessary prerequisite, if we are to ensure our survival.

To most people today, ecology is associated with broad problem of pollution or conservation, yet it is related to environment much as physics to engineering. In fact, ecology provides the scientific framework upon which conservation programme or pollution monitoring schemes can be set up.

The current session will train the participants on wetlands of Pakistan and their importance, ecosystem in Pakistan, stress on ecosystem and carrying capacity, and aquatic resource management, besides other topics.

Lead-Pakistan annually selects a group of mid-career professionals Ñ from industry, business, government, NGOs, media, academia and military Ñ for two years of national and international training.

Lead's mission is to create and sustain a global network of leaders who are committed to promote change towards patterns of economic development that are environmentally sustainable and socially equitable. APP