Scientists and technologists need to join hands to ensure biodiversity conservation and climate change adaptation throughout the country.
Speaking at the inauguration of a Department of Science and Technology week-long training programme on forest ecosystems and biodiversity, climate change- vulnerabilities and adaptation at the Forest Research Institute on Monday, the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) deputy director general (Research) GS Goraya emphasised on the need of collaborative projects to be carried out in the related fields.
Goraya acknowledged that the important role of forests and their inextricable linkage to human survival in the face of significant impacts of climate change on the capacity of forests to provide ecosystem services, vulnerabilities of forests, biodiversity and their adaptation to changing climate are increasingly getting attention worldwide.
In this context of linkages between forest ecosystems, biodiversity, and climate change, scientists and technologists need to be adequately equipped to cope with these emerging challenges and imbibe new skills and competencies, he stressed.
The ICFRE DDG (Administration) Dr SP Singh said that biodiversity rich forests are very good source of livelihood and biodiversity conservation programmes must be linked with climate change.
Twenty five participants from various scientific organisations in 14 Indian States are participating in the week-long DST training programme.