‘It is our responsibility to provide a sustainable environment to our future generations’

Senior scientist and Director of the Russian Academy’s Petrozavodsk Water Institute Filatov Nikolai Nikolavevich speaking at a seminar on sustainability at the Visvesvaraya Technological University in Belagavi on Thursday.
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

“It is our responsibility to provide a sustainable environment that is rich in natural resources to our future generations,” senior scientist and Director of the Russian Academy’s Petrozavodsk Water Institute Filatov Nikolai Nikolavevich said in Belagavi on Thursday.

He was speaking after inaugurating a two-day International Conference on Environmental Sustainability and Climate Change Adaptation Strategies at Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) here.

In his keynote address, Dr. Nikolavevich focussed on the critical importance of water conservation and sustainable resource management.

“Water is the foundation of life, yet its availability and quality are under increasing threat due to climate change, pollution, overuse and mismanagement,” he said.

“If we do not act now, future generations may face severe water shortages,” he said.

“Only around 2.5% of the world’s water is freshwater and an even smaller fraction is accessible to human use. We need to address challenges such as eutrophication (enrichment of water with organic material), water pollution, climate warming, microplastics and invasive species to ensure the preservation of water resources for future generations,” he said.

VTU Vice-Chancellor Vidyashankar S. spoke of the interconnectedness of environmental sustainability and climate change adaptation.

“The Earth’s climate is transforming rapidly due to human activities such as fossil fuel burning, deforestation and industrial processes. These actions release greenhouse gases, trapping heat and causing global warming,” he said.

He advocated the need for a holistic approach that integrates sustainability and adaptation, recognizing that a sustainable environment is crucial for effective climate action.

He said that the event served as a platform for collaboration among governments, businesses, researchers and individuals to share knowledge and resources, fostering impactful change for a resilient and thriving future.

He hoped that the discussions and partnerships forged here will lead to actionable solutions for the global environmental challenges today.

The former Chairman of the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) B. Shivalingaiah called for collaborative efforts to bring sustainable solutions to mitigate the effects of climate change.

“Climate change is no longer a distant threat. It is happening now. We see its impacts in rising sea levels, acid rain, heatwaves, hurricanes, droughts and wildfires,” he said.

The event organisers said that 68 research papers will be presented on topics of innovative strategies for environmental sustainability and climate change adaptation.

The former senior scientist, Inland Waters, Burlington, Canada, C.R. Murthy, chairman of the Civil Engineering Department and convener of the conference Nagaraj Patil and Chandrashekar Hiremath and others spoke.

The two-day event is being organized by the Civil Engineering Department of Visvesvaraya Technological University in collaboration with Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), Bengaluru.

The conference aims to address pressing global environmental challenges and foster innovative solutions for a sustainable future.

Registrar B.E. Rangaswamy, Registrar (Evaluation) T.N. Sreenivasa and Finance Officer Prashanth Nayak G. were present.