GUWAHATI, June 18 - Recognising the importance of knowledge and cooperation in addressing issues of public importance pertaining to climate change and sustainable development, the Interdisciplinary Climate Research Centre (ICRC), Cotton College and CSIR-NISTAD (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-National Institute of Science, Technology and Development Studies) signed an MoU today.
The two institutes will work together to promote research and development, including policy analysis in the areas of green growth, climate change, sustainable energy, natural resource management, capacity building, knowledge exchange and knowledge co-production.
Dr Prashant Goswami, Director NISTAD said, �This kind of research cooperation is a win-win situation. ICRC Cotton College is an institution we rely on for enhancement of the many areas already mentioned. The signing of this document formally establishes a new strategic partnership between our two organisations.�
Dr Goswami further said, �Whether it is raising public awareness of the threat posed by dangerous climate change we are trying to eliminate, or encouraging participation in a community scheme to foster social inclusion, we need to share our message of sustainable development and encourage participation as widely as we can. And finally, one of the big questions that countries around the world have to answer is how we can make technology work for us, and not against us � especially when it comes to solving urgent challenges like climate change. And I am certain that ICRC, working in close collaboration with NISTAD, will be at the forefront of that challenge in this region. It is through partnerships such as the one we are launching with ICRC Cotton College today that we can share this message.�
Dr Nirada Devi, Principal Cotton College in her welcome speech, emphasised the importance of the signing of the MoU with NISTAD as it is crucial that colleges join forces with one another and with national inter-disciplinary institutes for sequencing from academic to development work.
Dr Rahul Mahanta, chief coordinator ICRC, while talking to the media later, said that through the memorandum of understanding new opportunities and possibilities would come up for collaboration in terms of information sharing and management.
The MoU signing ceremony was moderated by Dr Sangeeta Barthakur, Associate Professor of statistics, Cotton College, said a press communiqu�.
Highlighting the endeavour of ICRC to reduce vulnerability of society to current climate variability and potential climate change through a participatory approach, she urged faculty members and students of schools and colleges of Assam to cooperate with the activities of the centre.
