National capacity building workshop on Climate Change and Human Vulnerability concludes at University of Jammu

JAMMU: The Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Jammu, successfully concluded a One-week National capacity building workshop on “Climate Change and Human Vulnerability: bridging science, society, and governance”, held from January 19 to 24, 2026. The workshop was organized in collaboration with Malviya Mission Teacher Training Center (MMTTC), University of Jammu, funded under RUSA-2.0, and in technical partnership with the Department of Ecology, Environment and Remote Sensing (DEERS), Government of Jammu and Kashmir. 

The valedictory function was graced by Shri Vasu Yadav, IFS, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Chairman, J&K Pollution Control Committee, and Director, DEERS, as the Chief Guest, while Dr. Sandeep Gupta, Regional Director, IGNOU Jammu, was the Guest of Honour. The function was presided over by Prof. Yashpal Sharma, Dean, Faculty of Life Sciences, and Rector Udhampur Campus, University of Jammu. 

Prof. Deepika Slathia, Convener and Head, formally welcomed the dignitaries and spoke at length about the growing urgency of climate change and its far-reaching implications for natural ecosystems, human livelihoods, and governance mechanisms. She expressed her sincere gratitude to Prof. Umesh Rai, Hon’ble Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Sundeep Pandita, Director, MMTTC, and Prof. Satyapal, Coordinator, RUSA 2 for their valuable institutional and funding support. 

Sh. Vasu Yadav lauded the department for its concerted efforts in the successful completion of the workshop. He highlighted the significance of interdisciplinary and capacity-building programmes in addressing climate change–induced vulnerabilities and reiterated his commitment to providing technical support to department for similar endeavours in future also. Prof. Sharma emphasized the growing need to integrate traditional knowledge with modern science across disciplines to tackle various climate-related challenges effectively. Dr. Gupta stressed the need to introduce climate change as an academic discipline to equip students with the knowledge and skills to develop solutions.

Dr. Rakesh Kumar, Organizing Secretary, presented the detailed workshop report and expressed sincere gratitude to the dignitaries, resource persons, and participants for their valuable contributions. Dr. Kumar appreciated the efforts of Dr. Majid Farooq and his team from DEERS for their pivotal role in facilitating field-based exercises and strengthening the policy relevance of the workshop deliberations.

The workshop received an overwhelming response, with around 60 participants drawn from across the country and the Union territory of J&K. Participants represented diverse academic disciplines, including Environmental Sciences, Geography, Geology, Political Science, Economics, Sociology, Literature, Chemistry, Engineering, and allied fields, which enriched deliberations and promoted meaningful cross-disciplinary learning.

An eminent panel of resource persons from premier national institutions  like Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi; IIT, Jammu; Govind Ballabh Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment (NIHE); Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE), Dehradun; TERI School of Advanced Studies, New Delhi; Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), New Delhi;  WWF-India; University of Kashmir, and various government departments shared their expertise on themes such as climate science, Himalayan ecology, vulnerability and risk assessment, climate governance, adaptation and mitigation strategies, climate finance, data analysis, and participatory methodologies.

A major highlight of the programme was its field-based component, which included visits to flood-affected villages in Jammu. Participants conducted field surveys and gained first hand exposure to climate-induced vulnerabilities, adaptive practices, and livelihood risks, thereby strengthening the linkage between theoretical frameworks and ground realities. Participants expressed that the workshop has enhanced conceptual clarity regarding climate change as a long-term and systemic phenomenon, along with improved practical skills in vulnerability assessment, data collection, analysis, and spatial mapping.

Concluding the programme, the organizers emphasized that the workshop should be viewed not as an end, but as a preparatory step towards sustained engagement with the challenges of climate change. Among those present on the occasion were Prof. Piyush Malaviya, Dr. Neeraj Sharma, Dr. Anshu Gupta, Dr. Suresh Kumar, Dr. Harish Dutt, Dr. Amit Singh, Dr. Alok Kumar, Dr. Jinee Gogoi, Dr. Vivek Gaurav, various government officials from forest department, and faculty members and scholars from other departments of the University.