LAHORE: Scientists at an international conference said on Thursday that climate change was a global phenomenon that could only be controlled by planting more and more trees. This was stated in the concluding session of the first international conference on Conventional and Modern Approaches in Plant Sciences (CMAPS 17), organised by the Punjab University Department of Botany at Faisal Auditorium. Punjab Higher Education Commission Chairman Prof Dr Nizamuddin, PU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Zafar Moeen Nasir, Prof Dr Sergio Capareda from Texas A&M University USA, Dr Danielle Donnelly from McGill University Canada, Dr Tarlok Singh Sahota from Thunder Bay Agriculture Research Station Canada, Prof Dr Miklas Scholz from University of Salford Manchester, UK, Dr Jaswinder Singh from McGill University Canada, Islamia College University Peshawar Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Habib Ahmad from Islamia College University, Department of Botany Chairperson Prof Dr Firdaus-e-Bareen, former PU VC Prof Dr Khalid Hamid Sheikh and former Vice Chancellor Women University Multan Prof Dr Shahida Husnain attended the event. Addressing the ceremony, Prof Dr Nizamuddin urged the scientists to make efforts for saving the environment. He said that institutions of higher learning must focus on creating the knowledge that could avert drastic effects of climate change. He said that botany among sciences had a lot to do in the country especially if its applied aspects were kept in view. He emphasised the importance of such academic meetings for exchange of knowledge and interactive discussions and developing collaborations across the world. He appreciated the international and national delegates for contributing and sharing their knowledge in the conference. He said that PHEC would fund such projects and conferences which would help control climate change. PU VC Dr Zafar Moeen Nasir said that it was universities’ basic responsibility to come forward and resolve the challenges that everybody was facing in terms of climate change. He said that PU administration had launched green campus drive and a number of trees had been planted on campus. “We must take care of our nature and make efforts to protect the environment,” he said. Prof Dr Firdous-e-Bareen said that although conventional botany was thought to be obsolete in this era of proteomics and genomics, yet its importance could not be denied. She said that a clear transition had occurred from conventional botany to molecular level where the exact genome could be traced through molecular techniques. She said that plant sciences had a lot to do with improvement and breeding of crop varieties using genetic engineering and tissue culture techniques. She mentioned the academic collaboration of her faculty with different renowned universities of the world in relevant fields. She thanked the participants and delegates who participated in the conference from various parts of the world and the country. Prof Dr Khalid Hamid Sheikh, Dr Habib Ahmad and Dr Shahida Hasnain said that such a gathering of scientists was the need of the time and would definitely provide a forum for dissemination of knowledge on a larger scale and create interaction of faculty and students with international and national delegates. More than 600 participants attended the sessions and presented their keynote lectures, invited lectures and oral presentations. In the concluding ceremony, souvenirs were also distributed to International and national participants and the conference organisers. Three cash prizes each were given to the best oral and poster presentations. Moreover, cash awards and certificates were given to the winners of documentary competition in the department which were played in intervals during the conference programme. Published in Daily Times, December 1st 2017.