Event type: International Conference — endorsed as an official activity of the International Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development (IDSSD 2024–2033), led by UNESCO
The ANSO–COMSATS–TWAS Conference on “A Sustainable Future for All Living Species on Planet Earth” will be held in person on 13–15 October 2026 at Serena Hotel, Islamabad, Pakistan.
The increasing frequency of climate change, water scarcity, biodiversity loss, land degradation and ecosystem stress underscores the urgent need for integrated and collaborative approaches to sustainable development. These challenges threaten human security, social cohesion and economic stability — most acutely in developing countries and the Belt and Road Regions.
The Conference provides a strategic platform for scientific collaboration, knowledge exchange and capacity building, convening professionals, researchers, policymakers and practitioners around three interlinked themes: sustainability education and planetary health; the Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystems (WEFE) nexus; and science-policy dialogue with climate justice. Prioritising early- and mid-career researchers and scholars from conflict-affected regions, it will strengthen regional research capacity, build enduring scientific networks, and deliver an Outcome Document setting out a framework of resilience strategies for the Global South.
Key thematic areas
- Theme I: Sustainability Education and Planetary Health
- Theme II: The Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystems (WEFE) Nexus for Sustainability
- Theme III: Science-Policy Dialogue for a Sustainable Future
Objectives
- Foster international scientific collaboration and knowledge exchange.
- Build capacities of early- and mid-career researchers through interdisciplinary learning.
- Promote science-based solutions for the WEFE Nexus, climate justice, and resilience.
- Strengthen science-policy dialogue for evidence-based policymaking.
- Facilitate regional and international networking among key stakeholders.
- Ensure inclusive participation from developing, Belt and Road, and conflict-affected regions.
- Develop actionable strategies for environmental sustainability and resilience in the Global South.
Expected outcomes
- Enhanced research capacities in environmental sustainability among early- and mid-career researchers.
- Improved interdisciplinary understanding of the WEFE Nexus, climate justice and environmental resilience.
- Strengthened scientific networks among COMSATS, TWAS, ANSO and Belt and Road countries.
- New collaborative research initiatives emerging from scientific exchanges.
- Contribution to science diplomacy, sustainable development education and evidence-based environmental governance.
- Conference Knowledge and Outcomes Report outlining actionable strategies for the Global South.
Contact
Dr. Mehwish Qayyum Durani — Director, Coordinator (IPOs), Head COMSATS Centre for Climate and Sustainability (CCCS), COMSATS Secretariat, Sector G-5/2, Islamabad, Pakistan. Tel: (+92-51) 9214515 Ext: 203/224 · Email: mehwish.durani@comsats.org
