Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate on Thursday the International Center for Polar Studies (ICPS) under Mahatma Gandhi University (MGU), Kottayam.
Higher Education Minister R. Bindu will preside over the event, to be conducted virtually at 3 p.m.
According to the varsity, the new centre is being launched in view of the importance of scientific studies on the polar regions. The initiative, to be run jointly by the School of Environmental Sciences, School of International Relations and Politics, and the Inter-University Center for Sociological Research, has the support of various academic and research institutions at home and abroad, including the National Center for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR) in Goa.
“Many of the problems facing the world, including Kerala and India, such as climate change and rising sea levels, are directly and indirectly linked to changes in the Earth’s polar regions. Pollution in the Polar regions and the ensuing uncontrollable ice melting directly affect the humans and other flora and fauna on Earth. While the climate change issues adversely affect agriculture and even livelihoods, the rising sea levels can lead to severe flooding in many low-lying areas of the world. Areas like Kochi and Kuttanad in Kerala are under such threat. Taking all these into consideration, the university has decided to move ahead with activities to strengthen the study and research activities in this regard,” said C.T. Aravindakumar, director of the center.
Besides accelerating research on the polar regions, the centre will also offer short-term courses in the subject.
Vice Chancellor Sabu Thomas will inaugurate an international seminar in connection with the inauguration ceremony at 12 p.m.
