ISLAMABAD: Experts have stressed that Pakistan’s response to climate change must move from discussion to practical, community-centred and accountable action, combining scientific knowledge, indigenous knowledge, effective governance, early warning systems and long-term resilience planning.

Participants of roundtable discussion agreed that climate change must be treated as a present reality rather than a distant future threat. They emphasised that climate policy and disaster-management responses must incorporate the voices and knowledge of local communities, who are often the first responders during disasters.

AGHS Legal Aid Cell organised a panel discussion titled “Living with Floods in Climate Change Present” here in Islamabad on Friday, bringing together policymakers, academics, climate experts, environmental journalists and civil society representatives to examine Pakistan’s growing vulnerability to floods and the urgent need for more resilient, equitable and effective climate and water governance.

The panel, moderated by senior environmental journalist and climate advocate Ms. Afia Salam, brought together Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Musadik Malik, UNDP Resident Representative in Pakistan Samuel Rizk, Professor of Critical Geography Dr. Daanish Mustafa, hydrology expert Dr. Hassan Abbas, and climate and water governance expert Fazilda Nabeel, among other experts.

Dr Musadik Malik stressed that despite decades of discussion on climate change, the situation on the ground remains deeply concerning.

“I have been hearing about climate change since 2000, and work on it has been ongoing since the 1980s. With so much discussion around it, I used to think that some improvement must have taken place. But when I look at the reality, nothing seems to be getting any better,” he said.

The Minister noted that Pakistan contributes only around 0.7 to 0.9 percent of global carbon emissions, while a small number of major emitters account for a very substantial share of global emissions. He also highlighted the disparity in access to climate finance.

“It is easily written down that a certain amount of money is needed, but do we actually have the money we require? All the talk we engage in remains just that—mere words. We will have to take practical steps,” Mr. Malik said.

“Try something new. I’m not saying to stop doing what you’re doing, keep doing it. But we don’t know yet how to solve the problems we’ve mentioned. We don’t know how to fight climate change. That’s why we come to you, the young generation,” he said.

He pointed to China as an example of how environmental challenges can be transformed into opportunities, noting the transformation of cities such as Beijing and Shanghai and China’s emergence as a global leader in solar technology and electric vehicles.

Speaking at the forum, Ms. Afia Salam expressed solidarity with communities affected by torrential rains and flooding in Nepal, stressing that recent disasters demonstrate the severe and immediate consequences of climate change. She urged Pakistan to move beyond reactive responses and take preventive measures and long-term steps to strengthen climate resilience and protect human lives.

Prof. Dr. Daanish Mustafa emphasised that addressing climate change also requires confronting the mindsets and assumptions that shape how societies respond to environmental disasters.

Hydrology expert Dr. Hassan Abbas drew attention to the complexity of glacier systems and the consequences of human intervention in fragile ecosystems.

Fazilda Nabeel, Climate and Water Governance Expert, stressed the urgency of responding to climate change as a current rather than future challenge. Mr. Samuel Rizk, UNDP Resident Representative in Pakistan, highlighted the catastrophic impact of the 2022 floods and stressed the importance of strengthening early warning and disaster preparedness systems.

The panel discussion was followed by a roundtable bringing together experts, policymakers and climate advocates, including Rina Saeed, Dr Sobia Rose, Didar Ali, Dr Ejaz Tanveer, Dr Mohammad Usman, Shafqat Munir, Mohammad Fawad, Dr Mohammad Faisal Ali.

The discussion also acknowledged that Pakistan has historically relied heavily on “hard fixes” to address flood risks, but that sustainable climate resilience also requires confronting governance failures.

Published in Dawn, August 29th, 2026