Climate Justice in Pakistan

6 November, 2015

A High Court in Pakistan has set a legal precedent, both at home and abroad by ordering the government to enforce its climate change policy and establishing a climate change commission to oversee the process. A public interest litigation case brought by a farmer against government failure to develop the required resilience to climate change as set out in the 2012 National climate Change Policy has provided fresh impetus to civil society to play a lead role in highlighting the impacts of climate change on sectors like food, water, energy and disasters that directly affect the lives and livelihoods of people.

Pakistan is the third most vulnerable country to climate change. Weak regulations at home and lack of assistance from countries responsible for global warming is increasing vulnerability and reducing resilience. Pakistan needs support to build its adaptive capacity and hopes that COP21 in Paris will achieve an agreement that will help it to develop a climate resilient policy framework that combines local action with global support to strengthen its adaptive capacity.

-Aisha Khan