SDSN Pakistan & IGHD Host Annual Conference on Climate Change and the Built Environment
On November 28–29, 2025, the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) Pakistani network (SDSN Pakistan), in collaboration with the Institute for Global Health and Development (IGHD), Aga Khan University, Karachi, organized the IGHD Annual Conference on Climate Change and the Built Environment. The event featured high-level scientific presentations, policy dialogue, and cross-sector collaboration to strengthen Pakistan’s resilience to the climate crisis. It convened leading experts from architecture, engineering, environmental sciences, public health, urban planning, and policy to examine how Pakistan can best protect itself in a rapidly changing world.
Underscoring the gravity of the issues being addressed, His Highness the Aga Khan, in a statement shared at the event, emphasized that “Climate change is one of the greatest threat multipliers of our era. Its impacts intensify disease, malnutrition, displacement, learning loss, and poverty. These burdens fall disproportionately upon women, children, older adults, and marginalized communities. Addressing them is not optional; it is imperative for equity, stability, and sustainable development.” He further noted that “Progress in addressing climate change will depend on partnership,” welcoming collaborators from Pakistan, Europe, North America, and Southeast Asia.
Key Takeaways
Throughout the event, researchers and practitioners shared new evidence on rising sea levels along Karachi’s coastline, climate-resilient housing prototypes from Sindh, indigenous design solutions, heat-resilient health systems, and data-driven adaptation strategies for vulnerable populations. The findings presented a detailed picture of the urgent threats facing communities, while also highlighting opportunities for science-based and community-led action — an approach closely aligned with SDSN Pakistan’s mandate.
Chief Guest Dr Musadik Malik, Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, underscored the importance of empowering the next generation. He reminded the audience that the future lies with young people who believe change is possible, calling for greater opportunity for students and researchers from institutions such as the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), Aga Khan University, and Jamshoro University to apply their knowledge and shape new technologies and solutions.
Speakers highlighted the growing risks to settlements along Sindh’s coastline due to rising sea levels, significant adaptation gaps in unplanned settlements facing extreme heat and poor infrastructure, and the mounting pressures on health systems as climate-linked illnesses increase. Alongside these concerns, promising solutions also emerged, including earthquake- and heat-resilient housing models piloted in Matiari and interior Sindh, and community-led adaptation initiatives demonstrating strong potential when indigenous techniques are aligned with scientific evidence.
Professor Zulfiqar A. Bhutta, Chair of SDSN Pakistan and Founding Director of IGHD, emphasized that the research presented throughout the conference shows what is possible when communities, scientists, and policymakers work together. He noted that the path forward lies in ensuring this evidence meaningfully guides policy and implementation efforts across the country, a focus central to SDSN Pakistan’s work with universities, government partners, and civil society networks.
The conference concluded with a national policy panel featuring leading experts from academia, government, and international development, who outlined priority recommendations for climate-resilient infrastructure, housing, and health systems. Dr Sulaiman Shahabuddin, President of the Aga Khan University, reiterated the university’s commitment to advancing climate research that informs practice and policy, noting that the insights generated will help strengthen Pakistan’s climate readiness in the years ahead.
For SDSN Pakistan, the IGHD Annual Conference reaffirmed the vital role of multidisciplinary, evidence-based collaboration in strengthening the resilience of communities across the country. The discussions and research presented underscore the urgency of coordinated action and the importance of partnerships that connect local knowledge with global expertise.
To learn more about SDSN Pakistan, visit the Network’s website.
