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The IGHD Annual Conference 2025 concluded in Karachi after two days of scientific dialogue and policy discussions focused on IGHD climate policy recommendations, bringing together experts working on climate resilience in Pakistan.
Hosted by the Institute for Global Health and Development at Aga Khan University, the event was organized with SDSN Pakistan and featured specialists from architecture, engineering, public health, urban planning and environmental sciences.
Participants presented new findings on sea-level rise along Karachi’s coastline, climate-resilient housing prototypes from Sindh, indigenous construction models, and research on heat-linked health risks affecting vulnerable communities across Pakistan’s rapidly changing environment.
Scientific teams highlighted the dangers coastal settlements face due to rising seas, explaining how inadequate planning, scarce resources and weak infrastructure increase climate vulnerability across densely populated regions in Sindh.
Experts also shared data on extreme heat, water shortages, and increasing climate-driven illness, stressing the urgent need to strengthen local health systems that continue to face mounting climate pressures every year.
During the inaugural session, Federal Minister for Climate Change Dr Musadik Malik urged investment in young researchers, emphasizing that universities must empower emerging scientists advancing technological solutions for Pakistan’s escalating environmental challenges.
Researchers showcased climate-resilient rural housing models tested in Matiari and other parts of interior Sindh, demonstrating earthquake-resistant, heat-resistant and low-cost designs created through strong community-scientist collaboration.
Several presenters highlighted indigenous adaptation practices that remain effective when supported by scientific validation, noting that community-led planning strengthens long-term resilience in regions facing repeated climate emergencies.
Professor Zulfiqar A. Bhutta, IGHD’s Founding Director, said the conference revealed what becomes possible when policymakers, scientists and communities work collectively, reaffirming the importance of translating IGHD climate policy recommendations into practical national action.
A closing national policy panel brought together experts from development agencies, universities and government ministries to draft priority recommendations focused on resilient housing, strengthened health systems and climate-ready infrastructure.
Dr Sulaiman Shahabuddin, President of Aga Khan University, said AKU remains committed to advancing research that directly supports policy development, ensuring Pakistan’s climate preparedness improves through evidence-based planning.
The conference reaffirmed IGHD’s leadership in driving multidisciplinary research and shaping collaborative solutions aimed at helping communities withstand the intensifying impacts of climate change across Pakistan.
