Karachi’s growing heat crisis took centre stage on Friday as the Climate Action Center organised the first stakeholder consultation meeting on the Karachi Cooling Plan, bringing together representatives from leading organisations across the city.
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The meeting saw participation from a wide range of institutions including Karachi Urban Lab, Urban Unit Punjab, Provincial Disaster Management Authority, Greater Karachi Regional Plan, Sindh Education and Literacy Department, JDC Foundation Pakistan, Aga Khan University, Urban Resource Centre and Caritas Pakistan.
The consultation focused on identifying the key challenges driving Karachi’s heat crisis, including the growing threat of urban heat islands, limited public cooling infrastructure, energy insecurity, lack of heat preparedness and the disproportionate impact of extreme heat on vulnerable communities across the city.
Participants came together to discuss practical and immediate steps that can be taken under the Karachi Cooling Plan.
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Key areas of discussion included strengthening early warning systems, expanding public cooling spaces, improving heat-ready healthcare facilities, promoting climate-sensitive urban design and increasing urban greening initiatives across the city.
The meeting also explored short-term implementation strategies and institutional coordination mechanisms, with participants identifying opportunities for collaborative leadership to build a more climate-responsive and equitable future for Karachi.
The consultation marks an important first step in bringing key stakeholders together to address one of the most pressing environmental challenges facing Pakistan’s largest city.
