Karachi, The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Pakistan, in partnership with C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, Karachi Metropolitan Corporation, and The Urban Unit, has launched the development of a Climate Action Plan for Karachi city (K-CAP) through a Rapid Strategic Appraisal and Visioning Workshop.
According to United Nations Development Programme, the workshop marked the beginning of a concerted effort to address climate change issues in Karachi. This initiative is part of the Climate Promise, UNDP’s global flagship initiative, which works at the provincial and local levels in Pakistan to provide institutional support and strengthen climate change governance for low-emission development. The UNDP Pakistan’s Innovation-Accelerator Lab (AccLab) plays a crucial role in this endeavor, employing in-depth research, a human-centered approach, and portfolio logic to change development strategies for accelerated impact. Both Climate Promise and AccLab are key drivers in the development of K-CAP.
The workshop brought together priority stakeholders from government departments and civil society organizations in Karachi to lay the groundwork for the city’s long-term decarbonization strategy. It consisted of two sessions, with government departments participating in the first and civil society organizations in the second. Participants engaged in interactive activities to identify gaps and prioritize challenges, contributing to the drafting of Long-term Vision Statements for a carbon-neutral Karachi by 2050.
Mayor of Karachi, Mr. Murtaza Wahab Siddiqui, opened the workshop with remarks highlighting the city’s commitment to sustainable and practical solutions for climate action. He assured the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation’s full cooperation in implementing the climate action plan and announced the formation of a dedicated team to facilitate K-CAP’s development.
Mr. Usman Manzoor, Programme Officer for Climate Promise at UNDP, provided an overview of Pakistan’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), Long-Term Strategy (LTS), and the technical support being extended to the Government of Sindh through K-CAP and the NDC Implementation Plan. Additionally, Shruti Narayan from C40 delivered a virtual speech, emphasizing the timely initiation of this project for Karachi and its citizens to pursue resilient and evidence-based pathways for a greener, more inclusive future.
Given Karachi’s unique challenges, the dedicated Climate Action Plan is a critical component of Phase-II of UNDP Pakistan’s Climate Promise portfolio, in collaboration with C40 Cities. The recommendations generated at the workshop from both government and civil society organizations will be integrated into the K-CAP development process, contributing to a comprehensive and inclusive approach to climate action in the city.