Activity: Talk or Presentation › Oral presentation
Description
Annual Meeting of the Development Studies Association Scotland Study Group
Pakistan is on the frontlines of the global climate crisis. Despite contributing less than 1% of global greenhouse gas emissions, it faces severe climate impacts due to its geography and socio-economic conditions. Rising temperatures, extreme heatwaves, unpredictable rainfall, glacial melt, and sea-level rise are already disrupting lives, reducing crop yields, threatening food and water security, and increasing health risks. Yet, policy responses remain slow and fragmented. In this context, climate change litigation is emerging as a potential tool to push for stronger action and accountability. Against this background, this presentation explores the emerging role of climate litigation in Pakistan. Despite its high vulnerability, only six climate-related cases from Pakistan appear in the global Sabin Center database, and just four have been decided. These early cases raise important questions about how the law is being used to respond to climate change, and what role courts might play in promoting environmental justice and climate resilience.