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30-11-2025
By SJA Jafri + PR
KARACHI: The Aga Khan University’s (AKU) Institute for Global Health and Development (IGHD) brought together Pakistan’s leading architects, planners, public health experts, development specialists, and government representatives to address one of the country’s most pressing national challenges: how to redesign homes, neighborhoods, and public systems to withstand intensifying climate pressures in both urban and rural settings.
The dialogue unfolded at IGHD’s Annual Conference on Climate Change and the Built Environment, hosted in partnership with Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) Pakistan, under the leadership of Professor Zulfiqar A. Bhutta, Founding Director of IGHD. This year’s theme, “Climate Change and the Built Environment: Promoting Resilience & Adaptation in Low-Income Settings,” set the stage for a day focused on evidence, solutions and innovative approaches.
Underscoring the gravity of the issues being addressed at the conference, His Highness the Aga Khan, in a statement read 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.”
The inaugural session welcomed Chief Guest His Excellency Tariq Khan, High Commissioner of Canada to Pakistan, followed by a Special Message from Honourable Minister Professor Ahsan Iqbal, Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, Government of Pakistan, who joined the conference virtually.
Statement of Prince Rahim Aga Khan
In a statement read out at a recent Karachi conference on climate change, Prince Rahim Aga Khan emphasized that climate change is one of the greatest “threat multipliers” of our era. He stressed that its impacts intensify various societal burdens and that addressing them is an imperative for global equity and sustainable development.
The statement was read at the conference titled “Climate Change and the Built Environment: Promoting Resilience & Adaptation in Low-Income Settings” on November 28, 2025. The conference was hosted by the Aga Khan University’s (AKU) Institute for Global Health and Development and the Sustainable Development Solutions Network Pakistan.
In the statement, Prince Rahim Aga Khan also highlighted the following key points:
The negative effects of climate change, such as increased disease, malnutrition, displacement, learning loss, and poverty, affect women, children, older adults, and marginalized communities the most.
Addressing climate change is necessary for achieving equity, stability, and sustainable development.
The Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) plans to have net-zero carbon operations by 2030 and aims to be a leader in environmental stewardship.
He urged collective action with greater understanding, purpose, and speed to prevent the most severe impacts of climate change for people globally, especially in Pakistan and South Asia.
The statement underscored the need for urgent action on climate change, particularly in countries like Pakistan, which are highly susceptible to its effects despite contributing minimally to global emissions.
(This news is being published on demand of thousands of Pakistani Ismailis.)
