ISLAMABAD: An event brought together youth climate activists, entrepreneurs, representatives from the development sector, academia and civil society institutions to spotlight the ideas, leadership and innovations shaping Pakistan’s climate future in Islamabad on Thursday.

The British High Commission in Islamabad, in collaboration with Oxford Policy Management (OPM), hosted the event at the Movenpick Hotel, showcasing how young Pakistanis are responding to climate challenges through innovation, advocacy and action.

The event highlighted youth-led climate innovations, community action models, creative climate storytelling and climate diplomacy skills, while creating a rare platform for dialogue between young changemakers, policymakers and development partners.

The event began with the Innovation Souq, a vibrant exhibition of thematic innovation pods and walls featuring youth-led climate-tech, renewable energy, circular economy and AI-driven solutions. Universities, incubation centres and youth networks displayed community climate action models, while youth climate leaders inspired visitors with briefs on climate leadership, climate entrepreneurship, low-carbon and nature-based solutions, and effective climate communication.

Aisha Humera Chaudhary, Federal Secretary, Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, was the chief guest at the event. She said, “I am here to learn from youth. The Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination places young talent at the centre for driving climate action together. I am really glad to visit the projects today.”

She added, “The impact the youth are creating is really commendable!”

Pakistan is among the countries most vulnerable to climate change, facing recurring floods, heatwaves, water stress and biodiversity loss. With over 64 per cent of the population under the age of 30, the country’s youth are not only among those most affected, they are also emerging as one of its strongest forces for climate leadership.

Sana Khattak, co-founder and CMO of ezGeyser Smart Thermostats, which she has been leading with her co-founder Ashar Bazed since 2023, presented her work and shared her story of how watching cartoons about saving the planet as a child had inspired her. Her work reduces natural gas and LNG wastage from geysers, helping lower carbon emissions through smarter energy use.

Barrister Hassan Khan, who focuses on rights-based climate litigation, climate finance and cross-border legal accountability for states and corporations, said that the law must be examined as a tool to deal with climate change, as global trends show that courts can be an effective way to address the issue.

He added that accountability is important for institutions so that policies are not forgotten. Hassan has contributed to climate-related legal research through the Climate Change Committee of the Islamabad High Court and worked on issues relating to Article 9A of the Constitution of Pakistan, examining environmental rights and comparative legal frameworks.

Rania Rajput, a psychologist, identified that mental health challenges often emerge from climate-related crises, especially disasters such as floods in Pakistan. Ahmed Yar, a climate advocate, raised questions about the role of Pakistanis as the country faces the consequences of climate change that it has not caused.

The gathering ended with an intergenerational conversation between climate leaders and youth, where they shared perspectives on climate priorities, collaboration models and actions moving forward.

The event was attended by diverse groups brought together by a shared commitment to sustainable climate outcomes, including youth innovators, climate activists and student leaders, university climate societies and green clubs, community organisations and youth networks, climate experts, diplomats and development partners, as well as artists, storytellers and digital creators working on climate themes.

It created space for new partnerships between youth networks, academic institutions, diplomatic missions and industry experts, and a pipeline of youth-led digital climate solutions for further incubation.

Published in Dawn, March 13th, 2026