A Holistic and Effective Approach to Tackling Climate Change

Islamic Relief has been working on the ground in Pakistan for over 30 years, transforming the lives of millions of people. In response to the climate crisis, Islamic Relief Pakistan has consistently been at the forefront of ensuring climate-adaptive approaches are mainstreamed into programming. Islamic Relief recognizes that women must be at the center of the fight against climate change as powerful agents of change in their communities.

With the aim to arrive at a more detailed and practical understanding of the current and long-term situation facing Pakistanis living through the climate crisis, Islamic Relief Canada researchers joined Islamic Relief Pakistan on the ground, engaging in a communitybased narrative inquiry study. Our researchers placed a specific emphasis on listening to women, who shared their insights into the unique toll that climate change is taking on their day-to-day lives.

This report sheds light on the many ways that climate change is affecting communities in Pakistan. We advocate for an intersectional approach to programs that tackle climate change — thus, prioritizing those most impacted by creating livelihood opportunities that sustain the adoption of climate-adaptive solutions.

Climate change is the defining issue of our time. We are at a critical juncture where governments must act immediately to avoid irreversible catastrophe. It is crucial that the global community makes every effort to meet respective domestic targets and pool resources to help communities that are already experiencing the crippling consequences of climate change without delay.