Karachi (NNP) The Climate Hub Forum (CHF), in collaboration with the Karachi Bar Association, achieved a historic milestone today by forging an impactful alliance to address the climate
emergency through legal and judicial frameworks. The session marked a groundbreaking step toward integrating climate change advocacy into courtrooms, ensuring justice, policy-making, and law enforcement align with the urgent need for climate resilience and sustainability.
A Call for Climate Justice and Advocacy
Erum Khan, Chairperson of the Climate Hub Forum (CHF), delivered a landmark keynote address, emphasizing the legal community’s pivotal role in combating the climate crisis. Reflecting on CHF’s diplomatic success at COP 29 in Baku, she highlighted the Forum’s mission to translate global
agreements into actionable solutions for Pakistan and the Global South. Erum addressed Karachi’s urgent environmental challenges, including air pollution, urban flooding, and waste mismanagement, and outlined CHF’s key projects such as the One Million Trees campaign, Zero Waste Karachi, and
Climate Change and Environmental Education Training Programs. She urged legal reforms to address gaps in environmental laws, enhance enforcement, and champion climate justice.
Adv. Farukh Nawaz Gandapur, Forum’s Legal Advisor began by thanking the Karachi Bar Association for organizing this critical session, with special gratitude to its President and General Secretary for
their leadership and commitment to climate advocacy.
Dr. Kanwal Nazim, scientist and President of SEMP, a collaborative partner of CHF, emphasized the urgency of climate action, stating that climate change is no longer a distant threat but a reality seen in Karachi’s heatwaves, rising sea levels, and severe air pollution. She highlighted that human activities like deforestation and industrialization have driven global warming, but nature-based solutions offer hope. “Mangroves, our coastal forests, act as nature’s shield against climate change, protecting against rising seas and storms while supporting biodiversity,” she explained, inviting the public to explore these vital yet underappreciated ecosystems with CHF’s supportive Programs. She underscored the need for large-scale tree plantation to combat deforestation and restore balance.
Advocate Aamir Sadozai, Co-Founder of CHF, underlined Pakistan’s climate vulnerabilities,
particularly in Sindh and Balochistan, and urged lawyers to lead in climate justice through litigation and policy advocacy. He announced CHF’s Green Taskforce Committee, dedicated to drafting climate- resilient laws, promoting green finance, and ensuring accountability.
Dr. Uzair Khan pointed to unchecked urbanization and coastal developments as drivers of Karachi’s environmental degradation. He urged the Karachi Bar Association to play an active role in legal advocacy and policy reform to safeguard green spaces and address the impacts of global warming and rising sea levels.
General Secretary of Karachi Bar Association, Adv. M. Ghulam Rehman Korai, expressed gratitude to the Climate Hub Forum, particularly Co-founder Aamir Sadozai and Legal Advisor Farrukh Nawaz Gandapur, for their climate initiatives. He highlighted the Bar’s readiness to collaborate on climate- related lawmaking, including vehicle and industrial emissions, with the involvement of his cabinet, including Joint Secretary Imran Aziz, Media Chairperson Amjad Ali Shabrani, and Disciplinary
Chairperson Sheeraz Ali Sher. He applauded the Forum’s “One Million Trees” initiative, especially mangrove plantations in Sindh and Balochistan, and pledged support for strong advocacy and
legislative action.
Adv. Aamir Nawaz Waraich, President of the Karachi Bar Association, emphasized the urgent need for government intervention to regulate urbanization and allocate land for green spaces. He stressed that while Environmental Protection Laws exist, effective implementation frameworks are urgently needed. Announcing the Bar’s commitment to plant 1,000 trees under CHF’s One Million Trees
project, he called for strategic guidance from CHF and assured continued legal and societal support for climate advocacy.
Senior Advocate Syed Saleem Ahmed praised the initiative as one of the most impactful in his 40
years career and endorsed CHF’s Climate Change and Environmental Education Training Program for early education as a critical step toward a sustainable future. A Lahore Bar representative linked
rising air pollution to health crises and pledged support for CHF and Karachi Bar in championing climate justice.
Paving the Way for COP 30 and Beyond
The Climate Hub Forum (CHF) is forging a transformative alliance with the Karachi Bar Association, uniting the judiciary, policymakers, and civil society to tackle the climate crisis. This collaboration strengthens climate lawmaking, advances policy innovation, and amplifies the Global South’s voice on international platforms.
Engaging the legal fraternity opens pathways to champion Loss and Damage Funds, mobilize climate financing, and address critical gaps in justice and equity. By enhancing legal frameworks, Pakistan can strengthen its climate resilience and fulfill its global commitments.
CHF proudly announces the formation of two new committees; Green Taskforce, driving sustainable climate solutions and Green SheForce, empowering women leaders in advocacy and policy. During
the event, CHF pinned their Membership badges to the President, General Secretary, and other key members of the Karachi Bar Association, as well as other notable participants, symbolizing their commitment to collaborative climate action. These initiatives mark a decisive step toward inclusive and impactful climate action as we advance to COP 30 and beyond.
