Editorial
It’s easy to claim Pakistan is among the most affected by climate change despite contributing little to the problem. But many of us making this claim don’t truly feel the heat—literally or figuratively. Most of us live comfortably in air-conditioned spaces, drive personal cars, and enjoy climate-appropriate diets. Meanwhile, we shed performative tears over climate injustice, far removed from those truly suffering its effects.
This hypocrisy runs deep. Today’s “climate elite”—whether fluent in English or holding foreign degrees—often advocate for climate justice while staying disconnected from the communities they claim to represent. They give rousing speeches in donor-friendly English, only to switch to overly-simplified Urdu when addressing locals. The result? They win grants, but fail to build real grassroots change.
Time and again, we’ve seen well-funded NGOs struggle to mobilize the very communities they claim to serve. Take Thar as an example—despite the devastating impacts of the coalfield project, large-scale protests by local residents are rare. Why? Perhaps it’s fear—but maybe it’s also because these communities are being bypassed in favor of polished activists more acceptable to international donors.
Often, when grassroots efforts fail, NGOs quietly shift their focus to easier, more ‘presentable’ segments—teachers, doctors, or small business owners. In some cases, they tokenistically include vulnerable groups to appease donors, rather than create meaningful impact.
When this upward drift fails too, the whole effort ends in a five-star hotel panel discussion attended by elites who applaud each other—far from the people on the frontlines.
For genuine progress, real community representatives must be empowered—not sidelined. But this will require both donors and local leaders to bridge skill gaps and invest in long-term capacity building, rather than superficial climate branding that benefits few while excluding many.
