According to a new study assessing Karachi’s vulnerability to possible climate change impacts, serious gaps in governance put the city an increased risk in times of a calamity. Among factors such as an increasing socioeconomic disparity, a growing environmental degradation exposing the city to fluvial and storm water flooding risk, the absence of water conservation, waste water recycling or rain water harvesting practices on top of energy shortages and land use violations, the study identifies unplanned and unregulated growth in the development sector as one of the major risk factors that increases the city’s vulnerability to climate change impacts.
"The global focus on climate change and the availability of related substantial financial resources offers a window of opportunity for urban mangers across the world to access the resources and plan and implement measures to not only prepare for possible climate change impacts but generally improve the sustainability profile of their cities. Karachi, one of the fastest growing mega cities in the world, can definitely make progress in this regard," says the study.