Karachi Mayor Barrister Murtaza Wahab today acknowledged that the city”s complex political and institutional landscape is complicating the execution of the Karachi Climate Action Plan (KCAP), citing limitations to his authority over projects that fall under provincial or federal control.
During a meeting at his office on Monday with civil society organizations, the Mayor called for their “critical and constructive” role in monitoring the KCAP”s progress and helping to push all responsible agencies into action.
Representatives from groups including the NED University of Engineering and Technology, The Knowledge Forum, and Shehri-Citizens for Better Environment expressed concerns over the slow implementation of the climate blueprint. They highlighted the urgent need to expand clean energy uptake through green grids and microgrids, ensure stricter compliance with national green building codes, and safeguard urban green spaces.
The civic groups also underscored the persistent lack of community ownership in plantation drives and criticized K-Electric”s continued reliance on fossil-fuel power plants located within the city’s territory, which contribute significantly to emissions.
In response, Mayor Wahab explained that while he holds a mandate to coordinate with all entities involved in the KCAP, his direct authority is confined to the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation”s (KMC) domain. He requested that the civil society organizations submit concrete proposals and technical inputs that could help compel other government departments to fulfill their responsibilities under the plan.
Despite the challenges, the Mayor pointed to several initiatives already completed by KMC, including the solarisation of select municipal buildings, the installation of EV charging points, and the distribution of electric scooters to staff. He also mentioned the creation of rainwater harvesting ponds and ongoing efforts to improve the city”s green cover.
The KCAP, developed by KMC with the United Nations Development Programme Pakistan, serves as a framework to reduce city-wide emissions and address climate vulnerabilities such as heat stress and urban flooding, particularly their inequitable impact on low-income communities.
The meeting concluded with a mutual understanding to explore the development of a strategy for fostering greater community involvement in key KCAP components. Both parties agreed to maintain regular engagement, with the Mayor reiterating that meaningful climate action requires sustained collaboration between government, experts, and local communities.
Attendees at the discussion included Dr. Saeedudin, Ms. Zeenia Shaukat, Zahid Farooq, Ms. Hawwa Fazal, Shujauddin Qureshi, and Ms. Munazza from their respective organizations. Ms. Sumaira Malik, who led the KCAP”s development for the Mayor’s office, was also in attendance.