Pakistan has called for the establishment of a dedicated funding window under the international Loss and Damage Fund to protect culturally significant sites threatened by climate change, citing the catastrophic damage inflicted on over 750 heritage locations during the 2022 floods.
According to an official information today, Federal Minister for National Heritage and Culture Aurangzeb Khan Khichi told international delegates in Rome that Pakistan’s vast cultural treasures, from the ancient cities of Mohenjo-Daro to Mughal-era monuments, now stand on the frontline of the global climate crisis.
The minister underscored the severe impact of environmental shifts on the nation”s patrimony, recalling the damage to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Mohenjo-Daro. He also drew attention to emerging threats, including glacial lake outburst floods jeopardizing ancient rock carvings along the Karakoram Highway and coastal erosion affecting the Makli Necropolis.
In a plea for greater international solidarity, Khichi urged the global community to formally recognize cultural heritage as a strategic asset within climate adaptation and mitigation frameworks. He advocated for integrating heritage protection directly into Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and National Adaptation Plans (NAPs).
Furthermore, the Minister recommended the creation of an ICCROM-led global knowledge platform to unite scientists, heritage professionals, and indigenous communities in developing resilient solutions. He also proposed that culture-based indicators be incorporated into the UNFCCC Global Stocktake to quantify cultural loss alongside rising global temperatures.
The address was made at a high-level special event, ‘Culture-Climate Nexus: The Missing Link,’ held on the margins of the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM) General Assembly.
Khichi is leading Pakistan’s delegation to the ICCROM General Assembly Session, which took place in the Italian capital from December 10-12, 2025.