In Pakistan, climate awareness has largely come to resemble a public relations exercise rather than a serious attempt at social transformation. Government departments and private or civil society organisations regularly organise walks, seminars, panel discussions and debates under the banner of green awakening. These activities are often well-photographed, well-attended and well-publicised. What they are rarely associated with, however, is a clearly defined outcome. There are no clear performance indicators or follow-up pathways to sustain engagement, volunteering or long-term affiliation, nor is there any systematic feedback mechanism to assess effectiveness or real impact.

There is no dispute that climate change is now part of mainstream discourse. Nor can it be denied that a single event, or even a series of them, cannot meaningfully transform public understanding overnight. Yet what is more troubling is that most awareness initiatives are not even designed with such transformation in mind. No recognised theory of awareness-building or behaviour change supports the idea of conducting events in isolation, without a target audience, measurable objectives or a plan for follow-up. Nevertheless, this remains the dominant model in Pakistan.

Typically, action plans are developed around numerical targets rather than strategic intent. Organisations commit to conducting a fixed number of events within a specified timeframe, often dictated by funding cycles or reporting deadlines. Topics are selected hastily, sometimes repetitively, without careful consideration of urgency, relevance........

© The Express Tribune