At this event, we will present the findings of two Research Grantees who have been undertaking climate change field research projects in Pakistan for The Borrowed Earth Project –www.borrowedearthproject.com – a small not for profit which works to encourage young people in their efforts to tackle climate change and biodiversity.
Pakistan is one of the most climate stressed countries in the world, and recently suffered devastating floods in 2022 which affected a third of the country and 33 million people. This is an unusual opportunity to hear at first hand about some unique field research which you will not find represented in the journals.
Speakers will be:
William Wilson, barrister and environmental lawyer, and co-founder with Edward Wilson and Sam Wilson of The Borrowed Earth Project. William has worked in government, consultancy and private practice.
Maria Samilwala an urban researcher, based in Karachi. Her research project for The Borrowed Earth Project concerned the intractable issues of the management of waste in the Karachi municipal area. The paper is informed by local initiatives tackling the city's waste problem and uses their insights to identify both individual-level and policy-level recommendations. Maria has a Bachelor of Science (Honors) in Social Development & Policy from Habib University, Karachi. She is passionate about understanding the climate change through an urban development lens, specifically through sustainable planning and design i.e. SDG 11. Maria currently works as a Habitat Planning Intern at the Aga Khan Agency for Habitat, supporting their mission to create safe and sustainable habitats in various territories.
Nouman Alam is a dedicated education and climate resilience advocate. His research project for The Borrowed Earth Project involved interviewing teachers and farmers in the Lakki Marwat and Swat districts of Khyber Paktunkhwa about the impact of increased flooding and their responses to climate change. He currently serves as a CPD Coach at the National Institute for Excellence in Teachers Education, where he mentors 75 educators across eight government schools. As the Founder and CEO of Climate Class Connection, Nouman is leading an initiative that focused on girls' leadership and agency in climate education. Through this program, he engaged over 600+ students, teachers, and community members, integrating cultural, social, and environmental education across multiple schools. This initiative equipped young girls with the knowledge and tools to become climate leaders while fostering an inclusive environment for advocacy and sustainable practices. Nouman holds an MPhil in Environmental Sciences from Quaid-I-Azam University. Additionally, he earned a Bachelor's in Disaster Preparedness and Management from the University of Peshawar, and is currently pursuing a Bachelor's in Education from Allama Iqbal Open University.