For far too long, Karachi, a city of over 30 million, has expanded without a working plan, resulting in crumbling infrastructure, traffic gridlock, water shortages, and intensifying heat waves and climate risks. The Greater Karachi Regional Plan 2047 (GKRP) offers a long-overdue opportunity to confront these challenges head-on. This comprehensive 25-year master plan aims to reimagine how Karachi is planned, governed, and sustained through inclusive consultation, evidence-based planning, and long-term vision. GKRP 2047 is being developed in collaboration with national and international partners, including Dar Al-Handasah International Consultants and Asian Consulting Engineers, alongside the Sindh Local Government Department and the Karachi Development Authority (KDA).

Launched in February 2025, GKRP 2047 is being developed through a two-year consultative process with a wide range of stakeholders, including government departments, planners, international experts, consultants, civil society organizations, academia, and communities from across the city. It focuses on key issues that have long held Karachi back: affordable housing, public transport, infrastructure, water and sanitation, climate resilience, and the basic right to a livable city.

The Climate Action Center (CAC) is playing a key role in making sure this plan doesn’t repeat the failures of the past. At the launch, CAC’s Director Yasir Husain called for climate to be treated as a central concern—not a side issue—and demanded institutional reforms that prioritize the environment and public accountability. From pushing for transparent data systems to advocating for SEPA’s independence and stronger climate governance, CAC is committed to making sure Karachi’s future is not only planned but also protected.

The Karachi Climate Action Plan (K-CAP) is the first ever climate plan, designed to confront the urgent and complex climate challenges facing Karachi, one of the world’s most populous and climate-vulnerable urban centers. With a population exceeding 30 million and growing rapidly, Karachi faces mounting risks from urban flooding, coastal erosion, extreme heat, water scarcity, and deteriorating air quality—all exacerbated by aging infrastructure and unregulated urban growth and planning.

Anchored in global climate goals, it includes a detailed analysis of Karachi’s current greenhouse gas emissions, future projections, and clearly defined reduction targets. It identifies climate risks, outlines sector-wise adaptation and mitigation strategies, and introduces a governance model to ensure accountability. A Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting (MER) framework has also been built to track progress and inform policy revisions over time. The has been developed under the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in collaboration with its partners C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group (C40), the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) as the implementing agency, Unit Punjab serving as the consultant, and NED University acting as the advisory body to the consultant.

The Climate Action Center Karachi (CAC) has been an active and consistent stakeholder in the K-CAP process since its early stages. Participating in key consultations, CAC has contributed knowledge, research, and community perspectives to help shape the direction of the plan. As part of its involvement, CAC put forward ten focused recommendations grounded in Karachi’s most urgent climate priority areas—including urban heat, air quality, data access, ecosystem restoration, and local climate governance.

These recommendations were based on extensive analysis and on-ground engagement, aimed at ensuring K-CAP remains practical, inclusive, and action-oriented. CAC continues to advocate for the plan’s long-term success by supporting its implementation through cross-sector collaboration, financing mechanisms, and public engagement and advocacy. K-CAP is not just a document—it’s a blueprint to build a more climate-resilient, just, and liveable Karachi.