By Sultan Alam
Senior Instructor, AKUIED-PDCN
In recent years, the increasing frequency and severity of natural calamities has caused widespread devastation across Gilgit-Baltistan, with 2025 being particularly impactful on the region’s socio-economic conditions, disrupting livelihoods, infrastructure, and public services. This situation has compelled all development sectors, including government, civil society, and humanitarian agencies to reassess their roles and adopt coordinated strategies focused on disaster risk reduction, resilience-building, and sustainable recovery. Failure to act promptly and collaboratively may result in severe and lasting consequences, including deepening socio-economic instability, environmental degradation, and weakened prospects for long-term development.
Gilgit-Baltistan, characterized by some of the world’s highest mountain ranges and the largest concentration of glaciers outside the Polar Regions, is increasingly recognized as one of the most climate-vulnerable regions in South Asia. The impacts of climate change, rising temperatures, accelerated glacial retreat, erratic precipitation patterns, glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), landslides, and growing water insecurity are no longer hypothetical projections but observable realities affecting local communities. In this context of heightened environmental risk, the role of education emerges as a critical and strategic response mechanism.
Envisioning education beyond the conventional transmission of knowledge, it can be understood as a transformative instrument for fostering awareness, innovation, critical inquiry, and collective action. In Gilgit-Baltistan, where livelihoods are closely linked to natural resources, particularly in agriculture, livestock rearing, and tourism, the integration of climate education within formal schooling has significant potential to strengthen adaptive capacity and promote sustainable development pathways.
The mountainous topography of the region renders it particularly sensitive to climatic variability. Rapid glacial melting has heightened flood risks, while shifting precipitation regimes threaten water availability and food security. Rural households, largely dependent on subsistence agriculture, face increasing socio-economic stress as environmental conditions become less predictable. Within such a setting, climate literacy constitutes a developmental imperative rather than a supplementary educational component. An environmentally informed population is better positioned to anticipate risks, adopt adaptive practices, and participate in mitigation efforts. Embedding climate science, environmental ethics, and disaster risk reduction within the curriculum can equip students with the analytical tools necessary to comprehend both the scientific dimensions and socio-economic implications of climate change.
The education sector in Gilgit-Baltistan therefore holds considerable scope to mainstream climate education across primary, secondary, and tertiary levels. Pedagogical approaches should extend beyond abstract theoretical instruction and incorporate localized case studies, such as glacial retreat in Hunza or recurrent flooding in Ghizer and other districts during 2025, to contextualize global climate phenomena within students’ lived experiences. Experiential and activity-based learning strategies can enhance engagement and practical understanding. School-based initiatives, including afforestation campaigns, waste management programs, water conservation projects, and renewable energy demonstrations, can institutionalize environmental responsibility. Science education may foster experimentation in climate-smart agricultural techniques, while social sciences can critically examine the socio-economic vulnerabilities associated with environmental degradation.
Teacher capacity remains a pivotal determinant of successful implementation. Professional development programs are necessary to update educators’ subject knowledge and to promote pedagogical practices that encourage critical thinking, problem-solving, and interdisciplinary analysis. Well-trained teachers can serve not only as instructors but also as role models and facilitators of climate-conscious behavior.
Gilgit-Baltistan’s youthful demographic profile presents an additional opportunity. With appropriate institutional support, young people can act as agents of environmental stewardship and community resilience. Educational institutions can facilitate environmental clubs, climate awareness campaigns, and student participation in community-based adaptation initiatives. Training in disaster risk reduction can further enable students to contribute constructively during emergencies. Engagement in local doings, such as monitoring water resources, documenting biodiversity shifts, or collecting climate-related data can simultaneously enhance scientific literacy and generate locally relevant evidence. At the tertiary level, universities and technical training centers can prioritize research and innovation in renewable energy technologies, sustainable tourism models, and climate-resilient infrastructure, thereby encouraging context-specific solutions and reducing external dependency.
Climate education must also extend beyond formal institutional settings. Community-based learning initiatives are essential to disseminate climate literacy among farmers, women, and marginalized populations. Workshops on climate-smart agriculture, water harvesting, and sustainable land management can enhance adaptive practices at the grassroots level. Schools can function as community knowledge hubs, hosting seminars, exhibitions, and consultative forums on environmental sustainability. The intergenerational transfer of knowledge where students communicate climate-conscious practices within their households can reinforce behavioral change. Given women’s central role in household resource management, gender-responsive climate education and the empowerment of girls are particularly important for strengthening long-term community resilience.
Effective realization of these objectives necessitates supportive public policy and institutional commitment. The Government of Gilgit-Baltistan can prioritize climate education within broader educational reforms by allocating resources for curriculum development, teacher training, and environmentally sustainable school infrastructure. Initiatives such as solar-powered educational facilities, rainwater harvesting systems, and eco-friendly construction can provide practical demonstrations of sustainable technologies. Partnerships with non-governmental organizations, research institutions, and the private sector can further enhance programmatic reach and innovation. Moreover, systematic monitoring and evaluation frameworks are required to assess outcomes and ensure that climate education initiatives are evidence-based, scalable, and contextually relevant.
In sum, climate change presents multifaceted and long-term challenges for Gilgit-Baltistan, yet it also creates an opportunity to re-envision development through the lens of sustainability and resilience. Positioning education as a catalyst for climate action can cultivate environmentally responsible citizens, informed decision-makers, and innovative leaders. By embedding climate consciousness within the educational system and fostering collective commitment, Gilgit-Baltistan can strengthen its adaptive capacity and safeguard its unique ecological heritage. In an era of environmental uncertainty, education remains a foundational instrument for enabling informed action and securing a resilient future for the region.
