Project Brief:

This research aims to evaluate the effectiveness of climate governance in Pakistan through the lens of polycentric climate governance, with a focus on participation, accountability, and climate resilience. The study will employ a multidisciplinary mixed-methods approach to assess the project’s impact on community-based disaster preparedness, infrastructure development, and stakeholder collaboration. Specifically, it seeks to analyze the project’s performance in mitigating the risks associated with Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOF) in Northern Pakistan using a tailored theoretical framework. The research will incorporate document reviews, key informant interviews, field surveys, and focus group discussions (FGDs) to explore how local, national, and international actors interact and influence outcomes. The goal is to provide a comprehensive evaluation that measures tangible outcomes while examining how polycentric governance models can enhance or limit the effectiveness of adaptive governance in the context of Pakistan. This research will investigate the dynamics of power, participation, and accountability, offering actionable insights to improve future donor-funded climate adaptation projects and contribute to broader discussions on effective climate governance.

Public Policy Relevance:

This evaluation project aims to provide insights into climate adaptation policies and governance in Pakistan. It seeks to evaluate the GLOF-II initiative, which operates in glacial regions that are vulnerable to outburst floods. The focus is on strengthening early warning systems, enhancing community-based preparedness, and developing climate-resilient infrastructure. The study will generate independent, evidence-based findings on which interventions are most effective, helping policymakers improve disaster risk reduction strategies and allocate resources more effectively and efficiently. Additionally, the evaluation will examine how polycentric climate governance frameworks function in practice and their alignment with international funding mechanisms like the Green Climate Fund. By identifying coordination gaps and accountability challenges, this research supports more responsive, transparent, and accountable climate governance. The findings will not only strengthen local resilience but also guide similar adaptation efforts in other high-risk regions.

Team Details:

Principal Investigator
Maleeha Sattar
Teaching Fellow
ITU, Lahore

Co-PI
Dr. Neelum Nigar
Director
institute of Strategic Studies, Islamabad