BRIDGING THE CLIMATE AWARENESS GAP: HOW LOCAL LANGUAGES TRANSFORM PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING IN PAKISTAN
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/xy559947Keywords:
Climate Change Awareness, Climate Communication, Community Engagement, Linguistic Diversity, Local Languages, Pakistan, Public UnderstandingAbstract
Climate change is one of the most pressing challenges facing the world today, and Pakistan is among the countries most vulnerable to its impacts. The nation experiences frequent floods, heatwaves, and agricultural losses, which threaten both human lives and economic resources. Effective climate communication requires more than merely conveying information; it must ensure that messages are accessible, culturally relevant, and understandable to diverse communities. Pakistan’s rich multilingual landscape, encompassing languages such as Punjabi, Sindhi, Saraiki, Balochi, and Pashto etc ,provides an important opportunity for enhancing public understanding of climate change. Based on available studies, this review explores the potential of local languages to enhance climate awareness in Pakistan, while also highlighting that limited use of regional languages has constrained the reach and effectiveness of climate messages. A thematic review approach was employed, analyzing peer-reviewed studies, government reports, and NGO publications to identify patterns, strengths, and gaps in current research. The study highlights how regional language communication enhances comprehension, fosters trust, and encourages community engagement. The role of social media and other contemporary platforms in disseminating climate awareness is also considered. Findings indicate that while national campaigns often rely on English or Urdu, incorporating local languages significantly improves the reach and impact of climate messaging. The study concludes that prioritizing linguistic diversity in climate communication strategies is essential for bridging Pakistan’s climate awareness gap and promoting sustainable environmental practices.
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