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ISLAMABAD, Jul 16 (APP):The Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE) on Wednesday organized a seminar titled “Climate Change and Responsible Tourism in Pakistan” to highlight the country’s escalating climate crisis and explore ways and means by which tourism could help mitigate its impacts.
Renowned documentary filmmaker, TV presenter and Managing Director of EyeBex, Wajahat Malik was the keynote speaker at the seminar, moderated by PIDE’s Assistant Professor Dr Zulfiqar Ali, a news release said.
Pakistan is among the top 10 most climate-vulnerable countries globally, facing severe and accelerating consequences such as melting glaciers, flash floods, unpredictable weather patterns, rising temperatures, and biodiversity loss.
These changes pose a direct threat to both lives and livelihoods, particularly in the northern regions where tourism forms a significant part of the local economy.
Wajahat Malik emphasized that tourism could either accelerate environmental degradation or become a catalyst for resilience and adaptation.
He explained that while mass tourism, when unmanaged, contributed to carbon emissions, deforestation and excessive strain on natural resources, while responsible tourism has the potential to promote sustainability, education and local empowerment.
The seminar highlighted a range of climate-related impacts already affecting Pakistan’s tourism sector, as
Flashfloods and glacial lake bursts have caused extensive damage to critical infrastructure, including roads, hotels, and trekking routes.
It discussed that erratic weather patterns were disrupting travel seasons, resulting in decreased tourist footfall.
Besides, the increased frequency of natural disasters such as landslides and Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) has raised safety concerns for visitors.
Additionally, peak-season tourism places overwhelming pressure on limited water supplies and local ecosystems, while the degradation of scenic landscapes and biodiversity diminishes the overall quality of the tourist experience.
During the session, Malik discussed key insights into how tourism must evolve in response to these realities, asserting that climate change was human-driven and linked to unchecked economic practices.
Mass tourism, he said, often left behind a legacy of waste, emissions, and ecological damage.
Therefore, he added, responsible tourism was no longer optional, but essential.
To this end, he outlined several practical steps that tourists and tourism businesses could take like avoiding litter and single-use plastics by using reusable items; respecting natural ecosystems by staying on designated trails and limiting pollution; supporting local communities by choosing locally owned accommodations, guides, and products; opting for low-impact transportation; and engaging with the culture and environment of the region before visiting.
The seminar also stressed the importance of policy reform.
The participants agreed on the urgent need for investment in sustainable infrastructure, effective regulation of high-traffic tourist areas, and robust awareness campaigns targeting both tourists and local communities.
Such efforts, they viewed, were necessary to ensure that tourism contributed to climate resilience rather than exacerbating environmental vulnerabilities.
“Tourism is not just about leisure—it is deeply political and environmental,” Malik said.
The seminar concluded with a call to action for all stakeholders, including policymakers, tourism operators, researchers, and citizens to promote ethical, climate-conscious tourism practices.
Only through collective responsibility and strategic policy measures can Pakistan protect its fragile ecosystems and re-imagine its tourism sector as a force for sustainable development.