The Pakistan Space & Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO), through its Space Applications Center for Climate Sciences (SACCS), successfully conducted the Regional Symposium on the theme Space4Climate – Coastal Dynamics, Mangroves and Sea Water Intrusion, Drought & Heatwave Hazard Assessment, Waterways Dynamics, Landcover Dynamics, Crop Monitoring, on 08 September 2026 at PC Hotel, Karachi. The symposium marked fourth successful event in SUPARCO’s seven-city National and Provincial Symposium Series under the Space4Climate Initiative and Awareness on Climate Change Impacts, which will be held in Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar, Quetta, Gilgit and Muzaffarabad. The first symposium was kicked-off in Peshawar on 23 July 2026 and the second was held in Gilgit on 5 August 2026, and the third was organized in Lahore on 27 August 2026.
The symposium brought together senior government officials, policymakers, scientists, researchers, development partners, academia, and environmental experts to strengthen collaboration on the application of space technologies for climate resilience and sustainable development.
The symposium served as a strategic platform to showcase Pakistan’s indigenous space-based capabilities for climate monitoring and to promote evidence-based policymaking through satellite-derived climate intelligence. Participants discussed emerging climate risks facing Sindh province and the country, including floods, disasters, deteriorating air quality, heatwaves and changing water resources, while highlighting the critical role of Earth observation technologies in addressing these challenges.
The inaugural session featured Introduction to Space4Climate Initiative by Dr. Mohammad Farooq, Deputy Director General, Space Applications Center for Climate Sciences (SACCS), SUPARCO and welcome Remarks by Mr. Ali Kamran, Member Technology Wing, SUPARCO.
The symposium was graced by Mr. Faisal Ahmed Uqaili, Secretary, Environment, Climate Change & Coastal Development (ECC&CD), Government of Sindh as the keynote speaker. He emphasized the importance of integrating advanced geospatial technologies into climate governance and disaster risk reduction. Mr. Uqaili underscored the need for stronger institutional collaboration and the use of scientific data to support climate adaptation, environmental protection, and national resilience. He mentioned about the initiatives taken by Sindh Govt, in Carbon Monitoring, Carbon Financing, NDCs and 13 projects that have been initiated to tackle climate change.
Mr. Zafar Iqbal, Member Space Application & Research Wing, SUPARCO. graced the event as the Chief Guest. In his speech, he highlighted the growing impacts of climate change across Pakistan, including glacier melt, floods, droughts, heatwaves, air pollution and pressures on agriculture and water resources. He emphasized that Earth observation satellites, remote sensing, geospatial analytics and Geographic Information Systems have become indispensable for continuous and objective monitoring of environmental change. He further underscored SUPARCO’s role in transforming satellite data into actionable climate intelligence in support of national priorities.
He also highlighted that space technology is an essential instrument for sustainable development and climate resilience and SUPARCO plays a key role in harnessing space-based technologies and Earth observation capabilities for climate adaptation, disaster risk reduction, water resource management, food security and environmental monitoring, with its series of satellites.
He also emphasized the importance of science-based climate action and highlighted the relevance of space technology to address growing climate challenges in Pakistan and particularly in Sindh province.
A major highlight of the symposium was the presentation of SUPARCO’s Space4Climate initiative and a live demonstration of the Space4Climate Geospatial Portals, showcasing how satellite-based climate intelligence can support informed decision-making across national and provincial institutions. The portal integrates data from Pakistan’s satellite assets, including PRSS-1, SAR-1, EO series and hyperspectral capabilities, to provide near real-time information on greenhouse gases, air quality, glaciers, snow cover, waterways, land cover, coastal ecosystems, and other critical environmental indicators.
The technical sessions featured expert presentations and discussions around the symposium’s core thematic areas, including waterways and land-cover dynamics, crop monitoring, air quality and environmental assessment, and heatwave hazard assessment. The discussions highlighted the growing role of satellite-derived information and geospatial analytics in supporting climate adaptation, disaster risk reduction, agriculture, water management, urban planning and environmental protection in the province of Sindh.
An interactive panel discussion on ” Mainstreaming Space-Based Information in Provincial Planning and Development for Climate Resilient Societies and Infrastructure” highlighted the importance of strengthening inter-agency coordination, expanding access to geospatial information, and mainstreaming satellite-derived climate services into planning, disaster preparedness, natural resource management, and environmental governance.
The symposium concluded with recommendations emphasizing the institutional adoption of Space4Climate services across government departments, strengthened collaboration among scientific and government organizations, enhanced capacity building in geospatial technologies, and continued development of operational climate information services to support evidence-based policymaking. Closing remarks were made by Mr. Raheem Sanaullah Chaudhry, Member Space Electronics Wing, SUPARCO.
The Regional Symposium reflects SUPARCO’s continued commitment to harnessing space science and technology for peaceful applications that contribute to national development, climate resilience, environmental sustainability, and Pakistan’s commitments under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Paris Agreement, and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.
