The World Health Organization (WHO) calls climate change the greatest threat to global health in the 21st century. Pakistan being amongst the most vulnerable countries to climate change is experiencing devastating consequences of climate induced disasters and extreme weather events. The environmental problems and climate change disproportionately impact the vulnerable population perpetuating inequality. In our work, these environmental problems are addressed jointly with this broader social policy context.

In this context, the SPRC in its work highlights the importance of addressing these vulnerabilities through social protection, as a fundamental aspect of adaptation and resilience-building strategies. For aligning this across international financing and development cooperation, SPRC positions that it is necessary for Pakistan to include social protection projects in its loss and damage portfolio as a priority given the dependency of large-scale population on agriculture and high poverty.

Due to high level of pollution, average healthy life expectancy is declining in the cities. The SPRC understands that this issue is not a matter of healthcare alone, it needs a synergetic approach amongst healthcare, environmental protection, industrial policies, and labour rights and protection.

Operationalizing this approach, the SPRC undertook seven Sectoral Studies under the second phase its project on Green Industrialization with UNCTAD (2025), namely on plastic, vegetable oil, aluminium utensils, PVC & plastic kitchenware, textile dyeing and finishing, detergents and wheat. These studies adopt an analytical framework incorporating greenhouse gas emissions, lean practices, environmental standards compliance, and lastly social aspect covering sectoral commercial practices and competition policy.

Therefore our research analyses environmental problems not just an issue of clean energy, we contextualize our work within the imminent local problems and their localized environmental friendly policy solutions. These local problems range from protection against hazardous work environment, industrial and municipal and agricultural waste pollution, clean and lean manufacturing to adequate health and social protection systems that build climate resilience.