Exploring the role of religious leaders in driving behavior change for climate action in Karachi, Pakistan

Date of Award

2025

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Master of Philosophy in Education (MPhil Ed.)

First Advisor

Dr Fozia Parveen

Department

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

Abstract

The climate crisis stands as a unique and urgent challenge that demands collective action and efforts from a wide range of stakeholders, such as governments and policymakers, non-government organizations, businesses and industries, educators, scientists, ecologists and researchers, media and journalists, healthcare professionals and cultural and religious leaders. Each contributes uniquely to respond to the threat of climate change. Climate change research has recently dedicated more focus to religion. This study is based on eco-theology. An interdisciplinary field that explores the relationship between religious beliefs and environmental concerns, emphasizing the moral and spiritual responsibilities of humans to care for creation. Pakistan is a religiously diverse country, a fact mirrored by Karachi’s landscape. As a major urban center with a population of 23.5 million population hosts a mix of faiths including notable communities of Christians, Hindus and other religious communities. This study addressed an important gap in climate action research by focusing on the influential role of religious leaders from three major faiths (Islam, Christianity and Hinduism) to promote climate action and their perspective on using religious teachings and influence to encourage climate-responsive behaviour among their communities with a particular focus on Karachi, Pakistan. In addition, it investigates how they can serve as moral and ethical advocates for climate action. By engaging diverse religious perspectives, this research aims to contribute to a foundation for lasting peace and harmony. The inclusion of three diverse faiths provides a detailed view and in-depth analysis of how distinct doctrinal interpretations and religious leadership styles translate into actionable climate advocacy with multi-faith urban setting of Karachi, Pakistan. This study utilized an exploratory qualitative methodology with interpretivist approach. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions, and thematic analysis was employed to interpret the findings. Findings indicated that while the faith traditions like Christianity, Islam and Hinduism have distinct approaches to get religious education, these methods were frequently linked. Religious leaders regard stewardship as responsible caretaking. All faiths shared a common belief that God created the Earth, and humans have a sacred duty to protect it. They perceive climate action as a self-motivated path rooted in individual agency and personal choice. Since the climate crisis is a new crisis, it is often asserted that climate change is a secular issue rather than a religious topic. However, religious traditions offer powerful interpretations of environmental stewardship, eco-justice and moral obligations that strongly justify climate action. It demands an interdisciplinary response while in religious education may not have a dedicated ‘climate’ subject. Instead, it touches upon it indirectly through the study of sociology and social issues. There is, however, a notable disparity in climate action awareness among different faith communities and there exists a significant gap between climate knowledge and practical action. The impact of religious leaders is often limited by insufficient training, resources and technical knowledge gaps. Additionally, Faith communities collectively acknowledged the severity of climate change, recognizing it as a serious issue This collective acknowledgement establishes a foundation for growing movement of interfaith collaboration, underscoring the crucial importance of faith groups’ active engagement in climate activities. This research contributes to the field of religious education by demonstrating how religious leaders can be empowered as effective advocates for climate action and lays the foundation for developing sustainable, community-driven behavioral change. This research opens doors for interfaith collaboration for climate action.

First Page

1

Last Page

83

This document is available in the relevant AKU library.

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