A new digital climate-information platform has been launched in Islamabad to help journalists, researchers, policymakers and communities access more reliable resources on climate change.

The portal, called Climate Sangat, was introduced by the Initiative for Research, Advocacy and Development during a consultation involving journalists, academics, fact-checkers and civil-society representatives.

Responding to Climate Misinformation

The initiative was developed amid growing concern that false, misleading and politically manipulated climate claims are spreading rapidly across Pakistan’s information environment.

Organisers said the platform is intended to make verified knowledge easier to find and strengthen evidence-based public discussion on climate risks, policies and possible solutions.

Climate misinformation can create confusion about extreme weather, delay public action and weaken trust in scientists, journalists and emergency institutions.

This is especially dangerous during floods, heatwaves, glacial hazards and severe weather events, when communities need clear and timely information.

Three Main Sections

Climate Sangat has been organised around three principal sections.

The Media Hub provides journalists with reporting resources, research, data and tools that can support more accurate climate coverage.

The Community Action section highlights locally led climate initiatives, practical responses and success stories from different parts of Pakistan.

The Learning Centre offers educational materials, including an Urdu glossary intended to establish a clearer and more consistent understanding of climate terminology.

Connecting Experts and Practitioners

The platform also includes a climate directory featuring experts and practitioners working across different environmental fields.

The directory is expected to support collaboration among journalists, researchers, policymakers and civil-society organisations while helping reporters identify informed sources for climate-related stories.

Reliable climate information is not only a scientific resource. It is also essential for public safety, accountability and informed decision-making.

Calls for More Localised Information

Participants at the launch welcomed the portal but also proposed several improvements.

Their recommendations included:

  • Publishing policy briefs in multiple local languages
  • Adding historical weather records
  • Developing interactive climate maps
  • Expanding access to localised environmental data
  • Strengthening verification and fact-checking resources

These additions could make the platform more useful to communities facing different climate threats across Pakistan.

Why Climate Communication Matters

Pakistan is highly exposed to floods, extreme heat, drought, air pollution, glacier-related hazards and changing rainfall patterns.

Yet climate reporting often remains fragmented, overly technical or disconnected from the realities facing local communities.

A well-maintained national information platform could help translate scientific findings into accessible language and provide journalists with stronger evidence for public-interest reporting.

Its long-term credibility, however, will depend on regular updates, transparent sourcing, independent review and the inclusion of information from regions beyond major urban centres.

The launch of Climate Sangat is an important step toward strengthening Pakistan’s climate-information ecosystem. Its real value will be measured by whether it helps people understand risks, challenge misinformation and make better-informed decisions.