DISPATCHES FROM THE CLIMATE CHANGE FRONTLINE
Pakistan
September – October 2022
In a complementary journey to his 700 mile (1,000 km) On Foot Through Bangladesh adventure, Ian travelled the length of Pakistan – a distance of approximately 1,300 miles (2,100 km) – on foot and overland.
Roughly following a transect line (the black on the map) connecting the country’s most northerly and southerly points, he uncovered every day stories of how climate change and environmental degradation are affecting local communities.
With sponsorship from Environment Journal, Ian began in the high Himalayas close to Sost on the Pakistan-China border. Turning south, he headed along the Karakorum Highway (part of the Silk Road) towards Islamabad, the national capital.
From here Ian followed the route of one of the region’s most important water sources, the River Indus, through the Punjab towards the Thar Desert. Edging the western extremes of the desert he reached the city of Hyderabad, home to an ancient system of natural air conditioning wind towers on buildings.
He ended his journey in the wetlands around Karachi, an important habitat for migratory birds.
