Abstract
Space technologies are being used as an important tool to tackle climate crises in the pre- and post-disaster management phases. This paper investigates the potential impact of Pakistan’s space programme renaissance on increasing national climate resilience. This study uses an exploratory research design and qualitative methods, based on both primary and secondary data that are thematically analysed. This study employs the theoretical lens of technological determinism, which argues that technological innovation acts as the principal driver of social, political, and environmental transformation. It finds that Pakistan’s expanding space based infrastructure has strengthened anticipatory climate governance, particularly through near-real-time flood mapping, NDMA early warning reports, and the SACRED-SUPARCO disaster portal. The integration of domestic satellite data along with international imagery has expanded spatial coverage of climate-vulnerable regions, though continued dependence on foreign data highlights a partial capability gap. Overall, while Pakistan’s technological capacity for climate monitoring has advanced considerably, institutional coordination and absorption capacity continue to shape the effectiveness of space-based contributions to climate resilience.
This research paper was published by the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD). The full paper can be read here https://cpd.org.bd/resources/2026/08/CPD-Climate-Compendium-2025.pdf
Areesha Manzoor is Research Assistant at the Center for International Strategic Studies (CISS), Islamabad.
