Youth Perspectives on Climate Crisis Awareness and Human Security: Analyzing Pakistan's Human and Economic Security Landscape

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between climate awareness, economic and human security in Pakistan. The climate crisis has become a crucial topic in national security discussions, with experts and politicians stressing the urgency of taking immediate action to mitigate its effects. The National Security Policy (NSP) 2022-2026 is one of the first security documents in Pakistan to recognize the interconnectedness of human and economic security as key components of national security doctrine. In this framework, climate change is an independent variable in the realm of security, as it is causing a shift in the economic and human security framework of Pakistan. The study reveals that the youth, who make up over 48 percent of the population, recognizes the threat it poses to human and economic security in Pakistan. In this context, lack of awareness on governmental policies related to climate change, and not treating the threat of climate change as a national security issue are pertinent issues linked with the national security paradigm.