Climate Futures Grantees Announced – 2 Projects From Pakistan to be Supported for Climate Action

The British Council is excited to announce the recipients of the Climate Futures: South Asia program for 2025, with two projects from Pakistan also being selected. These projects will get funding of GBP 15,000 each to address climate change, strengthen local responses, and foster cross-border collaboration between the UK and South Asia.

This pioneering initiative supports innovative, artist-led solutions to the climate crisis, empowering cultural organizations, artists, and communities in Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka to create sustainable change.

Through grants, mentorship, and collaboration, these grantees will spearhead creative responses to climate challenges, focusing on cultural preservation, community engagement, and environmental resilience.

Jill Richens, British Council Regional Arts Director, South Asia:

The grantees of Climate Futures: South Asia are leading the charge in using the power of art to confront the climate emergency. These projects demonstrate the ability of culture to spark action and inspire communities to adapt, preserve, and innovate. We are thrilled to support these projects and look forward to seeing the lasting impact they will have, both locally and globally. This is just the beginning—we hope to see more groundbreaking projects emerge from the region in the future.

James Hampson, Country Director, British Council Pakistan:

By supporting these projects, we are helping to safeguard cultural heritage, promote sustainability, and empower communities to take meaningful action on climate change.

The 2025 Climate Futures: South Asia grantees and their impactful projects include:

Pakistan:
• The Eco Block Tower (The Dawood Foundation’s MagnifiScience Center) – Raising awareness about ecosystems and climate change through an interactive art installation.
• Weaving Together: Local Art for Social Cohesion and Climate Resilience (Sarah Ather Khan, NED University) – Promoting climate resilience in coastal communities through traditional arts and mangrove conservation.

Bangladesh:
• Crafting Togetherness (Samdani Art Foundation) – Preserving traditional crafts and promoting sustainable cultural exchange.
• Discovering Matarbari Folk Tales (Mahenaz Chowdhury, Broqué) – Creating a living archive to preserve disappearing cultural and ecological heritage.
• Shak Pitari (Wild Leaves) (Salma Jamal Moushum, Gidree Bawlee) – Capturing the vital knowledge of women in rural Bangladesh about wild edible plants and ecological change.

India:
• Emerging Ecologies (Krishnapriya C P, Forest Way Trust) – Documenting and sharing the transformation of Arunachala Hill through sustainable rewilding.
• Mapping Nature’s Palette for Climate-Responsive Artisanal Practices (Tri-Impact Global) – Supporting tribal communities to use native plants for sustainable dye production.

Nepal:
• Carbon Footprint Mapping and Tracking for the Craft Sector (Story Cycle) – Helping Nepal’s artisans reduce emissions and adopt eco-friendly production methods.
• Enhancing the Climate Change Resilience Of Women (Human Rights Film Center) – Empowering marginalized women in Nepal to address climate change through art-based storytelling.

Sri Lanka:
• Circular Creative Companions (Fold Media Collective) – Promoting environmentally conscious exhibition practices and sustainable design in South Asian arts festivals.
• Regenerating South Asian Climate Futures (Good Life x Lagori Collective) – Collaborating across sectors to develop climate-resilient solutions in biodiversity hotspots.

These projects represent the diverse and innovative approaches artists and cultural organisations in South Asia are taking to confront the climate crisis. By providing funding, mentorship, and opportunities for collaboration, the British Council is helping these grantees develop their ideas, amplify their voices, and create lasting impact in their communities. Through Climate Futures: South Asia, we aim to support the role of the arts in shaping a sustainable and resilient future.