Abstract—Climatic change poses a growing threat to rural livelihoods in Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan, where a strong dependence on climate-sensitive natural resources significantly increases vulnerability. This study evaluates the adaptive capacity, livelihood strategies, and climate responses of rural communities exposed to increasing climate variability. Data were collected from 371 respondents across ten districts using semi-structured interviews, participatory rural appraisals, and direct field observations, and were analysed through percentage analysis, trend analysis, and chi-square tests. The results reveal that climate change has adversely affected agricultural productivity, with farmers reporting declining soil fertility, rising pest infestations, water scarcity, and premature crop maturation. These impacts disproportionately affect households reliant on subsistence farming, highlighting the heightened socioeconomic vulnerability of marginalised and indigenous tenant farmers. The study provides empirical evidence on local adaptation practices and identifies key constraints to effective adaptation, offering policy-relevant insights for strengthening climate-resilient and sustainable livelihood strategies in high-altitude regions.
Keywords—environmental change, smallholder farmers, Himalayan region, livelihoods, adaptation, barriers to adaptation
Cite: Seema Batool, Naveed Abbas, and Waseem Haider, "Climate Change Perception and Environmental Impacts in the Himalayan Region of Pakistan," International Journal of Environmental Science and Development vol. 17, no. 3, pp. 216-225, 2026.
Copyright © 2026 by the authors. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited (CC BY 4.0).