KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE AND PRACTICE: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF PUBLIC AWARENESS, MEDIA AND ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION IN PAKISTAN

Abstract

This systematic review examines what people in Pakistan know and believe about climate change, where they learn about it, how the media cover it, and whether awareness leads to action. Searches were made in Google Scholar, Google Search and AI search tools in October 2026. Of 20 papers read in full, 18 studies published between 2021 and 2026 were included, and the findings were combined in a narrative synthesis. Belief that the climate is changing was widespread, but detailed knowledge was thinner, especially among people with little schooling. Rural households relied mainly on community gatherings (72.2%), while university samples relied mainly on social media (40.1%). Newspaper coverage was event-driven, and audiences judged it to be insufficient. Action was the weakest link: in one university survey, 86.4% saw climate change as a serious threat, but only 31.9% to 45.3% reported specific practices. Campaigns should therefore go beyond information by building concern, giving clear actions, reaching offline groups and addressing trust.