Pakistan’s newly appointed climate authority chief brings experience from finance and climate innovation as the country works to strengthen its institutional response to climate risks.
Pakistan has appointed Hamza Farrukh as the first chairman of the Pakistan Climate Change Authority (PCCA), a move aimed at operationalising the country’s federal climate governance body.
The appointment was completed after approval from the prime minister, with the Establishment Division issuing a formal notification, according to appointment information shared with Islamabad Tribune. Farrukh has been appointed for a two-year term.
The appointment places Farrukh at the head of an authority established to strengthen Pakistan’s institutional response to climate change and coordinate measures related to climate policy, adaptation and mitigation.
Farrukh brings experience in finance, climate technology and social entrepreneurship. Independent institutional sources confirmed that he studied at Williams College and spent an academic year at Exeter College, University of Oxford. He later completed an MBA at Stanford Graduate School of Business.
Before focusing on climate-related initiatives, Farrukh spent around eight years at Goldman Sachs, where he served as a vice president. His later work shifted towards climate technology and clean-water solutions.
He founded Bondh E Shams, also known as the Solar Water Project, an initiative focused on providing solar-powered clean-water solutions to underserved communities. Stanford’s Emergence programme said his work has delivered clean water to more than 150,000 people across multiple countries.
Farrukh has also been associated with Hydrosun Technologies, a climate-tech venture developing renewable-powered water solutions.
His appointment comes as Pakistan continues efforts to strengthen its institutional framework for addressing climate risks, including extreme weather, water stress, glacial hazards and climate adaptation.
