ISLAMABAD: New satellite images from 2000 and 2025 released by the country’s space agency show a fundamental shift in land cover along Karachi’s coastal zone near the Mai Kolachi Bypass, where mangrove stands and natural tidal creeks have increasingly given way to reclaimed land and urban development.
In a note on the development, the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco) said areas once characterised by continuous mangrove cover and natural tidal creeks had progressively been converted into reclaimed land and urban plots.
“This transformation reflects a transition from ecosystem-based coastal protection to hard, land-intensive development. Mangrove removal directly weakens the coastal system’s ability to respond to climate stress,” the agency said.
Suparco observed that mangroves played a key role in regulating coastal temperatures, trapping sediments and absorbing atmospheric carbon. Their clearance not only eliminated an important blue-carbon reservoir but also disrupted hydrological connectivity, increasing surface runoff and altering tidal flows, it said.
“Over time, this raises the likelihood of localised flooding, shoreline instability and long-term land subsidence. From a climate perspective, the conversion of mangrove wetlands into built-up land represents a loss of natural resilience at a time when sea-level rise and extreme weather events are accelerating,” it said.
Unlike engineered structures, mangroves adapt and regenerate, offering protection that strengthens over time. Their replacement with static infrastructure transfers climate risk directly to urban assets and populations, the agency observed.
When contacted, Senator Sherry Rehman, chairperson of the Senate Standing Committee on Climate Change, declined to comment. Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab did not respond to messages.
Climate policy specialist Mohammad Saleem Shaikh warned that Pakistan must protect its mangrove forests and natural tidal creeks, stressing that their destruction threatened coastal communities, livelihoods and economic stability.
Referring to Suparco’s satellite evidence showing changes along Karachi’s coast near Mai Kolachi Bypass between 2000 and 2025, Mr Shaikh called for urgent measures to prevent further environmental degradation.
He said mangroves stored carbon, reduced coastal erosion, weakened storm surges and sustained fisheries and biodiversity. Their loss could increase Pakistan’s vulnerability to rising sea levels, cyclones and other climate-related threats, particularly along Karachi’s coastline and the Indus Delta, he warned.
Mr Shaikh urged the federal and Sindh governments to strengthen environmental enforcement, prevent encroachment and ensure that coastal development projects underwent comprehensive environmental assessments.
He also called for transparent satellite monitoring, community participation and scientifically planned restoration using native species. He said mangroves should be treated as natural climate infrastructure essential for disaster resilience and future generations.
Meanwhile, satellite imagery acquired between 2019 and 2026 and posted on Suparco’s Space4Climate webpage showed a substantial mangrove afforestation event in the Shah Bandar region of Sujawal.
Comparative analysis of 19 Areas of Interest showed a 115pc increase in mangrove forest cover relative to 2019 baseline area of 116.46 hectares.
Newly established mangrove vegetation of 151.24 hectares accounted for around 6.5pc of the total 2,321.8-hectare study area.
Published in Dawn, October 19th, 2026
