Jaffar Abbas is a researcher on urban climate justice and non-economic loss and damage. With a background in human geography, environmental engineering and climate communication, he's passionate about finding innovative solutions to combat climate change through environmental justice approaches, community engagement and interdisciplinary research.
Hailing from Pakistan, Jaffar brings experience and a fresh perspective to the field of climate justice and sustainability. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Environmental Engineering from the National University of Sciences & Technology (NUST), Pakistan, followed by a Master's degree in Sustainability, Society, and the Environment (SSE) from the University of Kiel, Germany. He's also partaken in many other seasonal schools covering topics ranging from waste management, ocean pollution and climate migration.
During his master’s program he was awarded an ERASMUS Scholarship, enabling him to conduct his thesis at the University of Groningen, Netherlands, where he delved into the cultural aspects of sustainability behaviours within families in Pakistan, exploring novel approaches to foster community-based climate action. Additionally, he conducted two other research projects during his Master's, including a comparative study on climate activism perceptions between the Global North and South, and an investigation into public perceptions of climate protection measures in Kiel, Germany, assessing both structural and individual responsibilities.
Jaffar has also gained valuable experience through time as a research assistant on the ADJUST project at the University of Kiel, conducting interviews with political figures from small island developing states (SIDS) and nations in the Global South regarding their climate policies in relation to the Green Climate Fund (GCF). He also worked as a Research Assistant on a the KlimaRobust project at Hamburg University of Life Sciences (HAW), focusing on digital learning methods for effective climate change communication and emphasizing research on climate-resilient infrastructure and policy. His professional experience extends to climate migration and social policy through an internship with the Social Policy cluster of the United Nations University - Institute on Comparative Regional Integration Studies (UNU-CRIS). During this time, he researched the impacts experienced by internally displaced persons following the 2022 Pakistan Floods, with a focus on Cultural and Place-Based Identity, Social Work, Disaster Management and Climate Communication. Outside the academic realm, Jaffar actively contributed to environmental advocacy efforts, particularly through his role as an Officer for Corporate Partnerships and Fundraising at WWF-N Pakistan. There, he spearheaded initiatives like the Green Schools’ Program, giving workshops and training sessions to empower youth with knowledge and tools for sustainable living as well as collaborating with external stakeholders such as the Ministry of climate change (MoCC), Pakistan.
Currently, as a Research Associate at UNU-EHS, Jaffar focuses on understanding the human dimensions of climate change in urban settings and devising strategies for zero-carbon transitions. Through his work, he aims to foster resilient and equitable communities, driving positive change in the fight against climate change.