According to a report by the UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), least developed countries contribute to 1.1 percent of global CO2 emissions from fossil fuels and industry, yet 69 percent of climate related disaster deaths over the past 50 years occurred in these countries.
Voices from the Roof of the World (VRW), the award-winning documentary series, is expanding its lens beyond the towering ranges of Central and South Asia to uncover urgent environmental stories in affected regions. These include deltas, deserts, forests and underground systems – areas often overlooked in global climate conversations. The series has begun production on its fourth season scheduled to air in the last quarter of 2025.
From the heart of the Pamir mountains in Tajikistan to the treacherous glaciers of Kyrgyzstan, the arid salt ranges of Pakistan’s Punjab to the fertile forests and rivers in Nepal, Season Four of VRW will take viewers on a vivid journey across Pakistan, India, Nepal, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan.
VRW aims to amplify the voices of those most affected and reveal how climate change is reshaping lives and landscapes-and how people are responding with resilience, ingenuity and deep cultural solutions. The stories are deeply rooted in place yet echo a global concern-how do we react in the face of environmental breakdown?
The series is a joint production of the Aga Khan University (AKU) and the Aga Khan Agency for Habitat. It is generously supported by the Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan Fund for the Environment, Ross Beaty, the Sitka Foundation, Jenabai Hussainali Shariff Family, Gulshan Kassamali Jiva Family and Aga Khan Foundation.
“We are deeply grateful to our long-standing and new supporters alike,” says AKU President Sulaiman Shahabuddin. “Their backing has been instrumental in bringing these stories to life-stories that aim to inspire policymakers, business leaders and the public to take meaningful action to reverse climate change, halt ecological destruction and conserve the planet’s natural resources.”
“By funding and mentoring local filmmakers, including many talented women, we are helping them spread awareness of the severity of the climate crisis impacting the people and wildlife of their home region,” says Andrew Tkach, VRW’s Executive Producer and multi-Emmy Award winner.
VRW’s documentary episodes have received both international and local acclaim, winning 18 awards to date. These include the John B Oakes Award for Distinguished Reporting on the Environment, the Yugo BAFTA Student Film Award in Documentary and prizes at the International Nature and Environmental Protection Film Festival in Hungary and the Nepal European Union Film Festival. Over 30 episodes have been screened at more than 50 international film festivals and broadcast on outlets such as Al Jazeera, ARTE, Current TV Czech Republic, Sharjah TV and PBS Charlotte.