Afghanistan is facing a severe climate crisis, ranked as the seventh most vulnerable and least prepared country in the world to adapt to climate change. The country has been battered by floods, droughts, cold and heatwaves, and food insecurity in recent years. Despite its low contributions to global carbon emissions, Afghanistan is experiencing devastating consequences.
The country has been excluded from global climate cooperation since the Taliban takeover in 2021, leading to major sources of funding for climate adaptation being suspended. This exclusion has dire consequences for the Afghan population, with millions of people experiencing food insecurity and malnutrition.
At the UN Climate Change Conference COP29, Afghanistan is once again excluded from the negotiations, but the country’s National Environment Protection Agency has been invited as a guest to present its updated climate action plan. However, the Afghan people are still being denied access to crucial climate financing, such as the Green Climate Fund, which is essential for developing nations to adapt to climate change.
Experts and NGOs have proposed strategies to ensure climate funding reaches the Afghan people without legitimizing the Taliban, and it is crucial for the international community to commit to finding long-term solutions to provide support to Afghanistan. Inaction will only worsen the country’s climate disaster, putting more lives at risk.
The international community must demonstrate solidarity with Afghanistan and find ways to support the most vulnerable populations in the country. Climate change knows no borders, and turning our backs on Afghanistan is not an option. It is urgent to address the climate crisis in Afghanistan before it spirals into an even more severe humanitarian disaster.
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