UN urges worlds’ help in combating climate change in Afghanistan

KABUL (Pajhwok): The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) has emphasized that environmental issues should not be tied with politics, highlighting the need for international cooperation in combating climate change in Afghanistan.

A National Climate Change Conference was held in Kabul on Wednesday and domestic and foreign diplomats participated in it to discuss the results and implications of the 29th Global Climate Change Conference (COP29) for Afghanistan.

Matiul Haq Khalis, head of the National Environmental Protection Authority (NEPA), said that climate change posed a serious threat to the entire world.

However, Afghanistan, despite its minimal role in greenhouse gas emissions, has suffered significant damage from it.

He stressed that environmental and climate change issues should not be politicized and called for international cooperation in addressing climate challenges in Afghanistan.

Khalis praised the outcomes of the COP29, saying, “In this conference, we raised the voice of our people and emphasized that environmental issues should be separated from politics.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai told the conference that over the past 50 years, during the presence of Russia and the US in Afghanistan, various bombs and chemical weapons were used in the country, and their effects still linger.

He added: “These bombs and weapons were used by those who claimed to advocate for human rights.”

Stanikzai stressed that environmental issues should be kept separate from politics and urged the global community, especially the countries that have “harmed Afghanistan’s environment,” to fulfill their moral responsibility and cooperate with Afghanistan on climate change projects.

He called Afghanistan’s invitation to COP29 a positive step and expressed hope that Afghanistan would be invited to future international conferences.

Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Economy Abdul Latif Nazari called for lifting of sanctions and restrictions on Afghanistan.

He viewed cooperation with Afghanistan on climate change as the responsibility of other countries and emphasized that environmental and economic issues must be delinked from politics.

Special Representative of the Secretary-General and UNAMA head Roza Otunbayeva said Afghanistan was among the ten most affected countries by climate change in the world, with women and children bearing the brunt of its impacts.

She praised Afghanistan’s participation in COP29 and stressed her efforts to facilitate the Islamic Emirate’s participation in future international climate conferences.

She added that addressing climate change in Afghanistan was one of the UN’s priorities and urged representatives of organizations and countries attending the event to cooperate with the National Environmental Protection Agency.

The 29th UN Climate Change Conference was held on November 11, 2024 in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, and concluded after two weeks.

The participating countries agreed to increase their financial contributions to $300 billion annually by 2035 to assist poorer nations in combating climate change.

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