NEPA inks agreement worth $255,000 with REHA

KABUL (Pajhwok): The National Environment Protection Agency (NEPA) has signed a cooperation agreement valued $255,000 with an organization to prepare an environmental assessment report on Afghanistan and carry out a number of environmental activities.

In a statement, NEPA wrote the agreement was signed between NEPA chief Maulvi Matiulhaq Khalis and head of Resilience, Environment and Humanitarian Aid (REHA) organization Mohammad Yousuf Hamidian in Kabul.

The agreement was signed to prepare an assessment report on environmental situation of Afghanistan and implement some environmental activities costing $255,000, the statement added.

This report would assess the current state of Afghanistan’s environmental situation, take into account the challenges and proposed solutions, which will be prepared based on the agreement.

Hamidian said this report would be based on research, surveys, and professional assessments, and will analyze in detail the situation related to natural resources, air, water, forests, soil, urban pollution, and climate change.

“This memorandum of understanding provides us with jobs to identify and analyze Afghanistan’s environmental problems through an independent, scientific, and documented report”: Khalis added.

According to him, the report will not only be an important document for government agencies, but will also pave the way for cooperation from international aid organizations.

The first draft of the report is expected to be completed within the next six months and published after being shared with relevant agencies and experts.

According to him, the report will include the impacts of climate change and environmental problems on people’s lives, agriculture, livestock, and the economy, and will also make recommendations on how to create national and regional strategies for sustainable environmental protection.

NEPA explained the agreement will pave the way for the development of an environmental policy, and in the future, a standard policy on environmental protection will be developed based on the analysis and research of the report.

hz/ma