It is not Afghanistan, which has a minimum of industrial companies, that pollutes the planet’s atmosphere with harmful gases, but it is the country that suffers from climate change. This was stated by the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Political Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai, at a conference held in Kabul.
The forum, titled “From isolation to integration: Afghanistan’s call for climate action,” was held on the opening day of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change 2024, COP29) in Baku.
“Our demand to the United Nations, the great powers, the rich countries and the emitters is that they help us improve our environment and help our people.” Stanikzai said.
Esteban Rodriguezhead of the UN Development Programme, also said that climate change has forced some Afghans to live in tents, as the country has recently suffered regular natural disasters: floods, earthquakes and droughts. However, according to Rodríguez, after three years, Afghanistan has gained access to environmental financing programs and some institutions are ready to resume their unfinished projects in Afghanistan.
Conference organizers warned that unless the international community takes action to help Afghanistan combat climate change, the consequences will be dire. They asked participants at COP29 in Baku to stay away from political issues and work with their financial and technical partners to prevent the negative consequences of climate change in Afghanistan.
