The Taliban will attend a U.N. local weather convention for the primary time since their takeover of Afghanistan in 2021, the nation’s nationwide surroundings company mentioned Sunday.
The convention, referred to as COP29, begins Monday in Azerbaijan and is without doubt one of the most vital multilateral talks to incorporate the Taliban, who should not have official recognition because the legit rulers of Afghanistan.
The Nationwide Environmental Safety Company posted on social media platform X {that a} technical delegation had gone to Baku to take part.
Matiul Haq Khalis, the company’s head, mentioned the delegation would use the convention to strengthen cooperation with the worldwide group on environmental safety and local weather change, share Afghanistan’s wants relating to entry to current monetary mechanisms associated to local weather change, and talk about adaptation and mitigation efforts.
Specialists instructed The Related Press that local weather change has led to quite a few and detrimental impacts on Afghanistan, creating critical challenges due to the nation’s geographical location and weak local weather insurance policies.
“Local weather change has resulted in larger temperatures, which scale back water sources and trigger droughts, considerably affecting agricultural actions,” mentioned Hayatullah Mashwani, professor of environmental science at Kabul College. “The discount in water availability and frequent droughts pose extreme threats to agriculture, resulting in meals insecurity and challenges to livelihoods.”
In August, the worldwide help company Save the Youngsters revealed a report saying that Afghanistan is the sixth most weak nation to the impacts of local weather change and that 25 of its 34 provinces face extreme or catastrophic drought circumstances, affecting greater than half the inhabitants.
Afghanistan additionally had the best variety of kids made homeless by local weather disasters of any nation as of the tip of 2023, in accordance with the report.
Professor Abid Arabzai, from Kabul College, mentioned the local weather convention would assist to safe worldwide help and funding to handle Afghanistan’s local weather challenges.
“Afghanistan can make clear its local weather actions and commitments to the worldwide group, enhancing its worldwide fame,” mentioned Arabzai.