After returning to power in Afghanistan in the summer of 2021, the Taliban will for the first time delegate their representatives to the UN Climate Change Conference COP29, which will begin on November 11 in Baku. As Euronews reports with reference to the National Environmental Protection Agency of Afghanistan, the country's technical delegation has already left for Azerbaijan to participate in the event.
The head of the agency, Matiul Haq Khalis, noted that the Afghan delegation seeks to strengthen cooperation with the international community in the field of environmental protection and climate change. As part of COP29, Afghanistan's needs for access to financial mechanisms related to climate challenges will be presented, and the country's efforts in adapting to climate change will be discussed.
According to data from the international organization "Save the Children", Afghanistan is among the six countries most vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Twenty-five of the country's thirty-four provinces are in a state of severe or catastrophic drought, critically affecting more than half of the population. In addition, as of the end of 2023, Afghanistan has the highest number of children left homeless by climate disasters.
Professor Abid Arabzai from Kabul University believes that Afghanistan's participation in the climate conference will help the country establish cooperation with other states to receive financial support in solving these issues.
This year's UN Climate Change Conference, which will be held in the capital of Azerbaijan from November 11 to 22, will focus on the role of youth in the climate agenda. The Ukrainian delegation will also participate in the event, striving to contribute to the "green" transformation of the country through joint projects with international partners.
