Afghanistan Faces Environmental and Climate Challenges

DIDPress: Participating in the Novosibirsk International Environmental Congress in Russia, Matiulhaq Khalis, Acting Director of the Taliban-led National Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA) of Afghanistan, met with Alexander Kozlov, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation.

During the meeting, Khalis said that Afghanistan is facing major environmental and climate-related challenges, and that local communities are highly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change.

He called for Russia’s cooperation in addressing climate change and requested the transfer of Russian expertise to Afghanistan.

Khalis also emphasized the need to resume suspended environmental and climate-related projects, facilitate the participation of the Taliban-led delegation in the 30th UN Climate Change Conference (COP-30), and implementing clean energy programs and projects in Afghanistan.

In response, Alexander Kozlov acknowledged shared environmental concerns such as declining groundwater levels, air pollution, and climate change. He expressed Russia’s readiness to cooperate comprehensively with Afghanistan in tackling environmental and climate challenges and pledged efforts to support the participation of the Taliban delegation in COP-30.