Decades of War Devastate Afghanistan’s Environment, Says Taliban Official | Amu TV Insights

KABUL, Afghanistan — Abbas Stanikzai, the Taliban’s deputy foreign minister, spoke on Wednesday about how years of conflict have severely harmed Afghanistan’s environment.

Addressing a conference in Kabul about climate change, Stanikzai noted that the Soviet invasion in the 1980s led to the destruction of 80 percent of Afghanistan’s forests.

He criticized the United States for using powerful weapons like the “Mother of All Bombs” during its military operations in the country. He argued that these actions have inflicted lasting damage on Afghanistan’s natural resources and economy.

“Over the past 50 years, Afghanistan has experienced immense suffering, especially environmentally. The Soviet occupation devastated 80 percent of our forests. Their bombs destroyed vast areas of greenery, and landmines left behind continue to harm our people,” Stanikzai explained. “Then the U.S. and NATO came, deploying weapons here that they wouldn’t consider using elsewhere.”

Stanikzai emphasized the need for better water management to fight climate change and called for international help to tackle Afghanistan’s environmental crises.

Though the Taliban often blames foreign powers for Afghanistan’s problems, critics point out that the group has its history of causing destruction. For the past two decades, Taliban attacks, including suicide bombings, have led to numerous civilian casualties and damaged infrastructure.

Meanwhile, Abdul Latif Nazari, the Taliban’s deputy minister of economy, expressed that international sanctions have made it difficult for Afghanistan to work with global organizations on climate issues. “These sanctions prevent us from collaborating on environmental matters,” Mr. Nazari stated, urging that environmental and economic issues should be separated from politics. “This is a global responsibility.”

Despite contributing only 0.1 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, Afghanistan is highly vulnerable to climate change. The country faces extreme weather such as droughts and serious flooding, which worsen food insecurity and economic struggles.

At the recent COP29 climate conference in Baku, Azerbaijan, $300 billion was promised to support poorer nations affected by climate change. However, since the Taliban regained power in 2021, Afghanistan has not been able to access these funds.

This conference marked a first for a Taliban delegation, led by Mutah Al-Haq Khalis, head of the Taliban’s environmental protection agency. Their participation raises questions about how the international community can balance political concerns with humanitarian needs in Afghanistan.