Afghanistan Peace CampaignA number of experts at the event also discussed Afghanistan’s water crisis, drought and displacement.
The UN Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on Climate Action and Just Transition has emphasized that despite Afghanistan’s negligible contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions, the country remains on the frontline of the global climate crisis.
Speaking at an event on the sidelines of the 81st UN General Assembly titled “Afghanistan on the Frontlines of Climate Stress and Migration,” Selwin Hart said the past 11 years have been the warmest on record and that the world is approaching the 1.5-degree Celsius threshold set under the Paris Agreement.
Selwin Hart said: “The reality is that climate conditions are becoming more dangerous, and Afghanistan is on the frontline of the climate crisis. The past 11 years have been the warmest years on record. El Niño is also adding more heat to a planet that is already warm and overheated. This increases the risk of droughts, floods and extreme heat.”
A number of experts at the event also discussed Afghanistan’s water crisis, drought and displacement.
According to experts, snow accounts for up to 80 percent of Afghanistan’s water resources, but rising temperatures have reduced snowfall, pushing the country toward what they described as “water bankruptcy.”
Najibullah Sadid, an expert on water resources, the environment and climate change, said: “As I said, snow provides up to 80 percent of our water resources. This topographical advantage has now been lost or is gradually being lost because climate change is increasing temperatures. This means either Afghanistan receives less snow, or when it does snow, it melts very quickly. As a result, practically no water remains for the summer agricultural season.”
Concerns over the impact of climate change on Afghanistan come as the country is already facing challenges including water shortages and an increase in deadly natural disasters.