Afghanistan is ramping up its COP30 preparation through a series of consultative meetings and adaptation initiatives, set to culminate in a unified delegation at the UN Climate Change Conference from 10 to 21 November 2025 in Brazil. Officials from the National Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA) lead efforts to address drought, floods and food insecurity, seeking robust international support. This push comes amid calls for non-politicised aid, with experts stressing coordinated messaging. How will these steps shape Afghanistan‘s role in global climate action?
Why Afghanistan’s COP30 Preparation Matters for South Asia
Afghanistan’s vulnerability to climate extremes underscores a broader South Asian crisis, where shared borders amplify risks like transboundary water disputes and migration from disasters. Successful COP30 engagement could unlock regional funding and cooperation, bolstering resilience across the subcontinent. With Pakistan and India facing similar floods and heatwaves, Afghanistan’s advocacy highlights the need for equitable adaptation finance, potentially influencing $100 billion annual pledges. This positions the region to demand accountability from emitters, fostering cross-border strategies vital for 1.9 billion people.
Afghanistan COP30 Inclusion Push Gains Momentum
Afghanistan’s drive for inclusion at COP30 reflects a strategic bid to elevate its status from observer to active participant. NEPA Director General Mawlawi Matiulhaq Khalis has voiced this imperative, noting the country’s disproportionate suffering despite minimal emissions. In a July 2025 conference in Kabul, Khalis declared: “Afghanistan is severely affected by climate change. Drought, water shortages, declining arable land, flash floods, and threats to food security are having a profound impact on people’s lives and the economy. Although Afghanistan’s contribution to global climate change is almost nonexistent, it suffers greatly from its consequences. As a victim of climate change, Afghanistan has the right to be present at global platforms, especially at COP30, to voice the damages it has endured.”
This stance builds on last year’s COP29 attendance in Azerbaijan, where a Taliban delegation observed proceedings as guests. Russia remains the sole recogniser of the Islamic Emirate, complicating formal invitations. Yet, Khalis emphasised prepared national action plans, including updates to climate goals under the Paris Agreement. He highlighted untapped potential in wind and solar energy, urging international backing for development. A UN report from June 2025 corroborated these woes, citing below-average precipitation, elevated temperatures and reduced soil moisture that slashed rainfed wheat yields by up to 20 per cent in key provinces.
The inclusion push aligns with broader Afghanistan COP30 preparation, aiming to sidestep politicisation of environmental aid. Post-2021, suspended projects have exacerbated harms, with the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs warning of intensified monsoons displacing thousands. Experts view COP30 as a platform to secure commitments from major polluters, potentially channelling funds for resilient infrastructure.
Afghanistan UNICEF Climate Plan Bolsters COP30 Readiness
Collaboration with UNICEF forms a cornerstone of Afghanistan’s COP30 preparation, focusing on sector-specific adaptation to safeguard vulnerable populations. In a recent consultative meeting, NEPA and UNICEF convened stakeholders to draft a National Climate Change Adaptation Plan targeting water resources, sanitation and public health. This initiative addresses direct climate threats, such as contaminated water sources during floods that spike disease outbreaks.
NEPA Director of Climate Change Rohullah Amin outlined the process: “The aim was to determine how we can develop a national adaptation plan for the water and sanitation sectors, so that the existing needs in these areas are reflected in the document and facilitate the attraction of projects related to water and sanitation.” UNICEF Representative in Afghanistan Shiva Narain Singh added: “We began this process with risk analysis because there was no specific guidance for climate-related risks across the country. Then we moved to developing climate strategies, and that work has now been done.” Singh stressed enhanced coordination as a milestone toward joint action.
Khalis reinforced the urgency: “Water, health, sanitation, and water-related programmes have been severely affected, as climate change has a direct impact on them. Therefore, it is essential to find and implement strategies to prevent damage to the sectors most vulnerable to climate impacts.” This Afghanistan UNICEF climate plan COP30 integration ensures alignment with global standards, incorporating child rights into adaptation measures. UNICEF’s global COP30 briefing emphasises embedding such protections, given children’s heightened exposure to heat and pollution.
Data underscores the stakes: Afghanistan ranks sixth globally for climate vulnerability, per the 2025 Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative. Over 14 million people face acute water scarcity, with UNICEF estimating 40 per cent of children under five stunted due to malnutrition linked to environmental degradation. The plan prioritises risk mapping and strategy rollout, eyeing COP30 for financing appeals.
Consultative Programmes Drive Unified COP30 Strategy
Domestic programmes anchor Afghanistan’s COP30 preparation, fostering consensus among institutions and diaspora experts. A Kabul event titled “Afghanistan on the Path to COP30” gathered officials, international partners and academics to refine participation tactics. Khalis urged unity: “Participants should share opinions, listen to others, and provide information on what is needed and what should be done, so that our voice at COP30 is unified.”
The European Union reaffirmed support, with Head of Political Section Benjamin Weiss stating: “The European Union is focusing on direct support for communities around Afghanistan. The EU works with various organisations to ensure that its assistance reaches the people of Afghanistan.” University professor Umar Mokhtar Nikzad echoed the stakes: “The delegation representing Afghanistan can deliver its message and ensure we play our essential role in addressing climate change.”
Complementing this, an online June 2025 meeting engaged Afghan experts abroad, chaired by NEPA Deputy Director Dr Zainul Abidin Abid. The session sought “effective solutions to reduce the effects of climate change” and full delegation readiness. Abid affirmed: “Effective solutions should be developed to reduce the effects of climate change and that the Afghan delegation should be sent to the COP 30 conference with full preparation so that it can convey its voice to the world about the problems and challenges caused by climate change.” Participants pledged aligned positions, enhancing the Afghanistan COP30 inclusion push.
These efforts counter recent disasters, including a October 2025 earthquake displacing 50,000 families and floods claiming 200 lives since May. NEPA’s May 2025 dialogue with the World Food Programme further mapped adaptation needs, targeting international finance resumption.
Background: Climate Toll in Afghanistan
Afghanistan’s arid landscape amplifies climate shocks, with 80 per cent of precipitation reliant on erratic monsoons. Since 2021, aid freezes halted 15 environmental projects worth USD 200 million, per UN estimates. The country emits less than 0.1 per cent of global greenhouse gases yet endures 20 per cent agricultural losses annually from droughts. These factors fuel the Afghanistan COP30 preparation, positioning it as a moral imperative for equity.
What’s Next for Afghanistan COP30 Engagement
A streamlined delegation will attend COP30, armed with the new adaptation plan and expert inputs. Officials anticipate advocating for USD 500 million in targeted aid, while exploring solar initiatives to cut reliance on imported fuels. Success hinges on bridging political divides, potentially via neutral platforms like the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.
Afghanistan’s COP30 preparation signals resilience, transforming vulnerability into a catalyst for global reform.
Published in SouthAsianDesk, October 31st, 2025
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