Wed Nov 20 10:20:49 UTC 2024: ## UN Seeks to Unlock $19 Million in Climate Funding for Afghanistan
**Kabul, November 20, 2024** – United Nations agencies are making a concerted effort to secure crucial climate funding for Afghanistan, a nation acutely vulnerable to climate change impacts but barred from accessing new funds since the Taliban takeover in 2021. Facing devastating droughts and deadly floods, Afghanistan has been unable to tap into UN climate financing due to political and procedural hurdles.
Two UN agencies, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), are jointly preparing proposals totaling nearly $19 million. The funding, sought from the UN’s Global Environment Facility (GEF), would mark the first inflow of international climate finance into Afghanistan in three years.
The FAO’s $10 million project aims to improve rangeland, forest, and watershed management across several provinces, while the UNDP seeks $8.9 million to enhance the resilience of rural communities facing increasingly erratic weather. Both projects are designed to bypass the Taliban government, which lacks international recognition.
Stephen Rodriques, UNDP resident representative for Afghanistan, stated that the UN is engaging with various climate financing bodies to restore funding channels. The UN agencies will act as both applicants and on-the-ground implementing partners, given the lack of international recognition for the Taliban administration. A Taliban spokesperson did not respond to requests for comment.
The initiative faces challenges. The Taliban’s human rights record, particularly concerning women’s rights, remains a major concern for many international donors. However, with the Taliban attending the COP29 climate conference in Baku for the first time, some see this as an opportunity to build trust and secure the much-needed funds. Abdulhadi Achakzai, founder of the Afghanistan climate non-profit Environmental Protection Trainings and Development Organization, highlighted this as a chance to “secure funds for Afghanistan.”
The proposals require initial approval from the GEF secretariat before submission to the GEF Council for final consideration. If approved, the full proposals are expected to be submitted in early 2025. The success of this initiative is crucial for Afghanistan, one of the world’s poorest and most climate-vulnerable countries.
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