Sun Dec 01 18:30:00 UTC 2024: ## Afghan Environment Official Demands Inclusion in Future Climate Talks
**Kabul, December 2, 2024** – Afghanistan’s National Environmental Protection Agency director general, Matiul Haq Khalis, has called for the country’s full participation in future global climate negotiations. This follows Afghanistan’s first attendance at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, where the Taliban delegation participated as guests, not as official negotiators.
Khalis described Afghanistan’s presence at COP29 as a “big achievement,” highlighting meetings with representatives from 19 organizations and governments. He emphasized the need for Afghanistan to voice its concerns regarding climate change impacts and its people’s needs on the world stage.
Afghanistan is highly vulnerable to climate change despite minimal greenhouse gas emissions. The country faces severe challenges including prolonged droughts, frequent floods, and declining agricultural productivity, exacerbated by climate change. This vulnerability, along with the UN’s call for Afghanistan’s inclusion in international climate discussions, underpins the country’s demand for participation.
The Taliban government argues that political isolation shouldn’t prevent Afghanistan from engaging in crucial climate talks. Developed nations have pledged $100 billion annually in climate finance to assist developing countries, a commitment which Afghanistan hopes to benefit from. The participation of Afghanistan in these global discussions remains a critical issue moving forward.
First Piper 