Monday, November 10, 2025 - The Taliban government says it’s frustrated at being left out of COP30, arguing that Afghanistan deserves a seat at the table as one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable nations.
The global climate conference kicks off Monday in Brazil,
drawing representatives from countries across the world. But Afghanistan’s
National Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA) says no official invitation
ever arrived, despite the country’s exposure to worsening droughts, shrinking
groundwater and rising temperatures.
NEPA voiced “deep concern” over the exclusion, noting that
Afghanistan has contributed barely 0.06 percent of global greenhouse gas
emissions yet faces some of the most severe consequences of climate change.
Nearly 89 percent of Afghans rely on agriculture for survival, leaving them
extremely vulnerable to shifts in climate patterns.
The Taliban, who regained power in 2021 and are formally
recognised only by Russia, argue that political isolation shouldn’t bar Afghans
from engaging in climate negotiations. They did attend COP29 last year, but
only as “guests” of Azerbaijan rather than as direct participants.
Calling the snub a violation of “climate justice, global
cooperation, and human solidarity,” Afghanistan’s climate agency says the
country cannot afford to be shut out of discussions that directly affect its
future.
The UN has already warned that repeated droughts from 2020
to 2025 have ravaged Afghanistan’s water resources, with groundwater levels
dropping by as much as 30 metres in some areas. And with forecasts pointing
toward 2025 becoming one of the hottest years ever recorded, the stakes for
vulnerable countries like Afghanistan continue to rise.
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