Climate, Peace and Security Fact Sheet: Afghanistan
Publisher: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
Date: 2023
Topics: Basic Services, Climate Change, Gender, Humanitarian Assistance, Livelihoods
Countries: Afghanistan
Afghanistan is highly vulnerable to the effects of climate change, with more frequent extreme weather events and temperatures that are increasing faster than the global average. These factors, coupled with the legacy of four decades of war, a complex humanitarian emergency and an economic crisis since the Taliban's takeover of the government in August 2021, have heightened the vulnerability of the Afghan population.
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and UN specialized agencies and their partners have continued to operate in Afghanistan since August 2021, providing humanitarian and emergency assistance through the Special Trust Fund for Afghanistan and the Transitional Engagement Framework. While physical access by UN agencies and partners has become easier due to a dramatic decline in security incidents since August 2021, international sanctions and political concerns---including about the Taliban's increasingly repressive policies towards women---have reduced the scope for medium- to long-term planning, financing and programming in addressing climate and environmental challenges. UNAMA should continue to work with local communities and the implementing organizations still operating in Afghanistan to strengthen climate adaptation and resilience, especially for the most vulnerable groups.