UN: Afghanistan Faces Severe Drought

UN: Afghanistan Faces Severe Drought
Photo: RM Media

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has warned that the country is currently experiencing a severe drought and has called for urgent action to address the impacts of climate change.

UNAMA expressed concern that without serious efforts to tackle climate change in Afghanistan, the consequences could be dire.

It added that Afghanistan — already devastated by decades of war, economic hardship, and humanitarian crises — is now among the ten most vulnerable countries in the world to the effects of climate change.

Previously, several other organizations had also warned about the climate crisis in Afghanistan, stating that it ranks as the sixth most affected country globally by the impacts of climate change.

In recent years, these changes have led to reduced agricultural output across the country, a drop in groundwater levels, and destructive off-season floods that have caused extensive loss of life and property. Prolonged drought has also forced many people to abandon their homes.

Persistent drought, flooding, and environmental degradation are seen as major contributors to the current climate crisis. Reports indicate that around 50% of Afghanistan’s forests have been lost due to climate change.

Meanwhile, thousands of families from provinces such as Ghor, Helmand, Kandahar, Kunar, Nangarhar, Uruzgan, and others have been forced to relocate due to recent droughts. Although Afghanistan contributes almost nothing to global greenhouse gas emissions, it remains among the most severely impacted countries by the climate crisis.