The Taliban government has expressed frustration over Afghanistan’s exclusion from the upcoming COP30 climate summit, insisting the country deserves participation as one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable nations.
The global climate conference begins Monday in Brazil, bringing together representatives from around the world. However, Afghanistan’s National Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA) said no official invitation was received, despite the country’s worsening droughts, shrinking groundwater reserves, and soaring temperatures.
NEPA voiced “deep concern” over the omission, noting that Afghanistan contributes only about 0.06 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions but suffers some of the harshest effects of climate change. The agency highlighted that nearly 89 percent of Afghans depend on agriculture for their livelihoods, leaving them highly exposed to shifts in weather and water patterns.
The Taliban, who reclaimed power in 2021 and are formally recognised only by Russia, argued that political isolation should not exclude Afghans from participating in global climate discussions. They attended COP29 last year as “guests” of Azerbaijan but were not permitted to engage as direct participants.
Describing the decision as a violation of “climate justice, global cooperation, and human solidarity,” NEPA said Afghanistan’s exclusion undermines efforts to address the country’s escalating environmental crises.
The United Nations has previously warned that repeated droughts between 2020 and 2025 have devastated Afghanistan’s water systems, with groundwater levels plunging by up to 30 metres in some regions. As forecasts suggest 2025 could rank among the hottest years ever recorded, the urgency for vulnerable nations like Afghanistan to be included in global climate solutions continues to intensify.
