KABUL, Afghanistan — A senior Taliban official on Sunday called for Afghanistan’s participation in future international climate talks, emphasizing that the country’s political isolation should not preclude it from addressing urgent environmental challenges.
Matiul Haq Khalis, director general of Afghanistan’s National Environmental Protection Agency described the Taliban’s presence at the COP29 climate conference in Baku as a significant “achievement.”
Speaking at a press briefing in Kabul on Sunday after returning from the event, he said, “Afghanistan must participate in such conferences in the future to share the needs of our people and the challenges we face.”
This marked the first time a Taliban-led delegation had attended a global climate conference since their takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021. They were not invited to the previous two COP meetings held in Egypt and the United Arab Emirates.
Engaging with international delegations
Khalis reported that the Taliban delegation held discussions with representatives from 19 organizations and governments, including Russia, Qatar, Azerbaijan, and Bangladesh. “We participated in the conference to raise the voice of the nation about the issues we are facing,” he said.
Afghanistan, despite contributing minimally to global greenhouse gas emissions, ranks as the world’s sixth most vulnerable country to the effects of climate change. Rising temperatures and changing weather patterns have exacerbated droughts and damaged natural cold storages critical for preserving food supplies, Khalis noted.
The Taliban have argued that Afghanistan’s exclusion from international climate negotiations undermines global efforts to address the climate crisis. Developed nations have pledged $100 billion annually in climate finance through 2025 to assist developing countries in mitigating climate impacts and transitioning away from fossil fuels.
Afghanistan’s inclusion in such discussions, Khalis suggested, is vital given the country’s acute vulnerability to environmental changes and its need for international support.
“We must ensure that Afghanistan’s voice is heard,” Khalis said, adding that the Taliban’s participation in global climate talks is necessary for addressing the nation’s growing environmental challenges.
