Before the Paris Conference: The State of Afghanistan’s Climate and its Adaption Capability
Publisher: Afghanistan Analysts Network
Author(s): Thomas Ruttig and Ryskeldi Satke
Date: 2015
Topics: Climate Change, Renewable Resources
Countries: Afghanistan
Climate change is already having a severe impact on Afghans’ daily lives – but this challenge is often over-shadowed by what seem to be more-urgent problems: war and the economic crisis. Therefore, the reports submitted by the Afghan government for the Paris climate conference starting today, 30 November 2015 (and President Ashraf Ghani speaking in the early afternoon) provide a concentrated picture of the challenges arising from this phenomenon. At the same time, there are doubts that Afghanistan’s institutional strength and capacities are sufficient to cope with the evolving impact of climate change. Furthermore, the mid-term growth-based development aims of the government, at least in part, run contrary to the needs for long-term environment protection and climate change adaptation.