The Uncertain Future of Afghanistan’s Nascent Environmental Laws

Sep 2, 2021 | Elizabeth Hessami
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Afghanistan is in turmoil. The abrupt withdrawal of U.S. forces set in motion by a deal between former President Trump and the Taliban, and executed in recent months by President Biden has caused chaos on many fronts. Many societal gains of the past two decades are in ruin.

Amongst the ashes of the former Afghan state may be several recent environmental legal frameworks, such as a 2007 environmental law, a 2009 water law, and a 2014 minerals law. Elizabeth Hessami has spent several years studying the development and implementation of these laws.

There is not yet a clear picture of what the new government and legal structure will be in Afghanistan—will there be an inclusive government? Will it be controlled solely by the Taliban? Public statements from the Taliban seem to show intent to form an emirate under the Taliban’s extreme version of Islamic or Shari’ah law, which is generally not supported in other Islamic nations.