Environmental issues should not be politicized, says NEPA

KABUL (BNA): Hafez Aziz Rahman, the head of the National Environmental Protection Authority (NEPA), and Ruslan Edelgeriyev, the advisor to the President of the Russian Federation, held a discussion on climate change issues in Afghanistan.

The meeting, which also included Dmitry Zhirnov, the Ambassador of Russia to Kabul, was reported by the central NEPA office.

Edelgeriyev, recognizing climate change as a global threat, emphasized the importance of Afghanistan’s representation in international conventions on climate change, desertification, and biodiversity.

He pledged to invite Afghan representatives to these crucial meetings and revealed Russia’s plans to hold a conference on environmental issues. The conference will invite Afghan environmental protection officials and offer collaboration in training and capacity-building.

Rahman highlighted Afghanistan’s vulnerability to climate change, despite its minimal contribution to greenhouse gas emissions. He called on industrialized nations, which are responsible for major emissions, to support vulnerable countries like Afghanistan with technology, financial assistance, and cooperation.

The officials underscored that environmental issues should not be politicized, as they impact human well-being and the entire planet.

Dr. Zain al-Abidin Abed, the deputy head of NEPA, expressed concern over the Climate Change Convention’s lack of response to re-establishing relations with Afghanistan. He noted that 32 projects funded by the Green Climate Fund in Afghanistan were suspended after the new government took power due to the non-recognition of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.

Both parties stressed the importance of continuing bilateral cooperation to address these global challenges.