Afghanistan regrets not being invited to COP30

Sunday 09 November 2025 - 15:40

By: Sahili Aya

Afghanistan regrets not being invited to COP30

Afghan authorities expressed regret on Sunday over not being invited to the COP30 climate conference in Brazil, emphasizing that the country is among the most vulnerable to climate change despite its minimal contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions.

The 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30), opening Monday in Belém, Brazil, will bring together representatives from dozens of countries, including world leaders such as Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and UN Secretary-General António Guterres.

In a statement issued in Kabul, the National Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA) said that “on behalf of the government and the Afghan people,” it expressed “deep concern that although Afghanistan is one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change, it has unfortunately not received an official invitation.”

Last year, the Taliban government, which is recognized only by Russia, sent a delegation to COP29 in Baku, though it attended as a guest of Azerbaijan rather than an official participant in negotiations.

Since returning to power in 2021, the Taliban have maintained that their diplomatic isolation should not prevent Afghanistan from participating in international climate talks.

“The violation of the Afghan people’s right to take part in this conference contradicts the principles of climate justice, international cooperation, and human solidarity,” NEPA said in a statement.

Despite contributing only 0.06% of global greenhouse gas emissions, Afghanistan ranks as the sixth most vulnerable country to climate change, according to scientific assessments.

In a nation devastated by four decades of war and where 89% of the population relies on agriculture for survival, climate stress has further worsened living conditions. The UN has warned that repeated droughts between 2020 and 2025 have severely depleted groundwater levels, in some areas by as much as 30 meters.

Ahead of COP30, the UN confirmed that 2025 is set to be the second or third hottest year ever recorded, highlighting the urgency of global climate action.