As World Environment Day arrives, concerns about the far-reaching impacts of climate change in Afghanistan have once again come into focus. International organizations consider Afghanistan one of the countries most vulnerable to the effects of the global climate crisis.

The British Embassy to Afghanistan, which operates from Doha, stated that climate-related shocks are affecting the lives of millions of Afghans more severely each year. The embassy said that the United Kingdom supports projects through its development and environmental programs that are designed and implemented with local communities to strengthen resilience against climate change.

According to the United Kingdom, these initiatives focus on protecting livelihoods, restoring nature, and enhancing the capacity of communities to cope with environmental crises, helping to create a more sustainable future for Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, the United Nations has also warned about the worsening environmental situation in Afghanistan. The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) stated that recurring droughts, declining water resources, and environmental degradation are creating serious challenges for millions of people across the country.

According to UNAMA’s assessment, water scarcity remains the most significant environmental threat facing Afghanistan. The crisis is particularly severe in rural and agricultural areas, where it poses a serious risk to family livelihoods. Continued drought conditions in several provinces have led to sharp declines in agricultural production and increased competition over limited water and land resources.

The organization added that the water crisis extends beyond agriculture, making access to safe drinking water increasingly difficult and, in some areas, forcing families to relocate.

In addition to drought, devastating floods, deforestation, unregulated mining activities, and growing air pollution are among the challenges that, according to the United Nations, are further complicating Afghanistan’s already fragile environmental situation.

Experts warn that without effective adaptation measures, environmental crises could worsen poverty, food insecurity, unemployment, and new waves of migration in Afghanistan. The consequences, they say, will be felt not only within the country but across the wider region as well.