A UN-backed webinar series highlights how climate change is worsening food insecurity, water scarcity and displacement in Afghanistan, while urging stronger global attention, financing and locally grounded responses.
Afghanistan is facing intensifying climate pressures that are deepening humanitarian needs, threatening livelihoods and driving displacement, experts warned during a United Nations-backed webinar series aimed at amplifying local voices and shaping action.
The six-part series, convened in late 2025 by United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan in partnership with Samuel Hall, brought together Afghan experts, technical specialists, humanitarian and development practitioners, UN agencies, NGOs and local stakeholders.
Organisers said the initiative sought to elevate Afghan perspectives, share evidence and sustain momentum on climate action at a time when the country remains largely absent from global climate forums.
Ranked among the world’s most vulnerable and least prepared countries to manage climate impacts, Afghanistan is already experiencing severe consequences. Nearly 70 percent of the population depends on climate-sensitive agriculture for their livelihoods, while millions face rising food insecurity.
Participants highlighted how a changing water cycle is intensifying water scarcity nationwide, with urban centres such as Kabul confronting acute groundwater depletion. At the same time, increasingly unpredictable seasonal flooding continues to destroy lives, homes and assets, trapping communities in a worsening cycle of vulnerability.
Discussions also pointed to growing climate-related displacement. A significant share of internal displacement is linked to environmental shocks, while many cross-border movements are driven by the impact of climate change on livelihoods.
Across six sessions, the series examined key themes including humanitarian impacts of climate change, water resource management, the roles of women, youth and children, links between climate change and livelihoods, climate finance and the intersection of climate impacts with peace and security.
Participants underscored both the complexity of the challenges and the depth of local commitment and expertise available to support responses.
The webinar series is accompanied by summary notes and recordings capturing key insights, evidence and practical recommendations, offering guidance for policymakers, practitioners, donors and researchers while identifying areas requiring further collaboration and investment.
UNAMA, mandated by the United Nations Security Council to support Afghanistan’s resilience and social and economic stabilisation, stressed that addressing the country’s climate challenges will require sustained, collective and evidence-based action grounded in the realities of affected communities.
