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Afghanistan ranked as one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change

Published

6 years ago

December 18, 2020

Afghanistan has been ranked eighth out of 170 countries for its vulnerability to climate change over the next 30 years, with 59 percent of the population affected by climate shocks compared to 19 percent suffering from security related shocks.

Working in collaboration with a number of organizations and government agencies, ActionAid and Climate Action Network South Asia (CANSA) published its latest report Climate Change Drives Migration in Conflict-Ridden Afghanistan on Thursday and said for every one million inhabitants, 1,150 people die in Afghanistan every year, half of them from weather-related and geophysical events.

The report stated that the country’s low level of socio-economic development, combined with rising levels of insecurity, make people extremely vulnerable to disasters.

As a result, Afghanistan sees frequent loss of lives, property and livelihoods.

At the end of 2019, Afghanistan had 1,198,000 people displaced internally as a result of disasters, more than any other country.

The drought in 2018-19 affected more than two-thirds of Afghanistan, displacing over 260,000 people and leaving about 9.8 million people in food crisis.

The number of people affected each year by flooding could more than double by 2050 due to the combined effect of climate change and poor socio-economic growth, the report read.

The study found that climate change predictions for Afghanistan reveal an increase in temperature that will have dramatic impacts on the country’s agricultural production, water availability and food security.

An average warming of 1.5°C until 2050 will severely affect agriculture, water resources, ecosystems, food security, health and energy production, read the report.

The report also warned that a higher increase in temperature will likely completely change the environment and current ecosystems, which would devastate the economy and the food security of the rural majority.

The Humanitarian Needs Overview 2020, by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), states, “Conflict remains the main driver of displacement, however natural hazards (both slow and sudden onset) also contribute to, and trigger population movements.

“Afghanistan is highly prone to natural disasters, whose frequency and intensity are exacerbated by the effects of climate change,” the report read.

There can often be multi-faceted reasons people move in Afghanistan including economic migrants.

However, the report states that people are likely to be classed as economic migrants when they move from rural areas to urban centres, seeking better employment and income opportunities.

“The reasons could be because their land is no longer productive after multiple floods, or their crops have failed for the past few years because of drought. These are impacts of climate change but the resulting displacement may not be attributed to climate change,” read the report.

“Often critical contributing factors, many of which can be linked to climate change, result in migration,” it stated.

It also noted that institutional arrangements in the country for climate induced migration primarily focus on disaster response but that there is a need for a vision to address the long-term effects of climate change.

“The emphasis is on the immediate response to climate-induced loss and damage, rather than on climate change mitigation or adaptation.”

“Afghanistan lacks a well-resourced and broad national development programme to address the impacts of climate change and prepare for the future challenges,” read the report.

Although Afghanistan has a number of policies for migration, disaster response and the environment, it does not have well established policies for migration through climate change.

Related Topics:#ArianaNews #ATNNews #AfghanNews #AryanaNews #ATN #News #Afghanistan #CANSA #climatechange featured

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Ariana Afghan Airlines ranks seventh among 45 Central Asian airlines

Published

6 hours ago

September 23, 2026

Ariana News

Ariana Afghan Airlines has ranked seventh among 45 airlines in Central Asia in Skytrax’s 2026 rankings.

Company officials say Ariana Afghan ranked eighth on the list in 2025, but moved up one place this year following improvements in service quality and the expansion of its operations.

According to the officials, in 2026 the airline met criteria including service quality, flight safety, professional cabin crew, and experience in the aviation sector, placing it among the top 10 airlines in Central Asia.

Skytrax is an international organization that evaluates and ranks the quality of services in the aviation industry and airlines, assessing and ranking carriers annually based on specific criteria.

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Silk Road highway in Wakhan corridor now reaches the China border

The road is expected to be officially opened for use in the near future, potentially improving connectivity through the remote Wakhan Corridor.

Published

8 hours ago

September 23, 2026

Ariana News

The construction of the Silk Road Highway in Afghanistan’s Wakhan Corridor has been fully completed after five years of work, officials in Badakhshan province said.

Amanullah Chehra, head of Rural Rehabilitation and Development in Badakhshan, said the 121.13-kilometre road begins in the Barghil area and stretches to Bzai Gonbad near the Chinese border.

According to officials, the road is between 7 and 10 metres wide and includes three major bridges, each measuring approximately 20 to 22 metres in length. Numerous smaller drainage structures have also been built along the route to facilitate the flow of water.

The road is expected to be officially opened for use in the near future, potentially improving connectivity through the remote Wakhan Corridor.

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Refugees minister, UNAMA deputy discuss challenges facing returnees

Published

8 hours ago

September 23, 2026

Ariana News

Afghanistan’s Minister of Refugees and Repatriation, Mawlawi Abdul Kabir, met on Wednesday with Bruno Lemarquis, UNAMA’s Deputy Head for Humanitarian Affairs, to discuss the situation of Afghan returnees and humanitarian assistance.

The Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation said Lemarquis briefed the minister on assessments conducted by UN agencies during visits to several provinces to identify the needs of returnee families.

Lemarquis said joint cooperation between UN agencies and the Islamic Emirate is needed to support and resettle returnees. He added that UN agencies are currently assisting thousands of families and called for the expansion of humanitarian assistance.

He also said the international community should pay greater attention to the needs of Afghans, adding that UNAMA is ready to cooperate in addressing challenges facing returnees.

Abdul Kabir welcomed UNAMA’s support and thanked the United Nations for its assistance to Afghans. He said various government institutions have been tasked with addressing returnees’ needs.

The minister also called on aid organizations to continue supporting returnee families, saying a program to resettle thousands of internally displaced families is also underway.

Kabir further said the necessary facilities have been provided for UN agencies to operate and that the Islamic Emirate welcomes UNAMA’s humanitarian cooperation.