UN highlights urgent need for climate action in vulnerable Kabul

As climate pressures mount, Afghanistan’s capital Kabul — home to over 40% of the country’s urban population — is facing compounding urban crises, with the majority of its residents living in informal settlements that are highly vulnerable to extreme weather and water scarcity.

According to a recent post by UN-Habitat on social media platform X, four out of five Kabul residents live in informal housing areas. These densely populated neighborhoods lack basic infrastructure such as sewage systems, drainage, and secure housing, making them particularly exposed to flooding, landslides, and heatwaves driven by climate change.

“These communities are particularly vulnerable to extreme weather events, underscoring the urgent need for climate action,” UN-Habitat stated.

The warning comes amid growing concerns about Kabul’s rapidly depleting water resources.

Years of unregulated groundwater extraction, population growth, and prolonged droughts have left large parts of the city at risk of running dry.

Officials have acknowledged that without sustainable water management and urgent investment in infrastructure, the capital could face a severe water crisis in the near future.

Kabul’s water table has dropped dramatically over the past two decades. With limited access to piped water systems, many residents rely on private wells or water tankers, both of which are increasingly unreliable and unaffordable for lower-income families.

The Islamic Emirate government recently called for action on groundwater management. However, progress remains slow amid economic constraints, limited international funding, and the growing demands of a city whose population has more than doubled since 2001.

Urban planners and aid organizations warn that without coordinated climate adaptation strategies—including improved housing, water conservation efforts, and climate-resilient infrastructure—millions of Kabul’s residents could face worsening living conditions and displacement.

The situation highlights broader challenges facing Afghanistan, where decades of conflict, climate vulnerability, and underinvestment in public services have severely weakened the country’s capacity to adapt to a changing environment.

According to official United Nations data, Kabul’s population is estimated at 4.1 million as of mid‑2024, however, more recent urban-area estimates from UN World Urbanization Prospects put Kabul’s population around 4.877 million in 2025, reflecting ongoing growth and expansion into surrounding suburbs