Paris – UN Environment Executive Director Achim Steiner today met with the Director General of the National Environmental Protection Agency for the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, H.E. Prince Mostapha Zaher, at UNFCCC’s COP21 in Paris.
H.E. the Director General of NEPA thanked Mr. Steiner for the support provided to NEPA by the UN Environment team in Afghanistan; especially regarding the latest financial and technical support of UN Environment to facilitate the participation of representatives from different sectoral institutions in COP. H.E. the Director General, responding to a question from Mr. Steiner, confirmed the need for UN Environment technical assistance until at least 2020; and mentioned that UN Environment has its dedicated office in the new building of NEPA.
Mr. Steiner stated that he is conscious of extraordinary and passionate UN Environment team in Afghanistan. Promising his efforts to attract more financial and technical support from donors to Afghanistan, Mr. Steiner mentioned that the donors shouldn’t stop their support after the withdrawal of international forces from Afghanistan.
In short and separate discussion with one of the UN Environment National Staff, Mr. Steiner conveyed his best wishes to the UN Environment team in Afghanistan, and stated: “You are doing a great and wonderful job in Afghanistan, I am with you!”
Bamyan Province, Afghanistan
Afghanistan is ranked one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change. Its arid climate and primarily agrarian society mean a high level of dependence on glacial and snow melt, and indeed, natural resources more generally. Approximately seventy per cent of Afghanistan’s population relies on the natural resource base to meet its daily needs.
Yet climate change will not only impact the country’s landscape, it will also place pressure on institutions. As Afghanistan seeks to rebuild itself following decades of instability, its institutions have limited capacity to plan and respond to climate impacts.
Effective and meaningful participation in the global environmental community is therefore essential for a country like Afghanistan. UN Environment has worked closely with Afghanistan’s National Environmental Protection Agency both in the build up to COP21 and to provide support to the Afghan delegation during the negotiations themselves.
UN Environment has also worked to connect local and national actors in Afghanistan and encourage dialogue between them, as well as with national and international experts. Building the capacity of the National Environmental Protection Agency and other institutions is one of UN Environment’s key objectives. Efforts are ongoing to strengthen environmental data, information and reporting capacity for international environmental conventions.
The UN Environment team in Afghanistan, including in the field office in Bamyan Province, have convened a number of dialogues in recent months on issues as diverse as climate finance, technology transfer and ecosystem-based disaster risk reduction (Eco-DRR). Indeed, implementation of flagship climate adaptation and Eco-DRR projects are continuing in communities in four provinces.
Today’s meeting between Mr Steiner and H.E. Prince Mostapha Zaher underscores UN Environment’s commitment to supporting Afghanistan on the path towards sustainable development and successful management of the country’s environment and natural resources for the benefit of all.
For further information, please contact:
Sophie Brown, Communications Advisor, UN Environment Post-Conflict and Disaster Management Branch, sophie.brown[at]unep.org
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