### Afghanistan’s Climate Crisis: Facing Severe Droughts, Floods, and Unpreparedness
Afghanistan finds itself in a precarious position, ranking fourth globally for climate change risk and eighth in vulnerability and unpreparedness for climate adaptation, according to the Notre Dame Global Adaptation Index. The country is grappling with its fourth consecutive year of severe drought, exacerbating the struggles of a population heavily reliant on rain-fed agriculture. This situation is dire, with changing rainfall and snowfall patterns devastating agriculture, leading to widespread malnutrition, disease, and a diminished food supply in a nation already scarred by decades of conflict.
The United Nations reports a stark increase in households experiencing drought, with 25 out of 34 provinces facing severe or catastrophic conditions, affecting over half the population. This crisis is further compounded by economic hardships and the lingering effects of a four-decade-long war, leaving millions on the brink of famine. Villages that once thrived are now barren, with lost vegetation, wildlife migration, and dried-up water sources due to recurrent droughts and deforestation.
Climate change is also accelerating desertification across Afghanistan, affecting over seventy-five percent of the land area, reducing grazing vegetation, and hindering soil’s carbon storage capabilities. Recent patterns of heavy rainfall following winter droughts have led to devastating flash floods, destroying homes, and claiming lives, with children making up more than half of the affected population.
International and local responses are underway, with efforts to provide emergency aid and address the immediate needs of the affected communities. However, the recurring nature of these disasters highlights the urgent need for comprehensive climate adaptation and resilience strategies in Afghanistan to mitigate future risks and safeguard vulnerable populations.
### Afghanistan’s Climate Crisis: A Nation on the Brink
Afghanistan, a country already battered by decades of conflict, finds itself on the frontline of a new and equally formidable adversary: climate change. Ranked fourth among nations most at risk and eighth on the Notre Dame Global Adaptation Index for vulnerability and lack of preparedness for climate change, Afghanistan’s plight is a stark reminder of the global climate emergency’s uneven impact.
The country is grappling with its fourth consecutive year of severe drought, a crisis that has pushed it to the brink. The United Nations reports that sixty percent of Afghans rely on rain-fed agriculture for their livelihoods, but changing rainfall and snowfall patterns are devastating the agricultural sector. This has led to widespread malnutrition, disease, and a dwindling food supply in a nation already scarred by war.
Drought is now a common calamity, with 64% of households reporting it as a significant shock in 2022, up from 39% in 2021. A staggering 25 out of 34 provinces are experiencing severe or catastrophic drought conditions, affecting over half the population. This environmental catastrophe is compounded by economic hardship and the lingering effects of four decades of conflict, leaving half the population in acute hunger, including 6 million people on the brink of famine.
The transformation of Afghanistan’s landscape is both rapid and alarming. Residents of Elyaskhail village in Laghman Province reminisce about a time, merely 30 years ago, when their land was fertile, and a nearby river flowed year-round. Today, that same land is arid, the river has dried up, and the lush greenery and wildlife have vanished, victims of relentless droughts and deforestation.
The country’s water crisis extends to its major rivers, which originate in the central highlands. Erratic rains and rapid changes in snowfall patterns have significantly affected these water sources. In Kabul Province alone, 49% of boreholes are dry, and the remaining ones function at only 60% efficiency. The elders of Gula Ram village in Laghman Province lament the loss of water sources from melting ice in the mountains, along with the disappearance of vegetation and medicinal plants.
Climate change is also accelerating the process of desertification, affecting over seventy-five percent of Afghanistan’s land area. This not only reduces vegetation for grazing but also exacerbates soil degradation and diminishes crop production. The recent pattern of heavy rainfall following winter droughts has led to flash flooding, with rivers turning into deadly torrents of mud and debris, claiming lives and destroying agricultural land.
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) has highlighted the humanitarian emergency caused by these floods, which have affected seven provinces. Entire communities have lost families, and livelihoods have been decimated. Save the Children reports that more than half of the 600,000 people affected by the floods are children, prompting the organization to send mobile health and child protection teams to support those in need.
The situation is dire, with flash floods from unusually heavy seasonal rains killing more than 300 people and destroying over 1,000 houses. The World Food Program is distributing fortified biscuits to survivors, but the destruction of the main road from Kabul to the north has hampered aid delivery efforts.
This crisis is a stark illustration of how climate change exacerbates existing vulnerabilities, particularly in war-torn countries like Afghanistan. The increasing intensity and frequency of heavy rainfall, a consequence of higher global temperatures, spell a grim future for a nation already on its knees. The international community must not overlook Afghanistan’s climate crisis, as it underscores the urgent need for global climate action and support for the most vulnerable nations.