The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) said that climate issues must remain separate from political issues.

The deputy spokesman of MoFA, Zia Ahmad Takal, said that Afghans have suffered more than $20 billion in financial losses due to climate change over the last year.

“As the effects of the climate change has no borders, its solution should be also away from political issues and the countries like Afghanistan which had no role in climate change but were severely affected by it, must be focused on,” he said.

The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said in a statement that Afghanistan is ranked the sixth most vulnerable country to climate change threats.

“Afghanistan has seen negative impacts of climate changes which are floods and droughts. At least 205 people died in floods,” said Mohibullah Bahar, an official of the National Environmental Protection Agency.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock (MoAIL) said that Afghan farmers have suffered heavy financial losses in floods that were caused due to climate changes in the country.

“The Afghan farmers and owners of livestock have suffered heavily due to climate change,” said Musbahuddin Mustaeen, a spokesman for the ministry.

The United Nations Climate Change Conference COP27 opened on Sunday in Sharm el-Sheik, Egypt.

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change said in a statement that the discussions at COP27 begin near the end of a year that has seen devastating floods and unprecedented heat waves, severe drought and formidable storms, all unequivocal signs of the unfolding climate emergency.

According to the UNFCCC, millions of people throughout the world are confronting the impacts of simultaneous crises in energy, food, water and cost of living, aggravated by severe geopolitical conflicts and tensions. In this adverse context, some countries have begun to stall or reverse climate policies and doubled down on fossil fuel use.

“Everybody, every single day, everywhere in the world, needs to do everything they possibly can to avert the climate crisis,” said Simon Stiell, UN Climate Change Executive Secretary.