Taliban Officials to Attend UN Climate Summit as Observers

Taliban officials have been invited and plan to attend the upcoming U.N. climate summit as observers, according to a Kabul official. The summit, officially known as the Conference of the Parties (COP31), is scheduled to begin next week in Antalya, Turkey.

This marks the second time Taliban representatives will attend a U.N. climate summit since their return to power in 2021. They previously attended a summit in Baku, Azerbaijan, two years ago.

A Turkish official confirmed that the Afghan Taliban would attend COP31 as observers. While observers can attend meetings and discussions, they do not have a formal role in negotiations regarding policies or goals.

Afghanistan is recognized as one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change. The nation faces a compounding crisis of drought, water scarcity, extreme heat, and unpredictable flooding, which the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports is devastating lives and driving displacement. Agriculture, the primary source of livelihood for many Afghans, has been severely impacted by recurring droughts, weakening food production. Between April and December of last year, over 1.6 million people were displaced internally due to climate impacts, according to the International Organization for Migration.

Afghanistan's government has argued for the importance of representation and access to climate finance for the Afghan people. However, critics suggest the international community should not formally recognize the Taliban government, particularly given its severe restrictions on women's education and freedom of movement. The United Nations has not allowed the Taliban to occupy Afghanistan's seat at the U.N. General Assembly, and no U.N. member states formally recognize the Taliban government.

Rohullah Amin, head of climate change at Afghanistan’s environment protection agency, confirmed Kabul's intention to attend the summit. The U.N. has largely excluded Afghanistan from climate talks since the Taliban's return to power, deferring decisions on who represents the country.