Mobilising Stakeholders and Framing Climate Agenda Towards Climate Resilient and Carbon Neutral Afghanistan

Climate change is being recognised as a priority in Afghanistan though economic progress, good governance and security concerns supersede meaningful climate action. It results in the missed opportunities to integrate climate change into ongoing government schemes/programmes to improve ecosystems and livelihood of vulnerable people. As a Least Developed Country and ranking high in Global Climate Risk Index 2016 by Germanwatch, climate change needs to raise a red flag in the country for appropriate and swift action. Thus, the need of the hour is to provide due importance to climate change impacts in development agenda by applying climate change lens in all planning and implementation decisions.

Policy support from Government, coordination among government departments and partnership with civil society organisations could trigger a process of building back against climate-induced disasters and measures to build resilience. Communities will play a key role in overcoming the multiple barriers of resource-based conflicts, food insecurity, poverty and above all climate impacts. However, decision-makers and relevant stakeholders must be informed and empowered to understand and implement immediate and long-term climate solutions. At the same time, rural communities need greater awareness on environment protection and better access to sustainable livelihoods.

Capacity building exercises is a key ingredient to hasten climate action at community and at the government level. Considering the enormous need to sensitise government departments about multitude climate impacts and to mainstream climate change in public discourse, CAN South Asia is collaborating with National Environment Protection Agency (NEPA), Swiss Development Cooperation (SDC) and Christian Aid are organising 2 days’ national training workshop in Kabul.

Objectives 

The objectives of the workshop are aligned to the ongoing efforts to establish a CSO led common platform for climate discourse in the country and to frame a shared, coordinated network with partners such as bilateral, multilateral and government agencies. The objectives are:

  • to mobilise diverse actors to undertake a shared climate change program towards long-term resilience and carbon neutrality in Afghanistan
  • to raise the profile of climate agenda in the country and to bring it forward in the national priorities. It would enable integration into climate compliant actions in the ongoing development and national security agenda that would be crucial to effectively respond to the adverse impacts of climate change in Afghanistan.
  • to introduce CAN South Asia as a shared platform of civil societies in Afghanistan.

Expected Outcomes

  • An enhanced understanding of existing initiatives being carried out by NGOs, Bi-lateral organisations, Multi-lateral Organisations and Government agencies
  • The framing of a climate agenda in adaptation and mitigation. Climate finance and technology transfer will be covered as cross-cutting themes.
  • List of stakeholders with partnerships emerging on addressing climate impacts.
  • Sharing and enriching of CANSA positions with robust technical inputs
  • The emergence of an advocacy group within civil society to carry forward the climate inputs in national and sub-national policy frameworks.
  • Networking with CANSA members and other agencies.

Download: Agenda and the Concept Paper.

Presentations from Day 01.

Presentations from Day 02