Change of Regime and Climate Change Education in Afghanistan

In 2021, the Taliban regained its control towards Afghanistan, marking their return to power two decades after being ‘ousted’ by a US-led military coalition. The return of Taliban’s regime has gained global attention, with most of them focused on education restriction, human rights violation, potential economic mismanagement, and diplomatic isolation.

While many have offered their criticism and scrutiny on the above fields, the aspect of sustainability has never really been addressed, especially in the context of climate change. This article will explore the policing and implementation of climate change education in Afghanistan, while offering recommendations for further improvement.

Climate Change Education in Afghanistan

Like many countries, Afghanistan faces challenges sourced from climate change. According to RW Natural Disaster Dashboard of ReliefWeb Response, natural disasters have affected 184,882 people across Afghanistan from the period of 10 January 2024 to 7 January 2025. Every single one of the 34 provinces in Afghanistan experienced natural disasters like earthquakes, floods, droughts, landslides, and avalanches, and these affect around 200,000 people per year.

While the issue is concerning, efforts have been made to mitigate the occurrences of natural disasters. Afghanistan had a weather observing system in place before 1979. However, years of conflict had a significant unfavorable effect on its operation. Since 2001, the Afghanistan Meteorological Department (AMD) has been gradually restored and weather stations have been rehabilitated. Today, the AMD is in charge of gathering and disseminating weather data in Afghanistan, which is crucial for comprehending climatic trends.

In this regard, gathering and disseminating weather data is crucial for increasing the awareness through climate change education. The country’s National Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA) emphasizes the importance of environmental education in teaching future generations to care for their surroundings. Approximately 9 million students in both public and private schools currently study environmental issues as part of their basic and secondary education.

One of the most advanced movements was the creation of two environmental science faculties at the university level, Kabul University and Kabul Polytechnic University which offer courses that explore a range of environmental topics, such as climate change, disaster risk reduction, and natural resource management. Even at Kabul University, they specifically offer Natural Disaster Department, giving students the information, they need to comprehend climate change-related risks and vulnerabilities.

At this point, it is noted that the government have emphasized the importance of climate change education to mitigate the occurrences of natural disasters. However, it is unclear on how the current Taliban-led government is going to set its direction in improving the climate change mitigation in the country. With the absence of policy specializing in climate change, there are things that need to be done immediately, and increasing the awareness and education for climate change can be an aspect that current government need to focus on.

Suggestions for Future Improvement

To enhance climate change education and awareness in Afghanistan, a multi-faceted approach is necessary. In this regard, there are three key approaches that the current Taliban government needs to focus on:

Strengthening Educational Curricula & Teacher Training

It is crucial to take constant assistance and resources to incorporate climate change topics into current educational frameworks. Integrating climate change topics into all levels of education, from elementary to universities, will ensure that youths and future generations are equipped with the knowledge and skills to address climate change. Additionally, teachers need tobe trained to teach students for climate change mitigation purposes. Providing teachers with the necessary training and resources to effectively teach climate change to the students is essential to foster future generations who are aware of and can take action in tackling climate change.

Increasing Awareness through Research

Accurate data and rigorous research are necessary to understand and further mitigate climate change. Thus, it is suggested to creating research networks collecting data and knowledge sharing about the environment and disaster mitigation. With the valid data, the government can make well-informed decisions regarding adaptation and mitigation plans for climate change. Hence, investing in research and systematic observation will provide the data needed to inform climate policies and adaptation strategies.

Encouraging Collective Participation

Collaboration between government, educational institutions, NGOs, media and local communities is vital to build a unified strategy for climate change education. In Afghanistan, the number of NGOs addressing environmental challenges, has grown dramatically since 2001. The media can also play a part in this effort.

Additionally, another innovative method is through involving local communities such as Imams in the mosques. Considering that Afghanistan is a religious country, people are often seen to attend the mosques. By involving Imams about climate change education, they can share this important information with their followers. This method will increase the trust from the communities, and ensure that the climate messages to be conveyed in a culturally sensitive manner.

Conclusion

It is no doubt that advancing sustainable development and mitigating climate change in Afghanistan requires education and collaboration. Although there has been progress in this effort, there is still a room for improvement. The current Taliban-led government are suggested to strengthen educational frameworks for climate change, improve teacher capacity, advance research and observation, and cooperate with NGOs, media and local communities, especially Imams. All parties involved must work together to create a sustainable future, and education will be at the forefront of this effort.