The United Nations Human Settlements Programme in Afghanistan (UN-Habitat) has recently warned that the country is vulnerable to environmental degradation.
In a statement published on its official Facebook page, the agency wrote that poor waste and water management, along with a shortage of green spaces, pose a threat to the health of the Afghan population.
UN-Habitat in Afghanistan emphasized in part of the statement that with targeted urban planning and public participation, it is possible to protect the environment and improve the quality of life for citizens.
The program had also previously announced that urbanization in Afghanistan is accelerating rapidly; however, the country’s cities are not adequately prepared for this growth.
The agency warned that if steps are not taken to manage this process, unplanned urban expansion could lead to increased poverty, housing shortages, and pressure on urban services.
Meanwhile, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) has found that at the beginning of 2025, due to environmental problems, food insecurity has become the biggest challenge for the Afghan people — with 47 percent of the population facing food insecurity.
The IOM published this report as part of the findings from the second round of the Afghanistan Climate Vulnerability Assessment. Various UN agencies have also warned about the impacts of climate change and the worsening environmental situation in Afghanistan.
