Tageszeitung, 10 November 2024
An op-ed commentary by AAN’s Thomas Ruttig in the Berlin-based daily, discussing pros and cons of the invitation (by host Azerbaijan, not the UN) of the Taleban, as observers, to the COP29 UN-organised climate conference in Baku, while the UN invited three Afghan NGO representatives.
At least the Taleban do not deny climate change. They run environmental protection programs with reference to the Quran. The fact that the National Environment Protection Agency is one of the institutions where most of the experts trained under the old government still work helps. They rightly point out that their country is one of the smallest CO₂ emitters (25 times less per capita than Germany), but that the climate crisis is hitting it particularly hard. The warming there since 1960 is twice as high as the global average – with corresponding drought consequences.
(…)
Yes, the Aliyev regime in Baku is taking another small diplomatic step towards the Taleban with its invitation. But should the Afghans be further punished for a regime they did not choose by denying them help in a global crisis?
Revisions:
This article was last updated on 11 Nov 2024
