July 23, 2023

How are Afghans fighting climate change?

23 minutes

Climate change has been tightening its grip on the people of Afghanistan, with flood after flood and drought after drought. It’s considered to be one of the most vulnerable countries in the world, not just because it's warming twice as fast as the global average, but because its people’s ability to fight back has been severely hampered by decades of conflict and war. To add insult to injury, Afghanistan has contributed very little to the climate crisis.

Since the Taliban takeover two years ago, financial aid to help locals adapt has drastically dropped, leaving Afghans to take matters into their own hands. Presenters Graihagh Jackson and Barry Sadid hear how the diaspora are helping villages back home to build life-saving dams and protect themselves against flood and drought. And we ask if there’s a way for foreign governments to financially support Afghanistan without legitimising the Taliban.

Producers: Jordan Dunbar and Barry Sadid from BBC Monitoring

Series Producer: Simon Watts

Editor: China Collins

Sound Engineer: Tom Brignell

Production Coordinators: Debbie Richford and Sophie Hill

...more