Matiul Haq Khalis, head of the Taliban’s Environmental Protection Agency, has led a delegation to participate in the United Nations climate change conference in Baku.

This marks the first time the Taliban have been invited to attend a climate-focused event on the international stage. The conference is scheduled to run from 11 to 22 November.

The Taliban’s Environmental Protection Agency has described this conference as a significant opportunity for Afghanistan. According to a statement released by the agency on Sunday, the Taliban delegation plans to discuss avenues for cooperation with the international community on environmental conservation and addressing climate change.

The annual UN climate change conference is regarded as one of the organisation’s most critical events of the year.

Since assuming power in 2021, the Taliban regime remains unrecognised by any country. Despite this, the Taliban have sought to engage in international climate change discussions over the past three years. Taliban officials have stressed that “political issues” should not obstruct their participation in these global forums.

Afghanistan ranks among the world’s most climate-vulnerable nations. Before the Taliban’s rise to power, Afghanistan was a signatory to the 2015 Paris Agreement, committing to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and curb global climate change.

Matiul Haq Khalis, head of the Taliban’s Environmental Protection Agency, emphasised that “climate change should be regarded as a humanitarian issue, unaffected by political considerations.”