Migration or death, an environmental dilemma in Afghanistan

By Riaz Darmal

Introduction
The ecological environment of Afghanistan has been witnessing huge disturbances in the pre and post war era, particularly when people were going after their lives on any cost. Zero attention was given to environmental considerations and existing natural resources has been deteriorated to their culmination. 

Deforestation, erosion, climate change, scarce water resources and impoverished air quality are the main challenges we have to deal with, being residents of the same ecology.

The environment can be simply defined as “the surroundings or conditions in which a person, animal, or plant lives or operates”. It becomes our social and moral obligation to take good care of our surroundings due to its importance as a medium to live and interact. Unfortunately we are lagging behind in all very initial and important efforts made to lessen the adverse environmental impacts. The recent worrying conditions of our environment warn us of an alarming situation and ask for serious attention to cope with the pertaining challenges.

Challenges

Various factors from individuals to industrial activities contribute to maximizing adverse environmental impacts, although being less industrialized country, individual's participation in such conditions counts much. Un-institutionalized disciplines, weak environmental laws, curb maintenance, and less social awareness can be the most prominent reasons for the growing dilemma.

 Government is always kept responsible for the worse situations but in a country like Afghanistan where political instability ranks fourth among the world states (Political risk index assessment, 2013), expectations of a determined and institutionalized environmental safety program requires hard work and participatory individuals volunteer support.

Air Quality

Ambient air quality of Afghanistan especially capital city, Kabul has ranked first among most polluted cities in the region by recent research findings. If immediate measures for establishing environmental protection policies and programs are not made, there is a strong risk of environmental migration of residents to other parts of the country for their health security. The existing concentration of pollutants found in air samples of capital cities is being multiplied up to 100 times international standards suggested by USEPA. E.g.  "The level of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) was 52 ppm (Parts Per Million) on an average day in Kabul in 2008." On the other hand, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) investigation result indicates that the air quality standard for NO2 (annual average concentration) is 0.053 ppm in Kabul”. The vast difference between existing and suggested limits warns us of our most endangered surrounding and risky situation.

Deforestation

 Deforestation can be easily examined when a glimpse of change in land use patterns is made using maps in different provinces of Afghanistan. A map of Kunar province published by UNEP shows about 80 percent reduction in the number of forest trees between 1977 and 2002, another report from Ministry of agriculture states that “Afghanistan once had more than 450,000 hectares (1,737 square miles) of pistachio trees, encompassing a broad band across the northern portion of the country in at least nine states. Today, 40 percent of these pistachio forests have been destroyed”.Similar examples can be found all over the country and this harsh behavior with cutting down of forest trees ultimately poses a grave threat to biodiversity. Strong determination for growing new forest trees and combating timber smuggling to neighboring countries especially Pakistan can be the best way to keep critical balance between current deteriorating circumstances and future hazardous impacts.

Figure 1: Deforestation in kunar province between 1977 and 2002, Source (UNEP)

Sustainability
Sustainability being a hot issue in consumption of natural resources is equally needed to be addressed in environmental issues especially when it comes to individual usage. Sustainability can be excused as “Capable of being continued with minimal long-term effect on the environment”. Water, agriculture and air formulate triangle of sustainability and contributes to cost effective paradigm in an environmental scenario. Propagation of sustainable methods and approaches in rural areas of Afghanistan should be kept in utmost priority levels because of their greater contribution (80% of the population) in creating the environment less conductive for an animation.

Conclusion

If the recent chaos continuous for coming thirty years without treatment, migration or death can be the only alternative left with residents of polluted cities in Afghanistan. Launching strict environmental policies on government level and pursing sustainable use of natural resources at the individual level can be the most efficient and prompt solutions to hinder the future issues and risks arising from the current state of affairs. The national environmental protection agency still needs hard work to draw the attention of the international community in assisting Afghanistan to rebuild its declining ecology.

References:

Afghanistan environment., 2008, UNEP annual report.
Luigi Antonello Di Lella, Stefano Loppi, Giuseppe Protano, Francesco Riccobono., 2006, Toxic trace elements and organic compounds in the ambient air of Kabul,Afghanistan.

<http://outlookafghanistan.net/topics.php?post_id=4102#ixzz2kxccbK70> [consulted on 26th December,2013].
<http://www.irinnews.org/report/77304/afghanistan-kabul-s-air-pollution-putting-people-s-health-at-risk> [consulted on 26th December,2013].