ISLAMABAD   -  Renowned US scholar and climate change activist, Dr. Jonathen Syles Naele, emphasized the necessity of a collaborative approach in address­ing the challenges posed by climate change. Speaking exclusively to Inam Ur Rehman during a telephonic in­terview, Dr. Naele stressed the im­portance of involving Afghanistan in global efforts to mitigate the impacts of climate change.

Dr. Naele, who recently participat­ed in a 3-day International Confer­ence on Climate Change organized by Nangrahar University in collabo­ration with Afghanistan’s Ministry of Higher Education, highlighted the significance of including Afghanistan in international climate initiatives. He expressed concern over the exclu­sion of Afghanistan from recent cli­mate events, emphasizing that every country plays a crucial role in com­bating climate change.

Furthermore, Dr. Naele under­scored the urgent need for concrete measures to rehabilitate Afghanistan, a country grappling with the devas­tating effects of prolonged conflict and environmental challenges. He called upon the international com­munity to support Afghanistan’s in­tegration into global initiatives and urged the United Nations Organ­isation (UNO) to announce a com­prehensive plan for the country’s upliftment. Highlighting the severe repercussions of climate change on Afghanistan, Dr. Naele urged for im­mediate action to address issues such as drought-induced hardships faced by the population. He commended the efforts of local academia and gov­ernment officials in organizing the international conference and urged for continued awareness and strat­egizing efforts to mitigate climate impacts. Dr. Naele proposed initia­tives such as afforestation, establish­ment of national parks, and promo­tion of climate-friendly agriculture practices to combat environmental degradation. He emphasized the im­portance of involving local media and communities in raising awareness about climate change and stressed the need for comprehensive social media campaigns. Dr. Naele empha­sized the critical role of international collaboration and knowledge sharing in finding solutions to Afghanistan’s climate challenges. He reiterated his commitment to documenting the im­pacts of climate change in Afghani­stan through an upcoming book.