Climate Crisis and Refugee Influx Push Afghan Cities to the Brink, Warns UN-Habitat

KABUL, Afghanistan (dawatmedia24)– A potent combination of climate-induced disasters and a massive, ongoing influx of returnees is placing Afghanistan’s urban centers under immense strain, overwhelming basic infrastructure and deepening a pre-existing humanitarian crisis, the United Nations Human Settlement Programme (UN-Habitat) warned on Friday.

The alert coincided with World Habitat Day, a global observance held annually on the first Monday of October. This year’s theme, “Urban Crises Response,” highlights the critical need for cities to build resilience against overlapping emergencies—a reality starkly evident in Afghanistan.

“In Afghanistan, climate change, recurring disasters and the mass return of migrants are straining urban infrastructures and services to a breaking point,” the agency stated in a post on the social media platform X.

A Convergence of Crises

The situation in Afghanistan represents a perfect storm of long-term and acute challenges:

1. The Climate Crisis as a Threat Multiplier: Afghanistan is ranked as one of the world’s most vulnerable countries to climate change. A prolonged drought, now in its third year, has decimated agricultural livelihoods in rural areas, triggering a wave of internal displacement. Concurrently, flash floods and avalanches in early 2023 destroyed homes and farmland, further pushing populations toward urban centers in search of safety and sustenance.

2. The Returnee Emergency: In recent months, neighboring countries, primarily Pakistan and Iran, have initiated the large-scale, forced repatriation of hundreds of thousands of Afghan refugees and migrants. This sudden, unplanned inflow has placed unprecedented pressure on cities already struggling to provide for their current populations. Many returnees arrive with minimal resources and end up in informal settlements or with host families, stretching community resources thin.

Deepening Urban Desperation

The convergence of these crises has exacerbated severe pre-existing urban problems:

• A Crushing Housing Shortage: The sudden population surge has exploded demand for housing in major cities like Kabul, Herat, and Kandahar. The scarcity of adequate homes has led to an unprecedented spike in rental prices, placing secure shelter out of reach for many families. Informal settlements, often lacking basic services, are expanding rapidly.

• Collapse of Basic Services: Urban infrastructure, already fragile after decades of conflict, is failing under the new strain. Access to clean drinking water is a critical concern, with groundwater levels dropping and distribution systems unable to meet demand. Sanitation, waste management, and electricity supplies are also severely compromised, increasing the risk of public health disasters.

World Habitat Day: A Call for Resilient Cities

World Habitat Day, first marked in 1986 following a UN General Assembly designation, aims to reflect on the state of human settlements and the fundamental right to adequate shelter. The focus on urban crises this year underscores a global recognition that cities are increasingly on the front lines of responding to climate and humanitarian emergencies.

For UN-Habitat and other aid agencies operating in Afghanistan, the day highlights the urgent need for targeted intervention. This includes supporting the development of climate-resilient urban planning, upgrading slums and informal settlements, and investing in essential services like water and sanitation to prevent a further deterioration of living conditions.

As the international community observes World Habitat Day, the crisis in Afghanistan serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need to build cities that can not only withstand successive shocks but also provide dignity and safety for their most vulnerable residents. Without immediate and sustained action, the situation in Afghanistan’s urban centers is poised to worsen, fueling a deeper cycle of poverty and displacement.

 

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