An overview and assessment of Afghanistan's environment / by Tareq A. Formoli, M. Afzal Rashid, and James P. Du Bruille./Peshawar, Pakistan : Afghan Development Association ; Sacramento,

Abstract

The expressed ultimate objective of all current political views in Afghanistan is to lead the country and its people to prosperity. So far, the continuing political struggle has failed in its main objective and overshadowed any efforts towards this goal. The motivated intellectuals are disappointed and discouraged because of this escalating tragedy. Some have focused their entire attention to the current political skirmishes and find any nonpolitical efforts useless. This document is a non-political effort. We trust that the voice of the people of Afghanistan will eventually be the loudest over that of any special interest. We must pay our obligations within our capabilities, regardless of our political beliefs. This document focuses mainly on Afghanistan's environmental condition. It describes the direct and indirect impacts of the Afghan-Soviet war on Afghanistan's environment. The document demonstrates rationally the environmental prospective of future reconstruction and development. It highlights the importance of environmental resource protection, underlines the adverse impacts of environmental degradation, and encourages environmental education and awareness. It also provides a framework for improving environmental monitoring, developing human resources and action oriented practical research, and most of all, incorporating environmental considerations into the economic and development projects of government, non-government, and international agencies. The three major conclusions are: First) An environmental assessment following a disaster, a disaster as devastating as Afghan-Soviet war, is essential for the future of the country and must be documented. We believe that the war's direct and indirect damages to the environmental resources of Afghanistan is the second ranking loss following the loss of human resources. Environmental losses resulting from the Afghan-Soviet war have received minimal publicity and attention by Afghans and by the international community. Aside from the apparent environmental damages, the war has affected every segment of the social, economical, and political systems in the country. These effects have had, and will have adverse environmental impacts. This report intends to lay a foundation for a more complete and conclusive environmental assessment of Afghanistan and provide international recognition to the environmental impact of this war.