Table 4. General achievements (pillars) supported through UNEP’s capacity building and institutional development program for environmental management in Afghanistan (UNEP, 2010). ______

  1. Environmental institutions and coordination.

UNEP supported NEPA to facilitate consultation, coordination and cooperation among stakeholders to mainstream environmental considerations within government strategies.

  • NEPA in 2005 became Afghanistan's environmental policy-making and regulatory institution tasked to regulate, coordinate, monitor and enforce environmental issues.
  • Developed a national environmental strategy for Afghanistan and integrated environmental considerations into relevant ministry and sector strategies within development process of Afghanistan's National Development Strategy (ANDS).
  • Established forums of an inter-ministerial Committee for Environmental Coordination (CEC) and National Environmental Advisory Council (NEAC) to ensure national participation and inter-ministerial coordination with regard to implementation of NEPA's mandate for effective integration of environmental considerations into government policies and public life.
  1. Environmental law and policy.
    UNEP contributed to development and institutionalization of environmental laws and regulations through training and technical support in development of integrated environmental legal, regulatory and policy frameworks. The essential step throughout the development of frameworks is extensive public consultation with national and international stakeholders.
  • UNEP provided extensive technical and drafting support for development of environment law for government of Afghanistan, and supported facilitation of consultation between ministries and stakeholders, with promulgation of the law through the Ministry of Justice and the President's Office. Final version of environmental law approved by national assembly in January 2007.
  • Regulations for environmental-impact assessments and ozone-depleting substances were approved by president’s cabinet.
  • Draft forestry law and protected area regulations submitted to Ministry of Justice for review.
  • Policy developed for forestry and rangeland management.
  • Water law approved by cabinet and went to parliament for ratification.
  • Rangeland law under development.
  1. Environmental impact assessment and pollution control.
    UNEP contributed to institutionalization of environmental impact assessments (EIA) and pollution control through training and technical support in development and effective implementation of EIA policies, procedures and legislation.
  • EIA policy approved.
  • EIA regulations approved and promised to be gazetted.
  • EIA administrative guidelines approved.
  • Paper on pollution-control policy approved.
  • Work started on development of waste-management policy and of environmental-quality standards for air, water and pollution control.
  • Survey begun to identify types of chemicals currently used by industry and main chemical pollutants likely to significantly impact human health.
  • Report on determination of waste streams.
  1. Environmental information and education.
    UNEP supported NEPA to increase public awareness of environmental issues through training and technical support in the development of awareness campaigns, environmental reporting, environmental education and public participation in decision-making.
  • Developed report on state of environment in Afghanistan.
  • Developed brochure giving overview on NEPA.
  • Trained environmental journalists.
  • Supported World Environment Day (WED) and other international environmental observances.
  • Developed posters & leaflets on water, forests, wildlife, rangelands, waste-water & solid waste.
  • Developed environmental material for primary and secondary schools & communities.
  • Provided technical assistance to NEPA for communications, outreach education.
  1. Community-based natural resources management (CBNRM).
    NEPA identified urgent need to re-establish community-based, natural-resources management rehabilitation practices. UNEP assists by providing advice in identification implementation of pilot projects across Afghanistan and identifies best practices.
  • Missions were conducted throughout country for identification of potential field sites for pilot CBNRM projects in cooperation with partner agencies.
  • Completed funding and implementation of 6 pilot CBNRM projects focusing on water-resource rehabilitation, irrigation-canal reparations, disaster mitigation, water conservation & fruit and nut-tree development in Herat province.
  • Completed funding and implementation of 2 solar electrification projects in remote rural households in Badakhshan and Bamiyan provinces.
  • Preliminary meetings were held with Department of Forestry (DoF) in Ministry of Agriculture to discuss options for adapting CBNRM for institutional strengthening of natural-resource laws & policies such as Forest Law & Protected Areas Regulations.
  1. Protected areas.
    UNEP has provided support to NEPA and the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock to establish network of protected areas within Afghanistan.
  • Draft of regulations for protected areas was finalized through stakeholder consultation and submitted to the Ministry of Justice for review and processing.
  • A biodiversity profile of Afghanistan was developed to assess biodiversity, ecological hotspots and conservation potential. Steps were recommended for strengthening the network of protected areas and support for community-based natural-resource management.
  • Management plans were drafted for DashtiNawar Flamingo and Waterfowl Sanctuary, KoleHashmat Khan Wetlands, Bandi Amir National Park and Ajar Valley.
  • Bandi Amir Coordination Committee made substantive progress towards establishment of Bandi Amir National Park and declaration of it as a Provisional Conservation Area.

7. Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs).
UNEP assists NEPA & Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock (MAIL) in implementation of agreements on multilateral and regional environments through training technical support in project-proposal development, legal harmonization, reporting.

  • Assisted fulfilling administrative obligations of prior ratified conventions to become eligible to receive technical & financial assistance.
  • Developed appropriate MEA institutional structures within NEPA, as well as inter-ministerial linkages.
  • Assisted in preparing and implementing National Capacity Needs Self-Assessment and National Adaptation Program of Action.
  • Facilitated accession to additional multilateral environmental agreements, including Ramsar CMS. The "brown" MEAs will be acceded to in 2008 beyond.
  • Assisted in developing GEF projects, including enabling activities under Rio Conventions.
  • Facilitated participation of Afghan officials in various COP and technical meetings of the conventions, provided assistance in development of relevant progress & debriefing reports.
  • Conducted workshops and training sessions for counterpart staff on specific MEAs. Arranged for counterparts to attend MEA training sessions abroad.