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UK Accused Of Ignoring Plight Of Green Activists In Afghanistan

UK accused of ignoring plight of green activists in Afghanistan

Environmental campaigners who worked with UK officials fear for their lives after receiving death threats

The UK government has been accused of ignoring the plight of three environmental activists from Afghanistan who worked with British officials to mitigate the damaging impact of climate change on their country before the Taliban takeover.

The campaigners, who have received credible threats to their lives, do not know the fate of one of their colleagues who was detained by the Taliban.

The three were employed via Oxford Policy Management, an international development consulting firm, to carry out work for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office on climate change. They are now in hiding.

Repeated letters and emails to the FCDO have gone unanswered along with applications to the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy scheme (Arap).

One of the climate activists, Mohammed, who spoke from his hiding place in Kabul, said he feared the Taliban were closing in.

“Sometimes I think I’ll just go and surrender to the Taliban so they can kill me and it will all be over,” he said. “It is hard to explain to my young son why I cannot take him to the park. We have begged the UK government to rescue us but so far our pleas have been ignored.”

Greta Thunberg tweeted an appeal to help environmental activists from Fridays for Future get out of Afghanistan.

Abdul Qahar Balkhi, of the Taliban’s cultural commission, pledged to work with the global community to fight issues such as climate change in an interview with Newsweek. However, Mohammed said he did not believe the Taliban were committed to tackling the climate emergency.

“So far the Taliban has not appointed a minister for the environment. They believe the climate crisis is all arranged by Allah and humans should not intervene,” he said.

While the Taliban have previously made pro-environment statements such as one in 2017 urging people to go out and plant trees to beautify the planet, the group has also been implicated in illegal logging, planting landmines in pomegranate orchards and taxing opium poppy farmers.

While Afghanistan is responsible for only 0.03% of global emissions, the country is severely affected by climate change.

The economy is heavily dependent on farming with up to 85% of Afghans engaged in agriculture, growing crops such as wheat, potatoes and various fruits. The country has been badly affected by drought, flash floods and deforestation. Opium poppies are favoured by some farmers because they are drought-resistant and generate reliable income.

Afghanistan has many minerals that could assist with tackling climate change. Along with copper, iron, gold and cobalt, it has lithium that is needed to manufacture batteries for use in electric cars and other technology that uses renewable energy. However, extracting these minerals is challenging and unlikely to happen imminently.

The environmental activists say that as each hour passes the risk of the Taliban finding where they are hiding increases.

“The Taliban are too brutal,” said Mohammed. “They are lying to the media when they say they have changed for the better. They are even more brutal than before. One of our colleagues was contacted by the Taliban before they took over Kabul. He was told: ‘We have a list of all your colleagues who worked with the infidels. We will look for you and we will find you.’ Then he started naming our colleagues.”

In a letter dated 1 September to Dominic Raab, who was then foreign secretary, Oxford Policy Management wrote that the three climate change campaigners who had worked with the FCDO “are at imminent threat having already received several threats on their lives”. To date, no reply has been received.

A Home Office spokesperson said: “The UK’s evacuation operation helped over 15,000 people to safety including British nationals, Afghan interpreters and other vulnerable people. The Afghan citizens’ resettlement scheme will provide protection for people at risk and identified as in need. It is one of the UK’s most ambitious resettlement schemes ever and will welcome 5,000 Afghans in the first year and 20,000 over the coming years.”

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Environment

NiMet predicts three-day sunshine, haziness

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted sunshine and haziness from Monday to Wednesday across the country.

NiMet’s weather outlook released on Sunday in Abuja envisaged sunny skies on Monday in a hazy atmosphere over both the northern and North central regions of the country throughout the forecast period.

According to NiMet, a hazy atmosphere with patches of clouds is anticipated over the region throughout the forecast period in the southern region.

“For Tuesday, sunny and hazy skies are expected over the North and North Central states throughout the
forecast period.

”In the southern region, patches of clouds in hazy atmosphere is expected over the region throughout the forecast period.

”There are prospects of localised thunderstorms over parts of Ogun, Delta, Lagos, Cross Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Bayelsa states,” it said.

NiMet predicted sunny and hazy skies over the North and North Central regions throughout
the forecast period on Wednesday.

According to NiMet, hazy atmosphere with patches of clouds are expected over the South during the forecast period.

It anticipated thunderstorms over parts of Ogun, Edo, Delta, Rivers, Lagos, Cross Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Bayelsa States later in the day.

“The agency urged the public to take necessary precaution as dust particles are in suspension.
People with asthmatic health condition and other respiratory issues should be cautious of the present weather condition.

“Strong winds may precede the rains in areas where thunderstorms are likely to occur, public should take adequate precaution.

“Adhere to safety advisories issued by relevant authorities.

Airline operators are advised to get airport-specific weather reports (flight documentation) from NiMet for effective planning in their operations.”

NiMet advised the residents to stay informed through its weather updates and to visit its website.

(NAN)

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Environment

NiMet predicts three-day haziness, cloudiness

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has forecast a spell of haziness and cloudiness across the country from Monday to Wednesday.

According to NiMet’s weather outlook, released on Sunday, a moderate dust haze is expected on Monday, with a horizontal visibility range of 2km to 5km over the northern cities.

Furthermore, localised visibility of less than or equal to 1000m is anticipated over parts of Jigawa, Katsina, Kano, Yobe, Sokoto, Zamfara, and Kebbi States throughout the forecast period.

Moderate dust haze with a horizontal visibility range of 2km to 5km is also expected over the North Central region, with localised visibility of less than or equal to 1000m anticipated over parts of Niger.

In the southern regions, hazy skies with patches of clouds are expected over the inland cities and coastal belt during the morning hours.

This is with prospects of thunderstorms over parts of Ondo, Edo, Ogun, Lagos, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Rivers, Delta, and Cross River States later in the day.

NiMet predicts there will be moderate dust haze with a horizontal visibility range of 2km to 5km over the northern region and the North Central region.

Also, moderate dust haze is expected over parts of Oyo, Ekiti, Ondo, Ebonyi, and Enugu State.

Remaining parts of the inland states of the South are, however, expected to be hazy with patches of clouds.

Strong winds may precede the rains in areas where thunderstorms are likely to occur.

The public should take adequate precaution and adhere to safety advisories issued by relevant authorities,” NiMet warned.

“The agency advised airline operators “to get airport-specific weather reports (flight documentation) from NiMet for effective planning in their operations.”

NiMet also urged the public to take necessary precautions, as dust particles are in suspension

“People with asthmatic health conditions and other respiratory issues should be cautious of the present weather conditions,” NiMET said.

Residents are advised to stay informed through weather updates from NiMet, www.nimet.gov.ng

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Environment

NiMet predicts dust haze from Thursday to Saturday across Nigeria

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency, NiMet, has predicted dust haze from Thursday to Saturday across Nigeria.

NiMet’s weather outlook released on Wednesday in Abuja envisaged a slight dust haze on Thursday in good visibility throughout the forecast period in the northern region.

The agency said that North central states are expected to experience slight dust haze in good visibility throughout the forecast period.

It envisaged moderate dust haze with visibility range of 2km to 5km throughout the forecast period in the southern parts of the country.

According to it, early morning fog or mist over the coastal areas are expected.

For Thursday, NiMet said a slight dust haze is expected throughout the forecast period in the northern region.

It added that the North central region should be in a slight dust haze throughout the forecast period.

It further stated that in the South, moderate dust haze with visibility range of 2km to 5km is expected throughout the forecast period.

The agency predicted moderate dust haze in the northern region on Friday with visibility range of 2km to 5km throughout the forecast period.

According to NiMet, the North Central should be in moderate dust haze with visibility range of 2km to 5km during the forecast period.

It envisaged early morning fog or mist over the coastal areas of the country while slight dust haze in patches of clouds are expected over the region during the afternoon and evening periods.

NiMet added that dust particles are in suspension and the public should take necessary precaution.

It advised airline operators to get airport-specific weather reports (flight documentation) from it for effective planning

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