As only a few days are remaining for the crucial April 5th vote, campaigns by eight presidential contenders and hundreds of candidates running for provincial seats have gained momentum more than ever before. Since the beginning of election campaign season, issues pertaining to security, economic and infrastructure development, women rights, governance, peace deal with Taliban and etc. have been thoroughly discussed and each presidential candidate has expressed his point of views on the above issues at various forums. Nonetheless, it has been observed that none of candidates has delivered any specific plan for the environmental protection. Globally, issues related to environment hold much importance to the governments and are given enough focus in the election campaigns in major countries of the world.

The crucial issue of environmental protection remains out of focus of the people and the presidential candidates at times when Afghanistan is in dire need of making small, medium and longer term planning to revive its natural environment. In Afghanistan, continued drought and protracted war added to the environmental problems as no attention has been paid to it over the last three decades and even before that. In the major cities of Afghanistan, the environment has been badly harmed. Apart from the major environmental issues today for Afghanistan, like soil degradation, air and water pollution, alarming rate of deforestation, overgrazing and desertification, environmental problems in urban areas are becoming increasingly complicated due to lack of attention.

In just one generation, the Afghan people have seen many of their basic resources, such as water for irrigation, trees for food and fuel, lost. There are other urgent environmental problems. In the cities, burning of wastes, toxic air polluting, contamination of the water supplies from uncontrolled dumping of waste products (which creates the high risk of viral and bacterial diseases) are the most glaring problems. According to surveys, the water that the residents of Kabul drink is not safe even for animals. In pre-election period, however, such important issues have completely been forgotten.

Environmental plans are as crucial as plans for any other issue. The growing pollution in Afghanistan including its capital Kabul is indeed killing more people every year than terrorism does. The recklessness of the presidential candidates in this regard is quite disappointing.

Over the last 12 years environment in Afghanistan suffered from lack of attention, it is feared that the same will continue for the next five years. Still there is time for the candidates to deliver specific and practicable plans for environmental protection to the nation. Afghans now must think for a greener and healthier environment. That is the best gift they can give to their coming generations. They must vote to candidates that have better plans for the environment.