Climate Vulnerability: UNDP says Afghanistan has warmed about 1.8°C since 1950, driving more severe floods, droughts, avalanches and snowstorms that now affect 200,000+ people each year, with heavy rains and flash floods in 2025 damaging irrigation and farmland. Deforestation & Tree Recovery: AFP reports forest cover is still low—only 2.5% in 2025—after decades of wartime logging, but communities are rebuilding with tree-planting and new groves, including poplars and pistachio belts. Water & Power Stress: Kabul residents complain of worsening, frequent power outages that disrupt water access, internet, and education/work, as electricity demand rises and dependence on imported power grows. Humanitarian Attention Gap: The Norwegian Refugee Council ranks Afghanistan fifth among the world’s most neglected displacement crises in 2025, warning that donor disengagement is deepening hardship for millions. Regional Connectivity (Transit & Sustainability): Afghanistan’s commerce minister highlights the country’s role as a bridge for Central and South Asia at the Termez Dialogue, stressing trade and transit links tied to “sustainable development.” Local Development Check: UNDP says it visited Bamiyan to assess livelihoods, women’s empowerment, healthcare, food security, and cultural heritage preservation.