Afghan officials say representatives of the Taliban administration plan to attend the United Nations climate summit COP31 in Türkiye next week as observers, a role that allows participation in meetings but carries no formal negotiating authority.

Rohullah Amin, who heads climate change at Afghanistan’s National Environmental Protection Agency, told the Associated Press that Kabul planned to attend. A Turkish official also confirmed the invitation, according to the AP report published on 3 November. The summit is due to take place in Antalya from 9 to 20 November.

It would be the second time Taliban officials have attended a UN climate conference since returning to power in 2021. They also attended COP29 in Baku in 2024 as observers. COP31 observer status does not make the administration a party to formal negotiations and does not amount to recognition by UN member states.

Representation without formal recognition

The invitation places two questions side by side: how Afghanistan’s climate challenges can be represented in international discussions, and how governments engage with an administration that remains widely unrecognised. The AP reported that the Taliban has not been formally recognised by UN member states, amid international concerns including restrictions imposed on women and girls.

Afghanistan faces serious climate-related hazards, including drought and flooding. Yet observer participation is limited: delegates may attend discussions, but they do not have the formal role in negotiations over policies and targets held by parties to the climate convention.

The reported plan does not yet establish who will be in the delegation, what proposals it will present, or whether it will secure meetings with other governments. Those details will matter in assessing what practical access the invitation provides — and whether climate needs can be addressed without confusing technical participation with political recognition.