Cover title.
“February 2007”—cover page.
“ADB country partnership strategy”—at head of title.
“Ali Azimi, Senior Environment Specialist, Afghanistan Resident Mission”—cover page.
“This document is part of a series of background assessments, diagnostics, and discussion papers commissioned by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to underpin the development of its new Country Partnership Strategy (CPS) for Afghanistan. The findings, opinions, and recommendations contained in this document may not reflect those of the Asian Development Bank, but are posted to generate stakeholder comment and overall input into the CPS process. Such comment is welcomed by ADB, and can be sent to: gcurtis@adb.org”--cover page.

Summary: “Afghanistan’s natural resource base and environment has undergone extensive deterioration over the past two decades as a direct result of wars, political instability, intensive natural resource exploitation, and recent widespread drought that has affected many parts of the country. Environmental conservation has remained at a relative standstill since then and the exploitation of natural resources, in particular the country’s meager forests, has continued unabated. The few government institutions that existed to conserve the natural heritage of the country were rendered ineffective by the military conflict, and remain critically weak. The lack of environmental protection combined with a burgeoning human population dependent upon a declining natural resource base has driven many species of plants and animals to the brink of extinction…”—(page summary).

English