The Assessment of the Alignment of Environmental Law and Other Environmental Regulations of Afghanistan in Light of the Environmental Realities in Herat City

Abstract

The aim of this research is to assess the alignment of Afghanistan's environmental law and other environmental regulations in light of the environmental realities in Herat city. The type of research is applied based on its purpose, and survey-based based on the method and data collection approach. The statistical population of this study includes all students of Herat University and employees of Herat departments, from which 158 students and 50 employees were selected as a sample size using a multi-stage (cluster and simple random) sampling method. In order to collect field data, a researcher-developed questionnaire was used, which focuses on three dimensions: knowledge, attitude, and practical behavior concerning Afghanistan's environmental law. The validity of the questionnaire was determined using construct validity, and reliability was assessed using internal consistency through Cronbach's alpha method. The results of the study indicate that the awareness and understanding (knowledge) of students and employees about environmental issues, the laws, and the institutions related to environmental regulations in Afghanistan are low. The beliefs, opinions, and interest (attitude) of students and employees toward environmental protection in Afghanistan are relatively high. The opinions of Herat University students and employees of Herat departments regarding actions and practical behaviors related to environmental protection in their living and working areas were positive, contrary to the research hypothesis.