Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today called for incorporating legally binding commitments in the future climate agreement to address the adaptation needs of the economically and climatically vulnerable least developed countries (LDCs).

"The post-2012 agreement should incorporate predictable and legally binding commitments to address the climate-induced adaptation needs of low-lying coastal states, small-island countries, and LDCs," she said in a statement at the World Climate Conference-3 here this morning.

Sheikh Hasina was making Bangladesh's statement at the First Plenary Session of the World Climate Conference-3 also addressed by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and high UN officials.

Geneva-based World Meteorological Organization (WMO) arranged the five-day conference attended by experts and policymakers has adopted a Global Framework for Climate Services (GFCS) to promote global access to climate information and services so that the world can better cope with climate variability and change.

Co-chaired by Federal Councilor and former president of the Swiss Confederation Moritz Leuenberger and President of Mozambique Armando Emilio Guebuza, the session was addressed earlier by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Chair of Intergovernmental Panel of Climate Change (IPCC) Dr Rajendra Kumar Pachauri and Chair of Expert Segment Dr Alexander Bedritsky.

Besides, Tajik President Emomali Pakhmon, Head of State of Monaco Prince Albert II, Ethiopian President Girma Wolde Giorgis, Slovenian President Danilo Turk, Tanzanian Vice-President Dr Ali Mohamed Shein, Comoros Vice-President Idi Nadhoim, Vice-Premier of China Hui Liangyu, Niue Premier Toke Talagi, Prime Minister of Cook Islands Jim Marurai also made their country's statements.

Besides, Fisheries and Water Resources Minister of Gambia Antouman Saho, Environment and Protection of Nature Minister of Cameroon Pierre Hele and Environment and Foreign Minister of Togo also made their respective countries' statements on behalf of their presidents in the conference.

As many as 15 heads of state or government and concerned ministers, environment experts, policymakers, journalists and a large number of NGO leaders working with environmental issues across the globe are participating in the conference.

Foreign Minister Dr Dipu Moni, State Minister for Environment and Forests Dr Hasan Mahmud, Ambassador M Ziauddin, Foreign Secretary Mohamed Mijarul Quayes and Press Secretary to the Prime Minister Abul Kalam Azad are accompanying the Prime Minister to the conference.

On her arrival at the venue, the Bangladesh Prime Minister was received by Secretary General of World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) Michel Jarraud and Permanent Representative of Bangladesh Md. Abdul Hannan at the Geneva International Conference Centre.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said the LDCs deserve special attention of the global community due to their economic and climatic vulnerabilities. At least US $ 2 billion would be required to implement adaptation programmes in LDCs over the next five years, but, the LDC Fund has so far received a meager US $172 million since its establishment, she pointed out.

Sheikh Hasina said the LDCs were hardly benefited from the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and additional fund should therefore, be made available under the mechanism of Adaptation Fund.

Addressing the meeting, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned that the world is accelerating towards an abyss on climate change urging rapid progress in troubled talks to cut emissions and tackle global warming.

"Our foot is stuck on the accelerator and we are heading towards an abyss," Ban, who earlier this week visited the Arctic to witness first-hand the changes wrought by global warming, said.

"Scientists have been accused for years of scaremongering. But the real scare-mongers are those who say we cannot afford climate action -- that it will hold back economic growth," he said.

"They are wrong. Climate change could spell widespread disaster," Ban warned.

The Prime Minister in her statement highlighted Bangladesh's
vulnerability to climate change and some ambitious plans to address the vexing issues caused by the natural disaster from global warming and urged the developed countries to come forward to assist the country to adapt to climate change.

"International Strategy for Disaster Reduction has ranked
Bangladesh as the most vulnerable country to floods, third most to tsunami and sixth most to cyclones in terms of human exposure," she said.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Geneva

Switzerland

03 September 2009

 

       Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim

 

Distinguished Co-Chairs,

Excellencies

 Ladies and Gentlemen,

 

Let me at the outset warmly felicitate the Co-Chairs on their election. I am confident with their wise guidance and able stewardship, the Conference would reach satisfactory conclusion. I would also like to, on behalf of my delegation and myself, express my sincere thanks to the hosts and sponsors of the Conference, including the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), for their impeccable arrangements, and for providing this opportunity to deliberate on climate risk management, and adaptation.

 

Distinguished Co-Chairs,

I bring with me the good wishes of the people of Bangladesh. The freedom loving people of my country who have been for years struggling against unconstitutional rule, on my return from forced exile, ultimately achieved establishing democracy, with the universally acclaimed free, fair and credible parliamentary elections of 29 December 2008. Ever since my father, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the Father of the Nation was brutally murdered with eighteen members of our family, by a group of misguided military personnel on 15 August 1975, except for a brief period in the 90s, the country was ruled by military dictators and quasi-dictators. We have seen their failure to take the country forward on the road to progress, or improve the quality of life of our people, proving there is no alternative to democracy for leading a nation to its aspired goals.

Now, with the victorious return of democracy in Bangladesh and a committed leadership, Bangladesh has earned the opportunity to move forward and realize “Sonar Bangla” or “Golden Bengal,” as was dreamt by the Father of the Nation. To achieve this noble goal, the people of Bangladesh, and I, urge all freedom loving people of the world to rally behind us with sincere, wholehearted support.

I also come here with deep concerns of our people, who no sooner had tasted democracy, are confronted with critical, dire impacts of climate change. Our people are undoubtedly resilient and courageous. In 1971, they fought a glorious Liberation War inspired by Bangabandhu. They were baptized then in adversity, and toughened with years of manmade and natural disasters. Our new democratic government, this time, is determined to change the destiny of our people, with the support of the international community in achieving our goal of a Digital Bangladesh by 2021.

 

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Through the decades since independence, whatever progress our nation could achieve, is being eroded by repeated and increasing vagaries of nature. There is no doubt that human induced climate change is, to a large extent, responsible for these phenomena, and ironically, our people are least to be blamed for them. Nonetheless, Bangladesh is eager to collaborate with the world community, in the areas of mitigation, adaptation, financing, investment, and transfer of technology for facing these new threats on mankind. It is clear all must acknowledge their sacred duty to save our climate system, and hence our planet as a habitable place for future generations.

Bangladesh is among the countries severely affected by climate change, and estimates indicate that 20 million Bangladeshis would require relocation, due to climate change impacts by 2050. A meter rise of sea level would inundate a third of Bangladesh. This would result in mass migration northwards, imposing increasing pressure on land and resource, and loss of livelihood of about 40 million people. The International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR) has ranked Bangladesh, as the most vulnerable country to floods, third most to tsunami, and sixth most to cyclones, in terms of human exposure.

At present, Bangladesh is experiencing erratic patterns of flooding and droughts. These have also become a threat to ensuring food security, through sustained agricultural production. Cyclones hit the coastal region regularly, causing tragic loss of innumerable lives, and immense material damage. Besides, Bangladesh also faces river bank erosion, landslides, soil degradation and deforestation. An alarming phenomenon is salinity intrusion in the coastal areas, threatening the Sundarbans, the world’s largest mangrove forest–a habitat of rich biodiversity, and an UNESCO World Heritage site. These formidable challenges need to be addressed with the help of the international community.

Ladies and Gentlemen,                                 

The challenge to Bangladesh of facing natural disasters from global warming, and climate change is monumental. Our government is obliged to provide support to people to remain in their habitation and homes. Moving to supposedly safer areas, already burdened with thick population, would add miseries to all, and cause sociological disorders. Our government has decided, therefore, to undertake a massive project of dredging all rivers. Capital dredging would keep rivers on natural course, deepen them to hold more water, restrict flooding, reduce flood damages, reclaim inundated land on either side of rivers, and keep them navigable for movement of people and goods. Maintenance dredging would then ensure sustained regulated water flow of the rivers.

The land reclaimed could be used for agriculture, homes, and even agro-based industrial belts. The silt of the rivers would be used for embankments, and if necessary, raising the height to deal with the rise of water level in the rivers and the sea. On and near the embankments would be created flat, elevated ground for habitation of displaced people with the recovered silt. Green belts on the embankments would strengthen them from the caprice of water flow and erosion. Dykes and concrete support would need to be built for checking and controlling water movement, at required points all over southern Bangladesh, particularly on the coastal areas. Clearly, such an ambitious plan would be possible, only with technological and financial support of resourceful, developed countries. I would, therefore, urge them to come forward to assist Bangladesh in adapting to climate change.      

Bangladesh, due to its geographical location, has faced natural disasters and, therefore, invested over US$ 10 billion since its independence on flood management schemes, coastal polders, cyclone and flood shelters, and elevation of roads and highways above flood level. Recently, our government has established a Climate Change Fund, with its own resources, to expand community based disaster preparedness, and adaptation programs. Bangladesh has also developed crops varieties attuned to climate change; initiated program to cover 20% of land with forests by 2015; adopted projects on protecting biodiversity and poverty reduction; strengthened existing coastal green belt; built 14,000 multi-purpose cyclone shelters, with more on the way. However, for timely and effective implementation of the schemes and programs, availability of additional resources is imperative.

Moreover, decentralization of disaster management system, and involvement of local government institutions is being undertaken ensuring people’s participation in planning and management of disaster preparedness, and in dealing with post-disaster exigencies. Successful partnership of government, non-government and community based organizations have significantly reduced death toll from natural disasters to small number of hundreds, compared to thousands in the 70s, as last seen with Cyclone Aila in 2009. This does not give room for complacency, for every life is precious, and our government is committed to protecting all against such calamities. Bangladesh is willing to share its experience in these areas with the international community, particularly with countries having similar vulnerabilities to natural disasters.

 

Ladies and gentlemen,

A substantial portion of our scarce resource is being utilized for disaster preparedness, post-disaster construction and rehabilitation efforts. Estimated cost of damages from Cyclone Aila is US$ 1.15 billion, including the cost of rehabilitating displaced people, restoration of their livelihood, reconstruction of homes and embankments, building cluster houses for the homeless, reconstruction of damaged cyclone shelters, and restoration of basic need like drinking water supply system. Our funds are also being diverted towards attaining clean energy, through tapping renewable sources of energy, including solar energy, to meet 10% of our total energy needs, by 2020. Peaceful uses of nuclear energy for sustainable development are also under serious consideration.

As for environmental pollution, a series of legal, policy, and institutional measures have been taken, including reducing lead particles in the air; relocating industries producing toxic wastes; ensuring industries have built-in effluent treatment facilities; and promoting use of bio-gradable material as alternate to harmful synthetic products. Our priorities also include improving early warning, remote sensing and forecasting system. Our plan is to shift to green technologies in our bid for Digital Bangladesh by 2021. With these measures, we are determined to bring a paradigm shift from relief and rehabilitation to disaster risk reduction, effective early warning dissemination for community empowerment, as part of a broad canvas of disaster management.

These are undoubtedly daunting tasks for Bangladesh and can only be addressed through enhanced and effective international cooperation. The world community is in the midst of negotiating a new global climate regime, which should be embedded in the core principles of responsibility sharing. The Copenhagen Conference’s outcome should include, assured adequate and easily accessible funding for adaptation, together with access to scientific credible information to climate change, particularly over sectors like risk reduction, water resources, agriculture; energy; urban planning, health disorders, etc. It must also ensure affordable and eco-friendly technology transfer to developing countries, especially Least Developed Countries (LDCs), side by side with the all important specific commitments for deeper cuts in greenhouse gas emissions.

Climate change mitigation must not, however, impose constraints on steps taken to alleviate energy poverty. The post 2012 agreement should also incorporate predictable and legally binding commitments, to address the adaptation needs of low lying coastal states, small-island developing, and least developed countries. The LDCs deserve special attention of the global community, due to their economic and climatic vulnerabilities. It is estimated that at least US$ 2 billion would be required, to implement adaptation programs in LDCs over the next five years. Sadly, the LDC Fund has so far received a meager US$ 172 million since its establishment. LDCs have hardly benefited from the Clean Development Mechanism. Additional fund should, therefore, be made available through the Adaptation Fund.

 

Distinguished Co-Chairs, Ladies and Gentlemen,

I commend the organizers for this initiative allowing us to address a critical gap in our approach to climate change. The insights shared here would further contribute to the progress, for achieving the achievable in Copenhagen. The Stockholm Declaration would pave the way for a new World Climate Services System. The success of the System would largely depend on international support and cooperation, in enhancing the technological and service delivery capacity of meteorological organizations of developing countries, especially the LDCs.

In conclusion, let me earnestly emphasize our agreement here would empower us in our efforts to reverse the alarming climatic trends, threatening our sheer existence. Devising collective strategies based on informed decisions, can disapprove the dire prognosis about our future. We must not fail in delivering on the historic responsibility that we owe to our posterity.                                           

I thank you.

 

Khoda Hafez

Joi Bangla, Joi Bangabandhu

May Bangladesh Live Forever.

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