global warming
Climate Change: How Bangladesh is being affected by Global Warming?
Although climate change is a global problem, its impact on the developing, or underdeveloped economies will be devastating and unbalanced. In these countries, there are severe shortages of materials, science, and technology to adapt to the changing environment and situation. The funny thing is that the people of the least developed, developing or underdeveloped countries are or will be the victims of the better life of the developed countries. An acute example is Bangladesh.
Bangladesh is one of the most endangered coastal countries in the world due to global warming and climate change. Scientists say that if global warming continues at the same rate, a large area of Bangladesh will be flooded in the next 100 years, and about 30 million people will become refugees.
Read: Over 19mn BD kids at front line of climate change disasters
According to the World Bank, Bangladesh emits only 0.40 percent of the world's total greenhouse gases. But unfortunately, we will be one of the top 10 countries affected by climate change. Mainly due to geographical location, overpopulation, poverty, and inadequacy of social security, the risk of Bangladesh is increasing day by day. As a result, the economic effect is gradually intensifying due to the impact of various climatic variables, such as rainfall and changes in average temperature, which may go beyond proper management in the future. Let's take a brief look at the effects of climate change on Bangladesh.
The Reason behind the Global Warming
There is an invisible layer called the 'ozone layer in the atmosphere, which prevents the sun's harmful ultraviolet rays from entering the earth and helps the heat from the earth to return to space in the process of radiation. But, due to man-made pollution and deforestation, the ozone layer is being eroded. Chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) gas is used in household products such as refrigerators, air conditioners, various types of sprays, etc., which are also used in industry. This CFC is one of the reasons for the depletion of the ozone layer in space.
Read COP26: Global competition launched to find top climate science communicators
Excessive carbon dioxide is not being absorbed due to environmental pollution and deforestation. This results in an excessive increase in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, which traps the heat from the sun in the atmosphere. Thus, on the one hand, due to the depletion of the ozone layer, the ultraviolet rays of the sun are reaching the earth. On the other hand, heat is constantly being stored in the atmosphere. Thus the earth has become heated. The world as a whole is facing natural disasters as a result of an endangered environment.
Climate Change and its Impact in Bangladesh
According to environmental scientists, Bangladesh is one of the countries most affected by global warming. The major natural disasters that have been occurring in Bangladesh in recent times are mainly due to climate change. Following are the top effects in Bangladesh.
Sea Level Rise
Bangladesh is one of the largest delta islands in the world, with numerous rivers flowing through it. If the earth's temperature rises by 1 degree Celsius, 19 percent of Bangladesh's land will be lost to the sea. As a result, 55 million people will be affected.
Read: Action on climate change urged for children's sake
The sea level in Bangladesh is increasing at the rate of 7 mm per year, whereas the rate of increase in land level is 5-6 mm / year. As a result, the rate of sea-level rise in the coastal areas of Bangladesh is 1-2 mm/year. According to a study, the current sea level could rise by 3.5 to 15 mm per decade. Even by the year 2100, it can reach 30 cm to 100 cm. Therefore, the rise in sea level will cause a terrible disaster for Bangladesh.
Biodiversity Destruction
According to environmentalists and geologists, if the sea level rises by just 1 meter, 70 percent of the Sundarbans will be submerged. If biodiversity is destroyed, it will have terrible consequences for Bangladesh as well as the world. The environment will lose its balance.
Read Climate change: 'Children in Bangladesh, 3 other countries at extremely high risk'
Flash floods
Due to the steep slopes, flash floods occur every year in the northeastern part of Bangladesh, especially in the Meghna Basin. About 4,000 sq km in the northeastern part of the country and about 1,400 sq km in the southeastern part of the country are the victims of such flash floods. As a result of climate change, rainfall and mountain slopes are increasing.
Drought
Drought occurs when the level of evaporation is higher than the lack of moisture in the soil, i.e., rainfall. Climate change is taking place as a result of global warming, the effects of which are also being felt in Bangladesh. In the north-western part of Bangladesh, agriculture is being severely hampered due to a lack of rainfall and water during the monsoon season, and crop production is also declining.
Read Govt. moves to boost climate resilience of vulnerable people, says official document
Decrease in River Flow and Increase in Salinity of Water
Bangladesh is an agricultural country. The normal flow of rivers is very important for land irrigation and navigation. Climate change disrupts the normal flow of rivers. As a result, the flow of major rivers will be reduced, and due to the weak flow of the river, sea salt water will easily enter the inland river flow of the country and increase the salinity in the river water. At present, saline water enters coastal areas of Bangladesh and about 1.4 million hectares of remote islands, making open water and groundwater saline. These salinity levels will increase further as the climate changes.
Ocean Storms and Tidal Surges
Ocean storms are usually caused by hot air and cyclones. Although other processes are active behind the formation of cyclones, the increase in water temperature is the main reason. Coastal districts in Bangladesh are hit hard by sea storms in May-June every year. As global warming increases, ocean water temperatures will also increase at an increasing rate. Naturally, the intensity of sea storms and tidal surges will also increase.
Read ‘Nowhere to run’: UN report says global warming nears limits
Is there anything we can do about Climate Change?
Although the developed countries are mainly responsible for climate change, the whole world will have to work together to cope with the situation. For our part, we have to work on extensive afforestation programs. trees absorb harmful carbon dioxide gas from nature and emit oxygen. Therefore, the balance of the environment is maintained.
The afforestation program should be started as soon as possible in the coastal areas and riverine areas of the country. As a result, river erosion and the intensity of sea storms will be reduced. Simultaneously, deforestation must be prevented.
Furthermore, we will have to work on reducing the emissions of harmful gases that increase the temperature of the atmosphere. The industries need to save energy and take steps to purify the generated waste.
Read Implementation of Paris deal only way to check global warming: Hasina
Bangladesh is a country of natural disasters and various types of natural disasters are common in this country every year. In the coming years, disasters will become more severe due to climate changes. Hence, we have to be aware from now on, and we have to make proper preparation.
Climate change: 'Children in Bangladesh, 3 other countries at extremely high risk'
Children in Bangladesh, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and India are among those most at risk of the impacts of climate change, threatening their health, education, and protection, according to a new Unicef report launched Friday.
Bangladesh ranked second among South Asian countries and 15th globally in Unicef's index "The Climate Crisis Is a Child Rights Crisis: Introducing the Children's Climate Risk Index."
Read: Over 19mn BD kids at front line of climate change disasters
The index, first of its kind, ranked countries based on children's exposure to climate and environmental shocks, such as cyclones and heatwaves, as well as their vulnerability to those shocks based on their access to essential services.
Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and India are among four South Asian countries where children are at extremely high risk of the impacts of the climate crisis, with global rankings of 14, 15, 15, and 26.
Nepal is ranked 51, Sri Lanka is at 61st place. Bhutan is ranked 111, with children at relatively lower risk.
South Asian countries are among the most vulnerable globally to the impacts of climate change. Extreme climate-related events – heatwaves, storms, floods, fires and droughts – affect more than half of the region's population every year and continue to burden their economies.
Read: Action on climate change urged for children's sake
Worse, before they can recover from one disaster, another one strikes, reversing any progress made.
Also, rising global temperatures and changing weather patterns have put the futures of millions of children living in climate-vulnerable areas in South Asia at constant risk.
Around 1 billion children live in one of the 33 countries classified as "extremely high-risk," including the four South Asian countries.
"For the first time, we have clear evidence of the impact of climate change on millions of children in South Asia. Droughts, floods, air pollution and river erosion across the region have left millions of children homeless and hungry, and without any healthcare and water," said George Laryea-Adjei, Unicef regional director for South Asia.
South Asia is home to over 600 million children and has the highest number of young people globally.
The report found that these South Asian children are in constant danger from riverine floods and air pollution, but also that investments in child health, nutrition, and education can make a significant difference to protect children from climate change.
"Together, climate change and the Covid-19 pandemic have created an alarming crisis for South Asian children. The time to act is now – if we invest in water, healthcare and education, we can protect their futures from the impacts of a changing climate and degrading environment," Laryea-Adjei said.
The report also reveals a disconnect between where greenhouse gas emissions are generated, and where children are enduring the most significant climate-driven impacts.
The 33 extremely high-risk countries, including four from South Asia, collectively emit just 9% of global CO2 emissions. Conversely, the 10 highest emitting countries collectively account for nearly 70% of global emissions.
Read: Children rally against climate change in Dhaka
"The frightening environmental changes we are seeing across the planet are being driven by a few but experienced by many in South Asia," Laryea-Adjei said.
"We must urgently reduce greenhouse gas emissions and work together as a community to build greater resilience in South Asia. Children and young people are at the heart of this change, with almost half of 1.8 billion people below the age of 24 in South Asia."
Compared to adults, children require more food and water per unit of their body weight, are less able to survive extreme weather events, and are more susceptible to toxic chemicals, temperature changes and diseases, among other factors.
Without the urgent action required to reduce greenhouse gas emissions globally, children will continue to suffer the most.
So, Unicef urged governments, businesses and relevant actors to increase investment in climate adaptation and resilience in key services for children and cut greenhouse gas emissions.
Countries must reduce their emissions by at least 45% (compared to 2010 levels) by 2030 to keep warming to no more than 1.5°C, it said.
Also, the Unicef report suggested providing children with climate education and green skills, critical for their adaptation to and preparation for the effects of climate change and including young people in all national, regional and international climate negotiations and decisions, including at COP26.
It called on the stakeholders and actors to ensure that the recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic is green, low-carbon, and inclusive so that the capacity of future generations to respond to the climate crisis are not compromised.
‘Code red’: UN scientists warn of worsening global warming
Earth is getting so hot that temperatures in about a decade will probably blow past a level of warming that world leaders have sought to prevent, according to a report released Monday that the United Nations called a “code red for humanity.”
“It’s just guaranteed that it’s going to get worse,” said report co-author Linda Mearns, a senior climate scientist at the U.S. National Center for Atmospheric Research. “Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide.”
Read: Californians endure intense weekend of wildfire fears
But scientists also eased back a bit on the likelihood of the absolute worst climate catastrophes.
The authoritative Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report, which calls climate change clearly human-caused and “unequivocal” and “an established fact,” makes more precise and warmer forecasts for the 21st century than it did last time it was issued in 2013.
Each of five scenarios for the future, based on how much carbon emissions are cut, passes the more stringent of two thresholds set in the 2015 Paris climate agreement. World leaders agreed then to try to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above levels in the late 19th century because problems mount quickly after that. The world has already warmed nearly 1.1 degrees Celsius (2 degrees Fahrenheit) since then.
Under each scenario, the report said, the world will cross the 1.5-degree-Celsius warming mark in the 2030s, earlier than some past predictions. Warming has ramped up in recent years, data shows.
“Our report shows that we need to be prepared for going into that level of warming in the coming decades. But we can avoid further levels of warming by acting on greenhouse gas emissions,” said report co-chair Valerie Masson-Delmotte, a climate scientist at France’s Laboratory of Climate and Environment Sciences at the University of Paris-Saclay.
In three scenarios, the world will also likely exceed 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) over pre-industrial times — the less stringent Paris goal — with far worse heat waves, droughts and flood-inducing downpours unless there are deep emissions cuts, the report said.
“This report tells us that recent changes in the climate are widespread, rapid and intensifying, unprecedented in thousands of years,” said IPCC Vice Chair Ko Barrett, senior climate adviser for the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Read: Wildfires rampage in Greek forests, cut large island in half
With crucial international climate negotiations coming up in Scotland in November, world leaders said the report is causing them to try harder to cut carbon pollution. U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken called it “a stark reminder.”
The 3,000-plus-page report from 234 scientists said warming is already accelerating sea level rise and worsening extremes such as heat waves, droughts, floods and storms. Tropical cyclones are getting stronger and wetter, while Arctic sea ice is dwindling in the summer and permafrost is thawing. All of these trends will get worse, the report said.
For example, the kind of heat wave that used to happen only once every 50 years now happens once a decade, and if the world warms another degree Celsius (1.8 degrees Fahrenheit), it will happen twice every seven years, the report said.
As the planet warms, places will get hit more not just by extreme weather but by multiple climate disasters at once, the report said. That’s like what’s now happening in the Western U.S., where heat waves, drought and wildfires compound the damage, Mearns said. Extreme heat is also driving massive fires in Greece and Turkey.
Some harm from climate change — dwindling ice sheets, rising sea levels and changes in the oceans as they lose oxygen and become more acidic — is “irreversible for centuries to millennia,” the report said.
The world is “locked in” to 15 to 30 centimeters (6 to 12 inches) of sea level rise by mid-century, said report co-author Bob Kopp of Rutgers University.
Scientists have issued this message for more than three decades, but the world hasn’t listened, said United Nations Environment Program Executive Director Inger Andersen.
For the first time, the report offers an interactive atlas for people to see what has happened and may happen to where they live.
Nearly all of the warming that has happened on Earth can be blamed on emissions of heat-trapping gases such as carbon dioxide and methane. At most, natural forces or simple randomness can explain one- or two-tenths of a degree of warming, the report said.
The report described five different future scenarios based on how much the world reduces carbon emissions. They are: a future with incredibly large and quick pollution cuts; another with intense pollution cuts but not quite as massive; a scenario with moderate emission cuts; a fourth scenario where current plans to make small pollution reductions continue; and a fifth possible future involving continued increases in carbon pollution.
In five previous reports, the world was on that final hottest path, often nicknamed “business as usual.” But this time, the world is somewhere between the moderate path and the small pollution reductions scenario because of progress to curb climate change, said report co-author Claudia Tebaldi, a scientist at the U.S. Pacific Northwest National Lab.
While calling the report “a code red for humanity,” U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres kept a sliver of hope that world leaders could still somehow prevent 1.5 degrees of warming, which he said is “perilously close.”
Alok Sharma, the president of the upcoming climate negotiations in Scotland, urged leaders to do more so they can “credibly say that we have kept 1.5 degrees alive.”
“Anything we can do to limit, to slow down, is going to pay off,” Tebaldi said. “And if we cannot get to 1.5, it’s probably going to be painful, but it’s better not to give up.”
In the report’s worst-case scenario, the world could be around 3.3 degrees Celsius (5.9 degrees Fahrenheit) hotter than now by the end of the century. But that scenario looks increasingly unlikely, said report co-author and climate scientist Zeke Hausfather, climate change director of the Breakthrough Institute.
“We are a lot less likely to get lucky and end up with less warming than we thought,” Hausfather said. “At the same time, the odds of ending up in a much worse place than we expected if we do reduce our emissions are notably lower.”
The report also said ultra-catastrophic disasters — commonly called “tipping points,” like ice sheet collapses and the abrupt slowdown of ocean currents — are “low likelihood” but cannot be ruled out. The much talked-about shutdown of Atlantic ocean currents, which would trigger massive weather shifts, is something that’s unlikely to happen in this century, Kopp said.
A “major advance” in the understanding of how fast the world warms with each ton of carbon dioxide emitted allowed scientists to be far more precise in the scenarios in this report, Mason-Delmotte said.
In a new move, scientists emphasized how cutting airborne levels of methane — a powerful but short-lived gas that has soared to record levels — could help curb short-term warming. Lots of methane the atmosphere comes from leaks of natural gas, a major power source. Livestock also produces large amounts of the gas, a good chunk of it in cattle burps.
More than 100 countries have made informal pledges to achieve “net zero” human-caused carbon dioxide emissions sometime around mid-century, which will be a key part of the negotiations in Scotland. The report said those commitments are essential.
“It is still possible to forestall many of the most dire impacts,” Barrett said.
Key takeaways from new UN report on climate change
The UN climate panel Monday released a new report summarising the latest authoritative scientific information about global warming.
Here are five important takeaways.
Read: Satellites reveal how forests increase cloud, cool climate
Blaming humans
The report says almost all of the warming that has occurred since pre-industrial times was caused by the release of heat-trapping gases such as carbon dioxide and methane. Much of that is the result of humans burning fossil fuels – coal, oil, wood and natural gas.
The authors say global temperatures have already risen by 1.1 degrees Celsius (2 degrees Fahrenheit) since the 19th century, reaching their highest in over 100,000 years, and only a fraction of that increase can have come from natural forces.
Paris goals
Almost all countries have signed up to the 2015 Paris climate accord, which aims to limit global warming to an increase of 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 Fahrenheit) above the pre-industrial average by the year 2100. The agreement says that ideally, the increase would be no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit).
But the report's 200-plus authors looked at five scenarios and concluded that all will see the world cross the 1.5-degree threshold in the 2030s – sooner than in previous predictions. Three of those scenarios will also see temperatures rise 2 degrees Celsius.
Dire consequences
The 3,000-plus-page report concludes that ice melt and sea-level rise are already accelerating. Wild weather events – from storms to heatwaves – are also expected to worsen and become more frequent.
Read:EU delegation launches Climate Adaptation Campaign
Further warming is "locked in" due to the greenhouse gases humans have already released into the atmosphere. That means even if emissions are drastically cut, some changes will be "irreversible" for centuries, the report said.
Some hope
While many of the report's predictions paint a grim picture of humans' impact on the planet and the consequences that will have going forward, the UN-appointed Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change also found that so-called tipping points, like catastrophic ice sheet collapses and the abrupt slowdown of ocean currents, are "low likelihood," though they cannot be ruled out.
Lightning strike turning into deadliest disaster in Bangladesh: Experts
Lightning strike has turned into one of the deadliest natural disasters in Bangladesh claiming over 200 lives every year due to the loss of natural defense and lack of precautionary measures, say experts.
They blame deforestation, worsening air pollution and global warming, climate variability, and the growing use of mobile and other technological devices for the increase in the frequency of lightning strikes.
According to the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, 2,164 people died in lightning strikes in the country from 2011 to 2020. At least 216 people die every year on average in lightning strikes, more than by floods, cyclones and other natural calamities.
Read: Thunderstorm Lightning Struck Safety Tips: Stay Prepared
The experts said about 70 percent of the total lightning strikes usually occur between April and June, and advise everyone to move with caution during this time.
Farmers the worst victims
Contacted, Md Rashim Molla, Secretary-General of Save the Society and Thunderstorm Awareness Forum said, at least 177 people, including 122 farmers, were killed and 47 others injured, by lightning strikes across the country in between March 31 and June 7 this year as per their recent study.
The casualties were higher in Sunamganj, Netrokona, Kishoreganj and Gaibandha districts over the last one and a half months. “Most of those killed by lightning strikes were working in open fields or fishing. About 90% of the victims were men.”
He said lightning has now turned into the deadliest natural disaster in the country. “The death toll from lightning strikes is much higher than that of cyclones and tidal surges, landslides and floods.”
Rashim said people in rural areas, croplands or playground and open spaces are mainly falling victims to lightning strikes for lack of protection.
Causes behind
Prof Ainun Nishat, a noted climate change researcher, said it seems the frequency of lightning strikes has increased in Bangladesh due to the rise in temperature caused by climate change. “But data relating to lightning strikes are not collected scientifically in our country. We should take steps for collecting solid data and carry out scientific studies in this regard.”
He said the overall temperature in the world is growing gradually and so far around one degree has already increased. “The growing temperature due to climate change is causing more water evaporation from the land and ocean. It’s increasing black clouds with potential lightning storms.”
Read: 3 killed by lightning strike in Magura, Madaripur, Khulna
Rashim Molla said climate change, decrease in tall trees, increase in rain clouds, random set-up of mobile towers and increase in temperature across the globe can be the main factors behind the unusual rise in thunderstorms.
Besides, Rashim said, a one-degree rise in temperature can cause the chances of thunderstorms to rise by 10 percent.
Gawher Nayeem Wahra, Member Secretary of Disaster Forum, said the main reason behind the increase in lightning strikes is the lack of trees. “Thunderbolts attack the tallest humans in a field or open space without trees.”
“People's knowledge on earthing is low. Old houses that had earthing are gone now along with trees,” he observed.
Gawher said many people die on the spot after being hit by lightning strikes while many injured slowly die as there is no treatment for lightning burns.
What’s the solution?
Ainun Nishat said the hotspots for the lightning strikes should be identified properly through scientific studies and effective steps need to be taken to protect people there. “People should be made aware that they shouldn’t be there in the open field when back clouds gather in the sky.”
He said the government has taken a step for planting palm trees to lessen the casualties, but it takes around 20 years to raise such a tree.
Read: Plant more trees for greener future: Hasina
Besides, the expert said, the Disaster Management Bureau has taken a step to install poles or lightning arresters in the fields across the country. “It’s a good initiative.”
UN: Don’t forget to save species while fixing global warming
To save the planet, the world needs to tackle the crises of climate change and species loss together, taking measures that fix both and not just one, United Nations scientists said.
A joint report Thursday by separate U.N. scientific bodies that look at climate change and biodiversity loss found there are ways to simultaneously attack the two global problems, but some fixes to warming could accelerate extinctions of plants and animals.
For example, measures such as expansion of bioenergy crops like corn, or efforts to pull carbon dioxide from the air and bury it, could use so much land — twice the size of India — that the impact would be “fairly catastrophic on biodiversity,” said co-author and biologist Almut Arneth at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Germany.
Read:Forecast: 40% chance Earth to be hotter than Paris goal soon
Policy responses to climate change and biodiversity loss have long been siloed, with different government agencies responsible for each, said co-author Pamela McElwee, a human ecologist at Rutgers University.
The problems worsen each other, are intertwined and in the end hurt people, scientists said.
“Climate change and biodiversity loss are threatening human well-being as well as society,” said report co-chair Hans-Otto Portner, a German biologist who helps oversee the impacts group of the U.N.’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
Earth’s naturally changing climate shaped what life developed, including humans, but once people in the industrialized world started pumping fossil fuels into the air, that triggered cascading problems, Portner said.
Read:Carbon storage offers hope for climate, cash for farmers
“It’s a high time to fix what we got wrong,” he said. “The climate system is off-track and the biodiversity is suffering.”
There are many measures that can address both problems at once, the report said.
“Protecting and restoring high-carbon ecosystems,” such as tropical forests and peatlands, should be high priority, said co-author Pete Smith, a plant and soil scientist at the University of Aberdeen.
While some climate solutions can increase species loss, scientists said efforts to curb extinctions don’t really harm the climate.
Read:‘Next big wave’: Radiation drugs track and kill cancer cells
Yunne Shin, director of research at French National Research Institute, said the bulk of measures taken to protect biodiversity will also help curb climate change. While she applauded growing interest in nature-based solutions, she said, conservation measures “must be accompanied by clear cuts in emissions.”
“This report is an important milestone,” said Simon Lewis, chairman of global change science at University College London, who was not part of the report.
“Finally the world’s bodies that synthesize scientific information on two of the most profound 21st century crises are working together,” he said. “Halting biodiversity loss is even harder than phasing out fossil fuel use.”
Implementation of Paris deal only way to check global warming: Hasina
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday laid emphasis on the strict implementation of the Paris Agreement, saying that it is the only way to check global emissions and thereby global warming.
"The time to take action to save the planet is not tomorrow, but today," she said in her prerecorded video message in the Foreign Policy Virtual Climate Summit.
The Prime Minister said that climate change is not boundary-specific. "If one country emits, every country is affected. So, every country would have to play its role," she said.
She, however, said the rich countries, especially the G20 nations, should play the main role in halting the global emission.
Sheikh Hasina also hailed the USA's return to the Paris Agreement and appreciated US President Joe Biden’s decision and also about holding the Leaders’ Summit last week.
She stressed the importance of implementing the Paris Agreement wherein the international community pledged to form a USD 100-billion fund each year for the adaptation and mitigation purposes.
Hasina said that in the Paris Climate Accord, member countries have agreed not to allow the global temperature to rise above 1.5 degrees Celsius.
Also read: Leaders' Summit on Climate: Dhaka optimistic about $100 billion fund
"But nothing substantial has so far been done to check the emission of greenhouse gases which are responsible for the temperature rise," she bemoaned.
Sheikh Hasina said the global temperature is rising and there is no doubt about it. “And this temperature-rise is the main culprit of all ills. The continuous rise in global temperature is the most pressing concern for human kind.
"After the Covid-19, the most discussed subject of the time perhaps is climate change. Climate change has now become a huge threat to every country, especially the climate vulnerable countries like Bangladesh," she said.
The Prime Minister said that the entire world is passing through a tough time due to the Covid-19 pandemic claiming a large number lives and infecting hundreds of thousands more every day. "We need united efforts to get rid of the deadly virus."
Talking about the challenges of Bangladesh on the climate change issue, the Prime Minister said that countries like Bangladesh have been experiencing increased frequencies and ferocities of various natural calamities like flood, drought, tidal surge, nor’wester and lightning. "Currently, a heatwave is sweeping over my country."
Last year, she said that Bangladesh experienced heavy monsoon that submerged one-third of Bangladesh. Several cyclones, including super cyclone Amphan, also hit the country last year. “All these phenomena are due to climate change.”
Also read: Strict implementation of Paris deal only way forward for sustainable future: Dhaka
"Bangladesh is not an emitter. In fact, no member country of the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF) is a significant emitter. But we’re the worst sufferers. Every year 2% of my country’s GDP is lost to extreme climate events."
In this connection, she mentioned about the 1.1 million forcibly evicted Rohingyas from Myanmar that Bangladesh has given shelter in the environmentally critical Cox’s Bazar district heavily affected the ecology of the area.
Hasina also said that the bottom 100 countries account for just 3.5% of the global emission whereas the G20 countries are responsible for 80%. The CVF countries are at the forefront of climate adaptation.
She mentioned that Bangladesh is the first LDC to establish a Climate Change Trust Fund. So far, it spent over USD 415 million from its own resources to implement over 800 mitigation and adaptation programmes. “Our Parliament adopted a motion in 2019 declaring the current state of climate vulnerability as a planetary emergency.”
Hasina went on saying, "We’re planting 30 million saplings and launched a programme called 'Mujib Climate Prosperity Plan', marking the birth centenary of our Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman."
She said that Bangladesh is spending on average 2.5% of its GDP equivalent to US$ 5 billion each year on climate adaptation and resilience-building. Bangladesh has built 12,000 cyclone shelters and 200,000 hectares of coastal green belts.
Also read: Hasina places 4 suggestions to deal with climate challenge
The scientists of Bangladesh have invented salinity and flood-tolerant crops, rain reservoirs and pond-sand-filters, floating agriculture technology and mobile water treatment plants for the coastal people, she said.
The Prime Minister said: "The provisions of water bodies and tree plantation are ensured while implementing any project. We’re creating artificial mangrove forests in the chars and shoals of coastal districts."
The government is building cyclone-resistant houses for the poor in the cyclone-prone areas, she said, adding, “For preserving water and increasing navigability, we are dredging rivers and canals throughout the country.”
She also mentioned that the Global Centre on Adaptation has set up its South Asian Regional Office in Dhaka. The centre is working to disseminate local-based innovative adaptation practices.
Editor-in-Chief of Foreign Policy Ravi Agrawal moderated the event.
The Prince of Wales Charles, US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry, Foreign Minister of Japan Toshimitsu Motegi, President of COP26 Alok Sharma and Minister of State for Business, Energy and Clean Growth of United Kingdom Anne-Marie Trevelyan, MP, among others, spoke at the programme.
US, China agree to cooperate on climate crisis with urgency
The United States and China, the world’s two biggest carbon polluters, agreed to cooperate to curb climate change with urgency, just days before President Joe Biden hosts a virtual summit of world leaders to discuss the issue.
The agreement was reached by U.S. special envoy for climate John Kerry and his Chinese counterpart Xie Zhenhua during two days of talks in Shanghai last week, according to a joint statement.
The two countries “are committed to cooperating with each other and with other countries to tackle the climate crisis, which must be addressed with the seriousness and urgency that it demands,” the statement said.
China and the United States are the world’s top carbon polluters, pumping out nearly half of the fossil fuel fumes that are warming the planet’s atmosphere. Their cooperation is key to a success of global efforts to curb climate change, but frayed ties over human rights, trade and China’s territorial claims to Taiwan and the South China Sea have been threatening to undermine such efforts.
Kerry’s Shanghai trip marked the highest-level travel to China by a U.S. official since Biden took office in January. From Shaghai, the former secretary of state flew to South Korea for talks.
Biden has invited 40 world leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, to the April 22-23 summit. The U.S. and other countries are expected to announce more ambitious national targets for cutting carbon emissions ahead of or at the meeting, along with pledging financial help for climate efforts by less wealthy nations.
It’s unclear how much Kerry’s China visit would promote U.S.-China cooperation on climate issues.
When Kerry was still in Shanghai, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Le Yucheng signaled Friday that China is unlikely to make any new pledges at next week’s summit.
“For a big country with 1.4 billion people, these goals are not easily delivered,” Le said during an interview with The Associated Press in Beijing. “Some countries are asking China to achieve the goals earlier. I am afraid this is not very realistic.”
On whether Xi would join the summit, Le said “the Chinese side is actively studying the matter.” The joint statement said the two countries “look forward to” next week’s summit but didn’t say whether Xi would attend.
Also read: Bangladesh, US to work together to address challenges of climate change
During a video meeting with German and French leaders Friday, Xi said that climate change “should not become a geopolitical chip, a target for attacking other countries or an excuse for trade barriers,” though he called for closer cooperation on the issue, the official Xinhua News Agency reported.
Biden, who has said that fighting global warming is among his highest priorities, had the United States rejoin the Paris climate accord in the first hours of his presidency, undoing the U.S. withdrawal ordered by predecessor Donald Trump.
Major emitters of greenhouse gases are preparing for the next U.N. climate summit taking place in Glasgow, U.K., in November. The summit aims to relaunch global efforts to keep rising global temperatures to below 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) as agreed in the Paris accord.
According to the U.S.-China statement, the two countries would enhance “their respective actions and cooperating in multilateral processes, including the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement.”
It said both countries also intend to develop their respective long-term strategies before the Glasgow conference and take “appropriate actions to maximize international investment and finance in support of the transition from carbon-intensive fossil fuel based energy to green, low-carbon and renewable energy in developing countries.”
Also read: Make no mistake; take action: Kerry on dealing with climate crisis together
Xi announced last year that China would be carbon-neutral by 2060 and aims to reach a peak in its emissions by 2030. In March, China’s Communist Party pledged to reduce carbon emissions per unit of economic output by 18% over the next five years, in line with its goal for the previous five-year period. But environmentalists say China needs to do more.
Biden has pledged the U.S. will switch to an emissions-free power sector within 14 years, and have an entirely emissions-free economy by 2050. Kerry is also pushing other nations to commit to carbon neutrality by then.
Make no mistake; take action: Kerry on dealing with climate crisis together
John Kerry, the US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, on Friday laid emphasis on taking action without taking any mistake to deal with the global climate crisis noting that the US administration is looking for greater collaboration with Bangladesh on the issue.
“So, we know from the scientists - we must all take action,” he said seeking joint efforts to protect the countries, citizens and the future generations as no single country can solve the climate crisis today.
Kerry made the remarks at a joint media briefing at State guesthouse Padma after his meeting with Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen at the same venue.
“We’ve the ability to work together now in order to bring technology, research, development and finance to the table to do what we know we must do,” he said.
Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Shahab Uddin, Saber Hossain Chowdhy, State Minister for Foreign Affairs M Shahriar Alam, Special Envoy for the Vulnerable Forum Presidency Abul Kalam Azad, Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen and US Ambassador to Bangladesh Earl Miller were present.
The visit underscored the US commitment to strengthen implementation of the Paris Agreement on climate change designed to limit global warming.
Also read: US focuses on Myanmar issues; lauds Bangladesh's extraordinary generosity
As part of the Paris outcome, developed countries were urged to scale up their level of support with a concrete roadmap to achieve the goal of mobilising US$100 billion per year for climate action in developing countries.