Bangladesh has adopted a 37bn-dollar programme for mitigation of climate change damages along the country’s coastal areas, State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Dr Enamur Rahman has said here. He said this at a COP26 side event organized by the ministry in Glasgow on Thursday afternoon. Climate change-related incidents displace about 50,000 people every year in Bangladesh, the minister added. In his speech at the event Enamur said Bangladesh is widely considered as one of the most vulnerable countries to global climate change. He said inIn 2020 alone 30.7 million people were displaced due to natural disasters. In 2017 Bangladesh was the 6th most stricken country among 135 countries that experienced displacement due to floods, he said. Read: Dhaka optimistic about climate cash flow The World Bank’s Groundswell report also estimated that by 2050 19 million people of Bangladesh will be migrating internally due to slow onset climate change processes such as water scarcity, declining crop productivity and sea level rise. The Government of Bangladesh (GoB) recognizes that displacement has grave implications for the rights and entitlements of the individuals and communities. Bangladesh has framed its National Strategy on Internal Displacement Management in January 2021. “I am confident that COP 26 will be able to develop a mechanism for institutionalizing loss and damage,” he said. Read: Effective climate plans not possible without funds: Hasina “I am also hopeful that this year's COP will be able to introduce concessional instruments in case of climate finance,” he added. Natural disasters are increasing in Bangladesh due to climate change, Secretary of the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief Mohammad Mohsin separately told the UNB correspondent covering the event. He said Bangladesh highlighted the need for international funds to deal with the damages and loss caused by climate change.

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Friday expressed optimism about adequate flow of funds to address climate change- related challenges, noting that Bangladesh has taken a very strong leadership role in COP26. "We've got a lot of good assurance from the private sector and the governments. We're hopeful," Dr Momen told reporters at a virtual briefing joining from London. Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen and Bangladesh High Commissioner to the UK Saida Muna Tasneem were present. The COP26 summit, hosted by the UK in Glasgow, has brought parties together to accelerate action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. The Foreign Minister said Bangladesh needs to work a lot, especially in preparing good proposals, which he sees as a challenge but achievable. "We've a long way to go. We've a challenge but we can manage to get plenty of funds," he said, adding that there is willingness to provide funds. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been identified as one of the five influential dealmakers at COP26 being held at Glasgow, according to a BBC report that described Hasina as “voice of the vulnerable”.  Read: Effective climate plans not possible without funds: Hasina

Bangladesh on Tuesday joined the global community of journalists in observing the annual World News Day, which aims to promote the importance of authentic journalism. News organisations and media houses came together across the world on this fourth iteration of World News Day, choosing to highlight the critical importance of credible journalism in providing trustworthy information about the climate crisis and the planet's future. With the involvement of 500 news organisations across the world, the campaign focuses on one point -- climate change, or as the terminology shifts, the climate crisis -- with 2021 on course to be declared as the hottest year on record amid the worsening consequences of global warming. The flagship virtual event of this year's campaign is a 75-minute Web show titled “World News Day: The Climate Crisis”. World News Day is an initiative driven by the Canadian Journalism Foundation and the World Editors Forum to raise awareness about the critical role of journalists in people’s lives. The very first World News Day was observed on September 28, 2018. Read: Dickson lauds Bangladesh's efforts on climate front

Nowhere is the climate crisis more pressing or more potentially catastrophic than Bangladesh, for the simple fact that nowhere else do we see a greater swathe of humanity under threat from its worst effects. According to the Environmental Justice Foundation, by 2050, with a projected 50 cm rise in sea level, Bangladesh may lose approximately 11% of its land, affecting an estimated 15 million people living in its low-lying coastal region. It isn’t something the country brought upon itself. As a late comer to industrialisation, the country’s contribution to anthropogenic climate change, for which the Industrial Revolution that started in 19th-century Britain was a catalyst, has actually been minimal. That is why as the current chair of the Climate Vulnerable Forum, a group of 48 countries that are most disproportionately affected by the consequences of global warming, it is working hard for a fair and equitable deal to be reached at the next UN-led conference on the issue (COP26), set to be held in Glasgow in December.  Experts have long bemoaned the fact that the wealthier, industrialised countries – the ones who have historically contributed the most to the depletion of the ozone layer – still put up a reluctant front when it comes to taking responsibility now for addressing the problem.  “Bangladesh has been hit hard with extreme weather caused by climate change for years. Climate change is a global phenomenon that needs a global solution through collective efforts,” noted climate expert Dr Ainun Nishat on the occasion of World News Day. Dr Nishat said they have been talking about climate finance for several decades for combating climate change impacts, but sufficient funds have not been allocated globally.  “It’s necessary to sensitise global leaders regarding climate financing and keep their commitment to reducing carbon emission. The upcoming COP-26 Summit will create an opportunity to do this,” he said. World News Day is being observed in Bangladesh as elsewhere across the world today (Tuesday), highlighting the critical importance of credible journalism in providing trustworthy information about the climate crisis. Environment experts said about 700,000 people in Bangladesh become refugees every year due to the natural disasters which are said to be intensifying with climate change. They point out that per capita carbon dioxide (CO2) emission in Bangladesh is 0.46 tonne per year while it is about 10 to 15 tonnes per year in the developed countries. Alongside reducing carbon emissions, the analysts said developed nations must help Bangladesh with mitigation and adaptation efforts, necessary funds, resources and technology to prepare it for the inevitable losses of lives, livelihoods, habitable land, and the resulting human migration. Read: Dickson lauds Bangladesh's efforts on climate front

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday put forward six proposals to make the world more liveable by bringing down carbon emissions and tackle the people being displaced across the globe due to climate change. She placed her proposals while delivering the pre-recorded speech in the ‘Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate’, convened by US President Joe Biden. The Prime Minister, in her first proposal, asked the major carbon-emitting countries to take action to reduce their emissions to keep the global temperature rise at 1.5 degrees Celsius. In her second proposal, Hasina renewed her call for fulfilling the commitment of an annual 100-billion-dollar climate fund by the developed countries and distributing it 50:50 between adaptation and mitigation. The Prime Minister, in her third proposal, advised the developed countries to come forward with the most effective energy solutions along with technology transfer to the developing countries. Also read: Hasina places 4 suggestions to deal with climate challenge

Malaysian High Commissioner to Bangladesh and Chair of ASEAN Dhaka Committee (ADC) Haznah Md Hashim has highlighted the critical role of governments towards finding a sustainable solution to the climate change issues. She said climate issues have a tremendous effect on countries all over the world, particularly those from the emerging economies. "Therefore, a collective effort, in not just ASEAN but also countries like Bangladesh, is needed to ensure governments meet its obligation under the Paris Agreement," said the High Commissioner.   She was addressing a webinar on "Climate Change" on Thursday initiated by the High Commission of Malaysia to explore ideas and views as well as sharing of best practices on climate change. Also read: Climate emergency demands policy shift to adaptation: Global leaders on COP26 Secretary General of the Ministry of Environment and Water, Malaysia (KASA) Dr Zaini Ujang and Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bangladesh, Md Mostafa Kamal were present as the chief guests. Haji Haris Haji Othman, High Commissioner of Brunei Darussalam; Aung Kyaw Moe, Ambassador of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar; Pham Viet Chien, Ambassador of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam; Makawadee Sumitmor, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Thailand; Hidayat Atjeh, Chargé d' Affaires of the Republic of Indonesia; Leo Marco C Vidal, Chargé d' Affaires of the Republic of the Philippines; Sheela Pillai, Head of Mission of the Singapore Consulate; senior officials, diplomats and experts from Bangladesh and ASEAN Member States. The ADC was established in the year 2014 and is comprised of eight ASEAN Missions based in Dhaka. Also read: UK Foreign Secretary reaffirms support for Bangladesh’s climate actions They are the High Commission of Brunei Darussalam, Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia, High Commission of Malaysia, Embassy of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, Embassy of Republic of the Philippines, Consulate of the Republic of Singapore, Embassy of the Royal Thai Embassy, and Socialist Republic of Viet Nam. The ADC chair is rotated every six months and is currently being chaired by Malaysia.

Bangladesh has called upon the developed countries -- responsible for the highest rates of global carbon emissions -- to pay compensation to the poorer nations for the losses and damages incurred through climate change. In an interview with ITV News, Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen said it is fair and just for these bigger countries to pay compensation because they are the ones that abuse the resources and spoil planet Earth. The G20, which is made up of most of the world’s largest economies, accounts for more than 80% of global carbon emissions. Meanwhile, developing countries like Bangladesh often emit the lowest amounts of global emissions but are forced to endure the disproportionate wrath of climate change. Bangladesh is only responsible for 0.4% of the planet’s total carbon discharge yet loses around 2% of its GDP yearly to extreme climate events, says the ITV News. Six million Bangladeshis have so far got displaced as a consequence of climate change and by 2050, the country fears 17% of its coastline will vanish underwater creating 30 million climate refugees. “This is an existential problem for Bangladesh,” Momen said, adding that the climate change issue is not a national issue, not a regional issue, it is a global issue. "We all have to work together in collaboration and partnership to save this planet." Read: Bangladesh to be voice of climate vulnerable countries: FM

Bangladesh and the United Kingdom are planning to sign a "climate accord" before COP26 and expressed optimism for a successful outcome of the COP26 with a possible CVF-COP26 event at Glasgow.    The two countries agreed to work together to put nature at the heart of their climate action, building on the 2020 Leaders’ Pledge for Nature and realising shared commitments towards conservation of biodiversity and ecosystems, as well as those under the Global Ocean Alliance and the Commonwealth Blue Charter. As founding members of the Adaptation Action Coalition, Bangladesh and the UK renewed their commitment to work together with other Coalition members to accelerate adaptation on the ground with a particular emphasis on promoting locally led climate action, according to a joint statement issued on Thursday. The two countries will do more to avert, minimise, and address Loss and Damage, said the joint statement on climate action between the two countries. Bangladesh and the UK will work together to get the network operating, following the UK-led Climate and Development Ministerial and drawing on the expertise in the UK, Bangladesh and internationally. Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen and COP26 President-Designate Alok Sharma met on Wednesday during the visit of COP26 President-designate to Bangladesh on June 2-4. Also read: COP26: Alok Sharma pledges support for Bangladesh towards clean energy transition They jointly reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing cooperation between Bangladesh and the United Kingdom in tackling climate change’s causes and adverse effects. They agreed to demonstrate sustained leadership to tackle the climate emergency bilaterally and globally. The two countries agreed to exchange expertise, share technology, facilitate partnerships, and identify practical solutions to common climate challenges.

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.

Over 1.1 million Bangladeshis have been talking about environmental conservation on Facebook in the past three months. The three most popular topics are sustainable food, sustainable living and wildlife conservation. In Bangladesh, interest in issues related to climate change mirrors global sentiment.More people are also joining communities to learn more about issues and taking action. There are now more than 2 million Bangladeshis who are part of at least one of the 6,000 Facebook groups dedicated to the discovery, protection and appreciation of our environment. Also read: Hasina places 4 suggestions to deal with climate challenge “I continue to be inspired by Bangladeshis rallying together across our platforms to take action on climate change,” said Jordi Fornies, Facebook’s Director of Emerging Markets at APAC. “At Facebook, we recognise the urgency of climate change and are committed to help tackle this crisis affecting communities around the globe. Our operations are now 100 percent supported by renewable energy, and we are one of the largest corporate buyers of renewable energy globally.” Facebook is encouraging people across its platforms to take action and help protect the planet from climate crisis as it continues to impact communities around the world. According to a global survey conducted by Facebook in partnership with the Yale Program on Climate Communication, more than three-quarters of people from 30 countries believe in climate change, and 7 in 10 people were supportive of the Paris Climate Accord. Also read: Bangladesh, US to work together to address challenges of climate change To make it easier for people to take action against climate change, the social media platform is launching the Facebook Greenprint consumer guide, and a “Stand up for Earth” WhatsApp sticker pack that highlights some of the environmental challenges that we’re facing across the globe, and encourages actions like recycling, reducing electricity and saving water. There are also several wallpapers already in WhatsApp that show the beauty of the planet. The Facebook Greenprint is a digital guide that features 15 simple steps that people can take to protect the planet. These steps include joining a local Facebook Group or community to learn more about Bangladesh’s various environmental issues, attending a sustainable event in the area, donating to local wildlife organisations or shopping ethically on Instagram Shops. Also read: Climate Change: Biden's administration urged to take genuine leadership role Facebook will continue striving towards their climate change goals, and has committed to reaching net zero emissions for the value chain in 2030.