POBNEWS24, Dhaka Nov 2, 2021 :In her speech at the Leaders Summit of the Climate Conference (COP-28), Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has put forward four demands including fulfilling the promises made by the developed world. He also highlighted various initiatives of Bangladesh in its efforts to tackle climate change. In this context, the Prime Minister said Bangladesh has canceled the construction of 10 coal-fired power plants worth ১২ 12 billion to protect the environment.
Sheikh Hasina addressed the Leaders’ Summit on the sidelines of the Climate Conference (COP-27) in Glasgow, Scotland, UK on Monday afternoon local time. The Prime Minister of Bangladesh, President of the Climate Vulnerable Forum-CVF, who is vocal on the issue of climate change, made four demands to world leaders on tackling climate change.
In her first demand, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said major carbon emitters must submit and implement an ambitious National Plan (NDC).
In her second demand, Sheikh Hasina said the developed countries have to fulfill their commitment to provide বিল 100 billion annually on a half-way (50:50) basis for adaptation and mitigation.
The third demand of the Prime Minister is that the developed countries should provide safe and environment friendly technology to the most affected countries at low cost.
In the fourth demand, the Prime Minister said the issue of climate change, including increasing sea level, increasing salinity, river erosion, floods and droughts and taking responsibility for the migrants should address the damage and destruction on the issue of climate change.
Noting that Bangladesh is one of the most affected countries despite its negligible contribution to climate change, the Prime Minister said Bangladesh’s responsibility for global total carbon emissions is less than 0.48 percent. But Bangladesh is one of the most climate affected countries in the world.
The three-time Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina mentioned the establishment of the ‘Bangladesh Climate Change Trust Fund’ in 2009 to address the challenges of climate change.
“We have doubled our climate spending in the last seven years,” she said. We are currently preparing a national adaptation plan. He said the government of Bangladesh has recently submitted an ambitious and updated national plan.
Sheikh Hasina hopes that by 2041, 40 percent of Bangladesh’s energy will come from renewable sources. He said Bangladesh has one of the largest local solar power programs in the world. The Prime Minister said Bangladesh is implementing ‘Mujib Climate Prosperity Plan’ to move from climate-vulnerable countries to climate-tolerant and from there on the path of climate prosperity.
Regarding the environmental catastrophe in Bangladesh due to Rohingyas deported from Myanmar, Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh is also trying to address the environmental impact of 1.1 million Rohingyas.
Sheikh Hasina further said, “As Climate Vulnerable Forum-CVF and V-20 Chair, I am highlighting the issues of interest of 48 countries affected by climate change. We are exchanging our best practices and adaptation knowledge regionally through the South Asia Office Global Center of Adaptation in Dhaka. On behalf of CVF, Bangladesh is trying to sign a climate emergency agreement.
Prime Minister at the CVF-Commonwealth Panel talks
Sheikh Hasina was the chief guest at the CVF-Commonwealth High Level Panel Discussion on ‘Climate Prosperity Partnership’ held on the sidelines of the COP-26 Conference in Glasgow ahead of the Leader’s Summit. He called on the Commonwealth and the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF) to work together to save the world from the dire consequences of climate change through the implementation of the Paris Agreement. He called for finding a realistic and inclusive solution to climate change.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, president of the CVF, an organization of countries affected by climate change, said in a panel discussion held yesterday morning that climate change is now a global and cross-border issue. The detrimental effects of climate disasters have brought climate-affected countries to the brink of irreversible damage.
“I strongly believe that the CVF and the Commonwealth can work together as a catalyst for the implementation of the Paris Agreement,” he said, referring to the fact that one-third of CVF countries are also members of the Commonwealth. The Prime Minister presented six recommendations for effective cooperation between the two.
The first recommendation addresses the need to increase knowledge, research, capacity building and technology transfer to achieve sustainable, green and nature-based solutions for a prosperous future.
In the second recommendation, the Prime Minister called on developing countries to take a united stand to ensure উন্নত 100 billion a year in financial assistance from developed countries, as promised in the Paris Agreement. Raising the issue of climate refugees in the third recommendation, Sheikh Hasina said the world has a responsibility to rehabilitate them.
The fourth recommendation states that a unified move by all could serve as a pressure on major greenhouse gas emitting countries to declare ambitious and aggressive national plans.
In the fifth recommendation, Sheikh Hasina urged to transfer environmentally friendly technology to developing countries at affordable cost to meet the energy demand. Commonwealth Secretary General Patricia Scotland was present at the ceremony, among others.
The Prime Minister arrived in Glasgow on Sunday afternoon local time to attend the UN Climate Conference. Earlier, he left Dhaka for the United Kingdom on Sunday morning during Bangladesh time.
In Glasgow, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will attend the inaugural session of the COP-27 conference and the keynote address sessions of heads of state and government, as well as a number of events (sideline). He will also hold bilateral meetings with heads of state and government and heads of various agencies. The Prime Minister will leave for London on Wednesday afternoon after concluding her visit to Glasgow. He will pay a bilateral visit to France on November 9 after participating in various programs in London.
