In a populist indictment of meandering politics Europe faces a crisis that threatens its social fabric. Hot on the heels of public outrage in France, Hungary and Spain headed towards far-right nationalism, a new public movement has emerged on climate change. It started with school children coming out from their classes in protest against inaction on climate change as politicians continue to lose the fight against big business. This has been followed by the streets of London occupied by protestors demanding an admission of the severity of the issue, clear cut proposals towards carbon neutrality by 2025 and a roadmap to reverse the damage being caused.
The politicians have been eerily silent not least due to the Emperor's new clothes in President Donald Trump's denial of the obvious and the unwillingness of China and India to address the issue in proper earnest. The negotiations of the Climate Agreement had promised funds to the worst impacted countries such as Bangladesh that is threatened by the rise of water levels of the sea. That has not been forthcoming sans a trickle and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has instead worked on generating self-funding as far as practicable.
Europe is leading the drive to ban fossil fuel-driven vehicles over a period of the next decade or so. India has stated its intent likewise but thus has all been haphazard in the absence of a coherent global policy. Great Britain has imposed zero emission tax areas in their capital and they along with other European countries are making available bicycles and electronically-powered two-wheelers to cut emissions even from public transport. The moves are sporadic and nowhere near what is required. According to estimates, carbon emissions must now be reduced to 1.0 per cent increases to save the coral resources in the next fifteen years and that's a one percentage point decrease in the 2.0 per cent reduction agreed at the time of the Climate Agreement being reached.
Bangladesh is not a major polluter by world standards but the 350 odd vehicles that hit the streets anew each day plus the motorbikes that are increasingly landing on the roads are creating more than traffic jams; they are polluting the environment. We don't have the electronic setups required to encourage electric cars but budgetary measures to encourage hybrid vehicle imports are one way forward. The phasing out of older vehicles is another measure that can be considered. Central London imposes a tax on vehicles older than 2010 and trucks and cargo vehicles older than 2016 that are not revamped to meet the new emission standards.
Sweeping the problem under the carpet isn't an answer as was the case with the two-stroke baby taxis that now ply in suburban towns and villages. Ironically enough the electrically battery-powered vehicles that could solve the problem are being confined to out of the metropolis and alleys of Dhaka.
© 2024 - All Rights with The Financial Express
