Addressing the environmental insecurity
Nasreen Huda | Friday, 25 July 2008
The worldwide environmental insecurity is noted from unabated polluting activities specially by a few developed countries and the devastating price to be paid for it by entire humanity. But the environmental toll could be the worst for Bangladesh which might lose a large part of its land territory to the sea and start experiencing severe climatic catastrophes on a regular basis such as drought, flood, cyclones, etc. The environment-related problems, thus, could make unbearable the struggle for survival of Bangladesh which is already very overpopulated and economically weak to be able to cope with the shocks of climate change.
No doubt, the developed countries in varying degrees would be also affected by climate change. But these countries would be better poised to face up to the changing climate as they possess huge wealth, expertise and other assets that would facilitate their coping process. But countries like Bangladesh are hugely backward in these respects and that is why they would be very much deserving international assistance on a large scale to at least mitigate their losses from climatic change.
As it is, Bangladesh has been a late starter in both drawing attention to the environmental catastrophe it would have to absorb on account of the irresponsible actions of other countries and sharpening the demand for international assistance as a sort of compensation. However, as the adage goes, it is better to be late than never. Internationally, the environmental threat to developing countries like Bangladesh, has been recognised and awareness is greater now even among the developed countries that the non-compliant among them in relation to the Kyoto protocol, must come around swiftly to adhere to the protocol and embrace more regulations. The need to assist the developing countries which would be most adversely affected by climate change, is also admitted.
The last session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) was devoted largely to this issue. Thus, the moves for putting a hard brake on emission of greenhouse gases, mobilisation of an international fund to help poor and developing countries to cope with climate change and to assist them also with technological assistance and technology transfer for the purpose, are now under active consideration of the UN and the developed countries.
Thus, Bangladesh from now on ought to make it one of the highest priorities in its foreign policy to be very closely associated with these international moves which aim to put a harness on climate change and organise assistance programmes for the potentially most affected countries. It should play a proactive role in these diplomatic moves so that dangers to it and countries like it from climate change remain in the international limelight.
Bangladesh should also draw up on its own a comprehensive plan of action against climatic change and the amount of resources that would be required to implement it. Any UN or other multilateral donor agency plan on country basis for the same reason can be combined with the national plan to bolster the claim to draw adequate resources from an international fund for the same purpose. But it is crucial that a head-start is made in these matters. Given the traditional lethargy of our foreign ministry in waking up and doing the needful about issues of grave national importance, attention to this task must be given and continued from the highest level of the government.
Internally, time is also ripe for Bangladesh to start paying attention to encourage entrepreneurship but not at the cost of the environment. All industries and enterprises in the country must be obliged to set up and run effluent treatment plants (ETPs).
No doubt, the developed countries in varying degrees would be also affected by climate change. But these countries would be better poised to face up to the changing climate as they possess huge wealth, expertise and other assets that would facilitate their coping process. But countries like Bangladesh are hugely backward in these respects and that is why they would be very much deserving international assistance on a large scale to at least mitigate their losses from climatic change.
As it is, Bangladesh has been a late starter in both drawing attention to the environmental catastrophe it would have to absorb on account of the irresponsible actions of other countries and sharpening the demand for international assistance as a sort of compensation. However, as the adage goes, it is better to be late than never. Internationally, the environmental threat to developing countries like Bangladesh, has been recognised and awareness is greater now even among the developed countries that the non-compliant among them in relation to the Kyoto protocol, must come around swiftly to adhere to the protocol and embrace more regulations. The need to assist the developing countries which would be most adversely affected by climate change, is also admitted.
The last session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) was devoted largely to this issue. Thus, the moves for putting a hard brake on emission of greenhouse gases, mobilisation of an international fund to help poor and developing countries to cope with climate change and to assist them also with technological assistance and technology transfer for the purpose, are now under active consideration of the UN and the developed countries.
Thus, Bangladesh from now on ought to make it one of the highest priorities in its foreign policy to be very closely associated with these international moves which aim to put a harness on climate change and organise assistance programmes for the potentially most affected countries. It should play a proactive role in these diplomatic moves so that dangers to it and countries like it from climate change remain in the international limelight.
Bangladesh should also draw up on its own a comprehensive plan of action against climatic change and the amount of resources that would be required to implement it. Any UN or other multilateral donor agency plan on country basis for the same reason can be combined with the national plan to bolster the claim to draw adequate resources from an international fund for the same purpose. But it is crucial that a head-start is made in these matters. Given the traditional lethargy of our foreign ministry in waking up and doing the needful about issues of grave national importance, attention to this task must be given and continued from the highest level of the government.
Internally, time is also ripe for Bangladesh to start paying attention to encourage entrepreneurship but not at the cost of the environment. All industries and enterprises in the country must be obliged to set up and run effluent treatment plants (ETPs).