Businesses need to be aware of effects of climate change
FE Report | Monday, 21 March 2011
FE Report
Business leaders and experts at a workshop Sunday said incorporation of Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) into industry can benefit the country in various ways. They said the CDM under Article 12 of the Kyoto Protocol can cement an environment-friendly sustainable business and also bring forth great opportunities for the entrepreneurs to sell carbon credits in the global market. "Although the discussion on climate change is very high on the agenda at the policy levels, the businessmen are not aware adequately about its practical impact," they said at the workshop titled "Dialogue on Clean Development Mechanism" held at the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) in the city. The Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI), the OXFAM GB Bangladesh and the Campaign for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods (CSRL) jointly organised the workshop with a view to raising awareness among the businessmen about the climate change issues and generating critical knowledge on implementation of the CDM. For creating a sustainable business foreground, the speakers urged the authorities concerned to implement CDM under the Kyoto Protocol to establish a perfect climate change business strategy. DCCI president and chair of the programme Asif Ibrahim said the magnitude of the climate change problem makes it clear that no single sector or technology could tackle the entire mitigation (greenhouse gas emission) challenge. He said in Bangladesh, eight CDM projects have so far been approved by the Designated National Authority (DNA), one of which is being implemented and another has been registered. Admitting the lack of expertise and awareness of the entrepreneurs Mr Ibrahim said for establishing green industry and green business there is a need to create more awareness through organising frequent discussion sessions for enhancing public-private alliance and academia-industry collaboration. The director of the Department of Environment (DoE), Dr Fazle Rabbi Sadeque Ahmed, in his key-note speech said the global carbon market size is worth $130 billion but a very limited number of public-private organisations in our country are aware about the market and the CDM project. He disclosed that complicated and elaborate methodologies were discouraging less developed countries, especially the LDCs, from taking part in CDM projects. "The entrepreneurs of the country should be aware of the implications of climate change on the business sector. This is also necessary for a better understanding of the climate-induced threats on investment," he said. Terming climate change a devastating development, the chief guest of the programme, Dr Mizanur Rahman Shelley, said the developed countries are responsible for the present climate vulnerability and they have created it by unsystematic industrialisation and unethical consumerism. "They must give compensation and we have to increase our expertise to take the compensation," he said. Pointing out the necessity of having expertise Gareth Price-Jones, country director, Oxfam GB, Bangladesh suggested collaboration between local university scholars and business organisations considering the sustainable business mechanism. Quamrul Islam Chowdhury, chairman, Forum of Environmental Journalists, Dr Reaz Uddin, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Waste Concern Group, among others, spoke at the workshop. TIM Nurul Kabir, senior vice-president, DCCI offered the vote of thanks.
Business leaders and experts at a workshop Sunday said incorporation of Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) into industry can benefit the country in various ways. They said the CDM under Article 12 of the Kyoto Protocol can cement an environment-friendly sustainable business and also bring forth great opportunities for the entrepreneurs to sell carbon credits in the global market. "Although the discussion on climate change is very high on the agenda at the policy levels, the businessmen are not aware adequately about its practical impact," they said at the workshop titled "Dialogue on Clean Development Mechanism" held at the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) in the city. The Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI), the OXFAM GB Bangladesh and the Campaign for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods (CSRL) jointly organised the workshop with a view to raising awareness among the businessmen about the climate change issues and generating critical knowledge on implementation of the CDM. For creating a sustainable business foreground, the speakers urged the authorities concerned to implement CDM under the Kyoto Protocol to establish a perfect climate change business strategy. DCCI president and chair of the programme Asif Ibrahim said the magnitude of the climate change problem makes it clear that no single sector or technology could tackle the entire mitigation (greenhouse gas emission) challenge. He said in Bangladesh, eight CDM projects have so far been approved by the Designated National Authority (DNA), one of which is being implemented and another has been registered. Admitting the lack of expertise and awareness of the entrepreneurs Mr Ibrahim said for establishing green industry and green business there is a need to create more awareness through organising frequent discussion sessions for enhancing public-private alliance and academia-industry collaboration. The director of the Department of Environment (DoE), Dr Fazle Rabbi Sadeque Ahmed, in his key-note speech said the global carbon market size is worth $130 billion but a very limited number of public-private organisations in our country are aware about the market and the CDM project. He disclosed that complicated and elaborate methodologies were discouraging less developed countries, especially the LDCs, from taking part in CDM projects. "The entrepreneurs of the country should be aware of the implications of climate change on the business sector. This is also necessary for a better understanding of the climate-induced threats on investment," he said. Terming climate change a devastating development, the chief guest of the programme, Dr Mizanur Rahman Shelley, said the developed countries are responsible for the present climate vulnerability and they have created it by unsystematic industrialisation and unethical consumerism. "They must give compensation and we have to increase our expertise to take the compensation," he said. Pointing out the necessity of having expertise Gareth Price-Jones, country director, Oxfam GB, Bangladesh suggested collaboration between local university scholars and business organisations considering the sustainable business mechanism. Quamrul Islam Chowdhury, chairman, Forum of Environmental Journalists, Dr Reaz Uddin, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Waste Concern Group, among others, spoke at the workshop. TIM Nurul Kabir, senior vice-president, DCCI offered the vote of thanks.