French parliament discusses Bangladesh's vulnerability
Friday, 4 December 2009
PARIS, Dec 3 (UNB): Bangladesh's vulnerability to global warming was eloquently discussed in French National Assembly here Wednesday.
France and Brazil were poised to make a joint push at the Copenhagen climate change conference for adopting a financial framework to address the adverse impacts of the climate change on the most risky countries in Asia and Africa.
French Minister for Ecology and Sustainable Development Jean-Louis Borloo, who visited Bangladesh last month to see the devastating impact of climate change, raised the debate at a special parliament session to finalise France's position at the COP15 in Copenhagen.
"Many poor countries like Bangladesh are at the risk of deforestation, coastal erosion and flooding due to global warming… these countries need immediate help," he said initiating a crucial parliament debate in the afternoon.
Borloo, the second man in the French Cabinet after the Prime Minister, said that in order to help the vulnerable countries, it would need a fund of 150 billion Euro -- 5.0 to 7.0 billion euro a year -- which should be guaranteed as complementary to existing development aid.
"We're not in a situation of rivalry, not in a situation of negotiating with rivals… What needed is solidarity amongst us and ensuring sustainable development," he said.
Expressing optimism about a legally binding agreement at the Copenhagen summit for cutting the greenhouse gas emission and financing adaptation programme, the French minister said: "We've reason to be optimistic about a deal because the countries that had not done enough in the recent past now started moving."
French National Assembly members across the board are sympathetic towards the sufferings of Bangladesh and other vulnerable countries in Africa and Asia that have no contribution towards the global warming.
Supporting Borloo's stance, an opposition member said the richer countries must make efforts to help their poorest neighbours. "We should learn to live together like brothers; otherwise, we will die together like imbeciles."
Paul Giacobbi MP and President of Franco-Bangladesh Friendship Group told a group of visiting Bangladesh journalists that President Nicolas Sarkozy and the EU President were very positive and active to pay for least developed countries (LDCs) in a bid to combat the impact of the global warming through effective adaptation programme.
Officials of the French Climate and Energy Department, who are working on reaching a deal at the COP15, stressed on urgent need for action to support the adaptation programme in LDCs and small island states in Asia and Africa.
Jean Lamy, head of Climate and Energy Department, said that the financial framework to address adaptation programme in the frontline states of the climate change should begin from the next year.
France and Brazil were poised to make a joint push at the Copenhagen climate change conference for adopting a financial framework to address the adverse impacts of the climate change on the most risky countries in Asia and Africa.
French Minister for Ecology and Sustainable Development Jean-Louis Borloo, who visited Bangladesh last month to see the devastating impact of climate change, raised the debate at a special parliament session to finalise France's position at the COP15 in Copenhagen.
"Many poor countries like Bangladesh are at the risk of deforestation, coastal erosion and flooding due to global warming… these countries need immediate help," he said initiating a crucial parliament debate in the afternoon.
Borloo, the second man in the French Cabinet after the Prime Minister, said that in order to help the vulnerable countries, it would need a fund of 150 billion Euro -- 5.0 to 7.0 billion euro a year -- which should be guaranteed as complementary to existing development aid.
"We're not in a situation of rivalry, not in a situation of negotiating with rivals… What needed is solidarity amongst us and ensuring sustainable development," he said.
Expressing optimism about a legally binding agreement at the Copenhagen summit for cutting the greenhouse gas emission and financing adaptation programme, the French minister said: "We've reason to be optimistic about a deal because the countries that had not done enough in the recent past now started moving."
French National Assembly members across the board are sympathetic towards the sufferings of Bangladesh and other vulnerable countries in Africa and Asia that have no contribution towards the global warming.
Supporting Borloo's stance, an opposition member said the richer countries must make efforts to help their poorest neighbours. "We should learn to live together like brothers; otherwise, we will die together like imbeciles."
Paul Giacobbi MP and President of Franco-Bangladesh Friendship Group told a group of visiting Bangladesh journalists that President Nicolas Sarkozy and the EU President were very positive and active to pay for least developed countries (LDCs) in a bid to combat the impact of the global warming through effective adaptation programme.
Officials of the French Climate and Energy Department, who are working on reaching a deal at the COP15, stressed on urgent need for action to support the adaptation programme in LDCs and small island states in Asia and Africa.
Jean Lamy, head of Climate and Energy Department, said that the financial framework to address adaptation programme in the frontline states of the climate change should begin from the next year.