Hasina proposes Himalayan Council, IARC, regional grid
Thursday, 29 April 2010
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wednesday presented two innovative proposals - setting up Himalayan Council on the model of the Artic Council to help the climate-victim nations in South Asia and an International Adaptation and Research Centre (IARC) in Bangladesh to recommend measures to cope with the impacts of climate change, report UNB and bdnews24.com from Thimpu.
Hasina mooted the proposals while delivering a statement at the opening session of the 16th SAARC summit at the Grand Assembly Hall, as the 'climate change' is the key theme of the Thimpu summit that began Wednesday afternoon.
The Prime Minister said the proposed IARC could facilitate exchange of scientific data, eco-friendly technologies, experience in renewable energy and assist the relevant SAARC regional centres to realise their mandates. It could also help implement the SAARC Convention on Cooperation on Environment signed at the summit.
"Global warming and climate change have already impacted our nations with melting of the Himalayan glaciers, rising sea-level, erratic precipitation, land degradation, desertification and salinity," she told the summit of the leaders of the eight South Asian countries.
As Bangladesh is the most vulnerable country to the global warming, Hasina said the adverse geophysical changes with increasing frequency of cyclones and floods have been retarding the economic growth, poverty alleviation efforts, and millennium development goals (MDGs).
The Prime Minister observed that at the regional level, a unified approach is of essence, and called for the SAARC to establish a Himalayan Council on the model of the Artic Council for assisting the affected countries in the region.
On the impact on the agriculture sector, Hasina said climate change is also responsible for declining agricultural land, thereby threatening food security. "An answer here is high yielding seeds, resistant to pest attacks and climate variations for enhancing productivity."
She stressed the need for a SAARC Seed Bank with necessary legal framework for quality seed production, harmonised seed testing, certification, seed trade, and exchange of germ-plasm and plant genetic resources.
On the economic scenario, she noted that the South Asian economies have shown remarkable resilience in the face of recent global meltdown. Still, they have suffered from economic slowdown, soaring oil and food prices, and climate change.
Hasina mooted the proposals while delivering a statement at the opening session of the 16th SAARC summit at the Grand Assembly Hall, as the 'climate change' is the key theme of the Thimpu summit that began Wednesday afternoon.
The Prime Minister said the proposed IARC could facilitate exchange of scientific data, eco-friendly technologies, experience in renewable energy and assist the relevant SAARC regional centres to realise their mandates. It could also help implement the SAARC Convention on Cooperation on Environment signed at the summit.
"Global warming and climate change have already impacted our nations with melting of the Himalayan glaciers, rising sea-level, erratic precipitation, land degradation, desertification and salinity," she told the summit of the leaders of the eight South Asian countries.
As Bangladesh is the most vulnerable country to the global warming, Hasina said the adverse geophysical changes with increasing frequency of cyclones and floods have been retarding the economic growth, poverty alleviation efforts, and millennium development goals (MDGs).
The Prime Minister observed that at the regional level, a unified approach is of essence, and called for the SAARC to establish a Himalayan Council on the model of the Artic Council for assisting the affected countries in the region.
On the impact on the agriculture sector, Hasina said climate change is also responsible for declining agricultural land, thereby threatening food security. "An answer here is high yielding seeds, resistant to pest attacks and climate variations for enhancing productivity."
She stressed the need for a SAARC Seed Bank with necessary legal framework for quality seed production, harmonised seed testing, certification, seed trade, and exchange of germ-plasm and plant genetic resources.
On the economic scenario, she noted that the South Asian economies have shown remarkable resilience in the face of recent global meltdown. Still, they have suffered from economic slowdown, soaring oil and food prices, and climate change.