MPs demand compensation from rich countries
Friday, 26 November 2010
FE Report
Lawmakers at a view-exchanging meeting Thursday said they will collectively make efforts to reach a valid agreement in the coming 16th World Climate Summit in Cancun by presenting the adverse impact of climate change.
The parliamentarians said they are preparing themselves for achieving the milestone by capitalising on their previous experiences they gained in Copenhagen Summit-2009, which brought nothing special for the least development countries.
All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) organised the meeting titled "16th Global Climate Summit (COP16): National Expectations in Bangladesh" at the National Press Club where they also underscored the necessity of taking special measures to successfully tackle the problem.
Awami League lawmaker from Tangail-7 constituency Ekabbar Hossain presided over the meeting.
"We want to sign at least one treaty in the summit so that we can put pressure on the developed countries to reduce pollution," an influential member of the parliament Israfil Alam said, adding that they have been preparing themselves in this regard.
He demanded enough compensation from the developed countries - which are the major players behind climate change - for whatever harms have already been caused to the environment or are likely to cause in the future.
"What our strategies will be in the conference should have been fixed in a transparent way after receiving opinion and suggestions from all stakeholders," Joynal Abedin Faruk, opposition chief whip in the parliament, said, adding that they are united in placing the demand in the international arena to cope with global warming.
He said the developed countries spend billions of dollars each year for launching attacks in Iraq and Afghanistan. "Then why will they not spend money for protecting people from climate change, for which they are responsible?" he questioned.
He also demanded considering inclusion of more opposition lawmakers in the team of 92 parliamentarians to participate in the Cancun summit in Mexico on December 3rd this year.
Noni Gopal Mandal, a lawmaker from the country's coastal area, said the rich countries will be convinced to provide compensation if Bangladeshi representatives can successfully present the climate change-related miseries.
Lawmakers at a view-exchanging meeting Thursday said they will collectively make efforts to reach a valid agreement in the coming 16th World Climate Summit in Cancun by presenting the adverse impact of climate change.
The parliamentarians said they are preparing themselves for achieving the milestone by capitalising on their previous experiences they gained in Copenhagen Summit-2009, which brought nothing special for the least development countries.
All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) organised the meeting titled "16th Global Climate Summit (COP16): National Expectations in Bangladesh" at the National Press Club where they also underscored the necessity of taking special measures to successfully tackle the problem.
Awami League lawmaker from Tangail-7 constituency Ekabbar Hossain presided over the meeting.
"We want to sign at least one treaty in the summit so that we can put pressure on the developed countries to reduce pollution," an influential member of the parliament Israfil Alam said, adding that they have been preparing themselves in this regard.
He demanded enough compensation from the developed countries - which are the major players behind climate change - for whatever harms have already been caused to the environment or are likely to cause in the future.
"What our strategies will be in the conference should have been fixed in a transparent way after receiving opinion and suggestions from all stakeholders," Joynal Abedin Faruk, opposition chief whip in the parliament, said, adding that they are united in placing the demand in the international arena to cope with global warming.
He said the developed countries spend billions of dollars each year for launching attacks in Iraq and Afghanistan. "Then why will they not spend money for protecting people from climate change, for which they are responsible?" he questioned.
He also demanded considering inclusion of more opposition lawmakers in the team of 92 parliamentarians to participate in the Cancun summit in Mexico on December 3rd this year.
Noni Gopal Mandal, a lawmaker from the country's coastal area, said the rich countries will be convinced to provide compensation if Bangladeshi representatives can successfully present the climate change-related miseries.