PM for legally binding commitments in future climate agreement
Friday, 4 September 2009
GENEVA, Sept 3 (BSS): Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Thursday called for incorporating legally binding commitments in the future climate agreement to address the adaptation needs of the economically and climatically vulnerable least developed countries (LDCs).
"The post-2012 agreement should incorporate predictable and legally binding commitments to address the climate-induced adaptation needs of low-lying coastal states, small-island countries, and LDCs," she said in a statement at the World Climate Conference-3 here in the morning.
Hasina was making Bangladesh's statement at the First Plenary Session of the World Climate Conference-3 also addressed by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and high UN officials.
Geneva-based World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) organised five-day conference attended by experts and policymakers has adopted a Global Framework for Climate Services (GFCS) to promote global access to climate information and services so that the world can better cope with climate variability and change.
Co-chaired by Federal Councillor and former President of the Swiss Confederation Moritz Leuenberger and President of Mozambique Armando Emilio Guebuza, the session was addressed earlier by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, Chair of Intergovernmental Panel of Climate Change (IPCC) Dr Rajendra Kumar Pachauri and Chair of Expert Segment Dr Alexander Bedritsky.
Besides, Tajik President Emomali Pakhmon, Head of State of Monaco Prince Albert II, Ethiopian President Girma Wolde Giorgis, Slovenian President Danilo Turk, Tanzanian Vice President Dr Ali Mohamed Shein, Comoros Vice President Idi Nadhoim, Vice Premier of China Hui Liangyu, Niue Premier Toke Talagi, Prime Minister of Cook Islands Jim Marurai also made their country's statements.
Besides, Fisheries and Water Resources Minister of Gambia Antouman Saho, Environment and Protection of Nature Minister of Cameroon Pierre Hele and Environment and Foreign Minister of Togo also made their respective countries' statements on behalf of their presidents in the conference.
The Prime Minister said the LDCs deserve special attention of the global community due to their economic and climatic vulnerabilities. At least US$2.0 billion would be required to implement adaptation programmes in LDCs over the next five years, but the LDC Fund has so far received a meagre $172 million since its establishment, she pointed out.
Hasina said the LDCs were hardly benefited from the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and additional fund should, therefore, be made available under the mechanism of Adaptation Fund.
The Prime Minister in her statement highlighted Bangladesh's vulnerability to climate change and vexing issues caused by the natural disaster from global warming and urged the developed countries to come forward to assist the country to adapt to climate change.
About 20 million Bangladeshis would have to be relocated by 2050 due to impacts of climate change, she said a metre rise in sea level would inundate a third of Bangladesh, which will result in mass migration northwards creating a human disaster for the country.
She said the Bangladesh government has decided to undertake a massive project for capital dredging of all rivers to maintain their natural courses, deepen them to hold water, restrict flooding, reduce flood damage, reclaim inundated land and keep the rivers navigable for movement of people and goods as well.
The Prime Minister mentioned creating the Climate Change Fund with its own resources and said the fund will be used for expanding community-based disaster preparedness and adaptation programmes.
Referring to the ongoing UN-sponsored negotiation process for a new global climate regime for the post-Kyoto period, the Prime Minister said responsibility-sharing and effective international cooperation should be embedded in the core principles in future climate regime.
She said the outcome of the Copenhagen conference should include assured, adequate and easily accessible funding for adaptation, together with access to scientific credible information to climate change, particularly over sectors like risk reduction, water resources, agriculture, energy, urban planning and health hazards.
The Prime Minister said the declaration of the WCC-3 would pave the way for a new World Climate Services System and the insights shared in Geneva would further contribute to the progress for achieving success in Copenhagen.
She reiterated that the success of a new climate system would largely depend on international support and cooperation in enhancing the technological and service-delivery capacity of meteorological organizations of developing countries, especially the LDCs.
The agreement that has been reached in Geneva would empower the efforts to reverse the alarming climatic trends, threatening the country's existence, she said calling for devising collective strategies based on informed decisions to disprove the dire prognosis about future.
"The post-2012 agreement should incorporate predictable and legally binding commitments to address the climate-induced adaptation needs of low-lying coastal states, small-island countries, and LDCs," she said in a statement at the World Climate Conference-3 here in the morning.
Hasina was making Bangladesh's statement at the First Plenary Session of the World Climate Conference-3 also addressed by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and high UN officials.
Geneva-based World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) organised five-day conference attended by experts and policymakers has adopted a Global Framework for Climate Services (GFCS) to promote global access to climate information and services so that the world can better cope with climate variability and change.
Co-chaired by Federal Councillor and former President of the Swiss Confederation Moritz Leuenberger and President of Mozambique Armando Emilio Guebuza, the session was addressed earlier by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, Chair of Intergovernmental Panel of Climate Change (IPCC) Dr Rajendra Kumar Pachauri and Chair of Expert Segment Dr Alexander Bedritsky.
Besides, Tajik President Emomali Pakhmon, Head of State of Monaco Prince Albert II, Ethiopian President Girma Wolde Giorgis, Slovenian President Danilo Turk, Tanzanian Vice President Dr Ali Mohamed Shein, Comoros Vice President Idi Nadhoim, Vice Premier of China Hui Liangyu, Niue Premier Toke Talagi, Prime Minister of Cook Islands Jim Marurai also made their country's statements.
Besides, Fisheries and Water Resources Minister of Gambia Antouman Saho, Environment and Protection of Nature Minister of Cameroon Pierre Hele and Environment and Foreign Minister of Togo also made their respective countries' statements on behalf of their presidents in the conference.
The Prime Minister said the LDCs deserve special attention of the global community due to their economic and climatic vulnerabilities. At least US$2.0 billion would be required to implement adaptation programmes in LDCs over the next five years, but the LDC Fund has so far received a meagre $172 million since its establishment, she pointed out.
Hasina said the LDCs were hardly benefited from the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and additional fund should, therefore, be made available under the mechanism of Adaptation Fund.
The Prime Minister in her statement highlighted Bangladesh's vulnerability to climate change and vexing issues caused by the natural disaster from global warming and urged the developed countries to come forward to assist the country to adapt to climate change.
About 20 million Bangladeshis would have to be relocated by 2050 due to impacts of climate change, she said a metre rise in sea level would inundate a third of Bangladesh, which will result in mass migration northwards creating a human disaster for the country.
She said the Bangladesh government has decided to undertake a massive project for capital dredging of all rivers to maintain their natural courses, deepen them to hold water, restrict flooding, reduce flood damage, reclaim inundated land and keep the rivers navigable for movement of people and goods as well.
The Prime Minister mentioned creating the Climate Change Fund with its own resources and said the fund will be used for expanding community-based disaster preparedness and adaptation programmes.
Referring to the ongoing UN-sponsored negotiation process for a new global climate regime for the post-Kyoto period, the Prime Minister said responsibility-sharing and effective international cooperation should be embedded in the core principles in future climate regime.
She said the outcome of the Copenhagen conference should include assured, adequate and easily accessible funding for adaptation, together with access to scientific credible information to climate change, particularly over sectors like risk reduction, water resources, agriculture, energy, urban planning and health hazards.
The Prime Minister said the declaration of the WCC-3 would pave the way for a new World Climate Services System and the insights shared in Geneva would further contribute to the progress for achieving success in Copenhagen.
She reiterated that the success of a new climate system would largely depend on international support and cooperation in enhancing the technological and service-delivery capacity of meteorological organizations of developing countries, especially the LDCs.
The agreement that has been reached in Geneva would empower the efforts to reverse the alarming climatic trends, threatening the country's existence, she said calling for devising collective strategies based on informed decisions to disprove the dire prognosis about future.