Setting goals at the climate change conference

Preparatory works precede the holding of international conferences. Therefore, these turn out to be predetermined events in many cases. There is every likelihood that the same would be the fate of the international conference in London which started from Wednesday devoted to channeling funds to Bangladesh to cope with climate change. However, there are possibly opportunities, still, for Bangladesh to submit its own viewpoints afresh on how the international assistance should be mobilised and spent. The same should be fully explored so that in the name of getting international assistance this country does not become the unfortunate victim of fruitless spending and get saddled with fresh debts that its future generations would have to bear without receiving well the benefits from incurring such debts. brAs it is, Bangladesh has been identified as one of the countries to be worst affected by climate change, an outcome of globally polluting activities of the rich and developed countries. From this recognition has also come promises from these countries that they would lend substantial resources to Bangladesh as compensation. The challenge for Bangladesh would be to liaison with the donor countries and organisations to obtain these resources free of cost and use the same in time in optimum fashion to maximize benefits. But whatever could be learnt about the London conference was that it would discuss mainly the creation of a fund for Bangladesh until 2015 under the auspices of the World Bank (WB), the aid agency of the British government and other donors. Under the programme, Bangladesh would get some $4.0 billion for spending on activities meant for offsetting effects of climate change. But $3.0 billion would be given as loan by the WB and the rest would come as developmental assistance from the donors. Thus, the greater part of this assistance to be given by WB as loan would have to be serviced or repaid by Bangladesh over the years. The WB would be put in controlling position of the whole operation and it is credibly feared that substantial part of the funds could be misspent on consultancies, studies and other services which previous experiences showed in so many cases in Bangladesh. brThus, Bangladeshi observers and experts are of the view that the London conference could be truly useful if it was planned to get specific and substantial commitments of funds from donor countries for Bangladesh as pure grants. Bangladesh can also very reasonably expect such grants as compensation from the rich countries for the great havocs to be caused to it for no fault on its part. It is also important for Bangladesh to put the pressure on the rich countries to get their direct cooperation to deal with climate change. For example, negotiations led to the Maldives getting a bill piloted successfully through the Australian parliament to admit a large number of its environmental refuges to Australia as that island nation would start sinking from sea level rise. The Maldives also has a similar agreement with Canada. Thus, it is imperative for Bangladesh to engage in hard negotiations with European, North American and other countries to ensure migration of a large part of its population who might become environmental refugees by 2030.brThe greatest benefit can come to Bangladesh by working as a catalyst to get the rich and developed countries specially the USA to agree to immediate reduction in carbon emissions. To this end, it should engage all its diplomatic might and the London Conference can be an appropriate forum for starting such a campaign with the utmost vigour. Persuading successfully the developed countries to reduce their greenhouse gas emission appropriately at an early date can be the most successful input from Bangladesh than any amount of resources extended to it to cope with the effects of climate change.