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All about funds for adaptation to climate change

December 20, 2009 00:00:00


We know that Bangladesh is one of the countries extremely exposed to climatic threats. Recently world leaders were told of our concerns with regards to climate change.
They tell us also that our own government has also formed two separate high-powered committees to prepare climate change strategies and deal with the fund so that people get the maximum benefits of around Tk 3.0 billion (300 crore) allocated in the budget. The two committees are the aptly named Strategy and Action Plan Committee and the most appropriately titled Fund Operation Committee.
Also we may soon have an International Adaptation Centre in Dhaka with support of UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
Calling for ensuring early access of the least developed countries (LDCs) to the Adaptation Fund (that is, money), Bangladesh proposed making a vulnerability index to allocate the future support from the adaptation fund and a legally binding instrument for adaptation. Those people were told that population size, geographical location, social economic condition, UN Human Development Index and vulnerability of the country to climate change and other natural hazards should be the criteria for making such vulnerability index (read: who gets more money).
We did not forget to remind everyone that the promise by the rich nations in 2001, at the seventh conference of the parties in Morocco, to give US$ 2.0 billion to the LDCs for taking immediate and urgent action on adaptation to climate change, was never delivered, inspite of the best intentions of those who were to supply the money.
This time we also focussed on Adaptation, Shared Vision, Finance and Technology Transfer under Long term Cooperative Action (LCA) and Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF), Reduction of Emission from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) and Emission Reduction by the developed countries under Kyoto Protocol.
All very commendable, except one matter. Someone, I forget who, also demanded that there must also be absolutely no conditions wrapped around whatever fund the LDCs get with regard to how they will be spent in Bangladesh! Where as the need of the hour is that those funds must be given under absolutely rigorous binding conditions. And these must be rigorously monitored so that absolutely not a single poisha or penny is misappropriated. This must be guaranteed.
Transparency is imperative. No one should give any money to anyone without ensuring that it goes to the right places and spent with the right intentions. We have well wishers of the people here who foam at the mouth claiming to be completely above suspicion but unfortunately most of them are the least to be trusted with our people's money.
Md Moniruzzaman
Mymensingh

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