Bangladesh should lead Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF) Countries towards the Carbon Neutral Economy by 2050.
The Center for Participatory Research and Development (CPRD), Climate Action Network South Asia-Bangladesh (CANSA), CAN South Asia, CAN International made this call in a virtual press event on Thursday.
The event titled, “Aligning Enhanced NDC to the Paris Goal: Bangladesh’s Leadership as the Chair of CVF” emphasized on dynamic leadership of Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as the chair of CVF to lead 48 climate vulnerable countries of this forum in the Prescient Biden’s Climate Suga Summit in April and towards the 26th climate conference at the end of this year.
In a key note presentation, Md Shamsuddoha, Chief Executive of CPRD emphasizes full implantation of the Paris Climate Agreement, especially achieving its overarching goal of limiting global average temperature rise well below 2 Degree C from the pre-industrial era.
He called up Bangladesh’s political leadership to undertake enhanced targets of carbon emission reduction under the NDC, also pursue other countries to make their NDCs progressive and aligned to the Paris Agreement.
Shamsuddoha presented a comprehensive analysis of the Paris Agreement’s goals. Alongside the carbon emission reduction, he also emphasizes full implementation of other goals and articles of the Paris Agreement, which include resilience building, addresses the loss and damages and fulfilling commitment of the developed countries of annually providing USD 100 billion for addressing climate change.
Shamsuddoha highlighted the scopes of establishing Bangladesh’s leadership in climate diplomacy. Being the current chair of the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF), Bangladesh could play a critical role taking a common position towards a carbon neutral economy also could create pressure on other countries for their faster response in carbon emission reduction.
Syed Jahangir Hasan Masum, Executive Director of CDP said that if Bangladesh wants to achieve the unconditional target of NDC, it’s mandatory to incorporate people in the NDC process. “There is no such scope to separate the current development from NDC process,” he mentioned.
Nikhil Bhadra, Senior Reporter of daily Kalerkontho expressed that the people working at the ground level, active researchers and the afflicted community bearing the brunt of climate change have not been involved in the NDC process. If these groups are not involved, it won’t be possible to develop a participatory NDC.
Dr Fazle Rabbi Sadeque Ahmed, Director Climate Change of PKSF said that high carbon-emitting nations have apathy in enhancing NDC. Many of them were seen to submit the previous version of NDC, it’s a big concern.
He said, “Bangladesh is responsible for 0.003 percent of the global carbon emission, and our country's national economic reality is quite lower than the high emitting countries. So, we have to simultaneously focus on the poverty alleviation, making the community resilient towards climate change and we have to keep pace with the global initiatives.”
Kauser Rahman, President, Bangladesh Climate Journalist Forum, Quamrul Islam Chowdhury, President, Forum of Environmental Journalists of Bangladesh and Rabeya Begum, Chairperson, Steering Committee, CANSA-Bangladesh also spoke in the event.
It also recommended to ensure participation of a broad range of stakeholders’, like, sectorial experts, CSOs, Private Sector; ensure participation and ownership of other relevant ministries.