It is encouraging to learn that Bangladesh will use its Presidency of Climate Vulnerable forum (CVF) to act as a champion for the urgent strengthening of climate action by all. We are told that Bangladesh will use its Presidency especially to keep the increase of global temperature within 1.5 degree centigrade and to implement the commitments made at Paris.
Bangladesh is recognised internationally for its cutting-edge achievements in addressing climate change. The country is often considered a climate-change adaptation champion.
Bangladesh is one of the nations that emits very little carbon, but it is likely to be among those that suffer most because of global warming. However, the country is not waiting to be rescued by others. It has taken several initiatives to facilitate climate-resilient development.
Bangladesh needs a
global commitment to
face climate challenges
There is a growing realisation that the adverse impacts of climate change will affect everyone sooner than we had estimated, and hence investment in adaptation must be prioritised urgently around the globe. According to a World Bank report, Bangladesh’s average annual temperature is predicted to increase by 1.0°C to 2.5°C. Experts envisage that such a rise in temperature will not only cost Bangladesh 6.7 percent of Gross Domestic Product and lower the living standards of more than one-third of its population by 2050 but also it will have a massive impact on environment, livelihood, irrigation, ecology and biodiversity.
The world is now going through a situation where the most vulnerable countries, which deserve the highest level of priority, are failing to access whatever support that is being realised.
Major emitters show extreme reluctance on mitigation, which may wreck the international climate regime and put the climate vulnerable countries like Bangladesh at peril.
As developed countries are accountable for the severe consequences of climate change, they must provide necessary financial, technological and intellectual support to the developing countries following the Paris Agreement to tackle climate change. Moreover, developing countries like Bangladesh needs a global commitment to face climate challenges.
