It is startling to note that at least of 33 districts in the country are under constant risk of flood due to the adverse impact of climate change. 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.
World Bank reports say that in order to deal with climate change, on an average Bangladesh will need an estimated fund of more than USD 166 million every year till the year 2050. However, the irony is that Bangladesh has done almost nothing to cause global warming unlike first world countries like the USA, Australia and Canada who bear a great deal of responsibility for carbon emission already in the atmosphere. Nevertheless, the country has to pay a much steeper price because of its geographical location. Here the curse of climate change hits in the forms of rising sea level, natural disasters, economic breakdown, prolonged monsoon, frequent changes in weather pattern and temperature and so on. In this regard, Bangladesh needs a global commitment to deal with the adverse impact of climate change in the coming days.
It is envisaged that Bangladesh’s growth
rate may lose its momentum in the
coming days due to climate
change consequences
Experts assert that without incorporating Paris Agreement, it will not be possible to restrict rise in world temperature. It is envisaged that Bangladesh’s growth rate may lose its momentum in the coming days due to climate change consequences. This will hinder the country’s development gains unless proper mitigation and effective prevention measures are undertaken immediately.
Hence, it is high time to increase the investment in policies and programmes to protect people from environmental risks induced by climate change. It is said that Bangladesh will need billions of dollars over the next decades to deal with the upcoming severities of climate change. As developed countries are accountable for the consequences of climate change, they should provide necessary financial, technical and intellectual support to the developing countries to tackle climate change. There is no denying that developing countries like Bangladesh need a global commitment to face the local problems posed by climate change. In this regard, devising ‘glocal’ (global plus local) interventions is very much required. It is up to the authorities concerned including the policymakers to do the needful for increasing budget allocation to tackle the impacts of climate change. Also there is a need to prioritize the districts vulnerable to climate change and poverty and establish a district level funding mechanism focusing capacity building of women, young people and children, and promote green jobs at rural and semi-urban areas, which will not only contribute to decreasing vulnerability posed by climate change but also will fuel our national economic growth.