The world leaders are set to gather for the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference, or Conference of the Parties (COP28), this week to discuss ways and measures to limit and prepare for climate change.
The COP28 will take place from November 28 to December 12 in Dubai of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) under the chairmanship of the UAE.
Like other countries, the Bangladesh delegation is also set to join the COP28 with the preparations to play an effective and strong role in this year’s climate conference.
Like the previous years, Bangladesh has already set up a pavilion of 152 square metres at the COP28 venue in Dubai and will organise various sideline events there.
Prior to the COP28, experts on climate change and environmentalists called upon the Bangladesh delegation to ensure the Loss and Damage Fund at this climate conference.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday (November 27, 2023), they said that acknowledgment of youth as active participants in achieving climate justice and addressing challenges and encouraging scientific research-based solutions should be encouraged.
The press conference titled “Dubai Climate Conference (COP28): People’s Proposal” was held at the National Press Club in the capital city of Bangladesh, jointly organised by Center for Atmospheric Pollution Studies (CAPS) and Bangladesh Resource Center for Indigenous Knowledge (BARCIK).
CAPS Chairman Professor Dr. Ahmad Kamruzzaman Majumder chaired the press conference, while BARCIK Director Pavel Parth delivered the keynote speech.
BARCIK’s coordinator Jahangir Alam, its project director Md Kamruzzaman Sagar, legal director of CAPS Advocate Rasheduzzaman Majumder, research coordinator of Paribesh Udyag Engineer Md. Nasir Ahmed Patwari, president of South Asian Climate Journalists Forum Kaiser Ahmed and special correspondent of Dainik Kaler Kantha Nikhil Bhadra spoke at the press conference.
The press conference was also attended, among others, by CAPS’s scientific officer Engineer Marziat Rahman, assistant professor at Environmental Science Department of Stamford University Mahmuda Parveen, senior lecturer Mahmuda Islam, lecturer Humayun Kabir and climate activist Mohaiminul Islam Zipat.
In the presidential speech, Professor Dr. Ahmad Kamruzzaman Majumder said that the climate conference is a platform where all countries come to work together to deal with climate risks.
“We will request the policymakers to present the demands of the people of all regions of Bangladesh in the climate conference to deal with the risk of climate change. The main climate conference may be a few days but we need to work all year round to do justice. Acknowledgment of youth as active participants in achieving climate justice and addressing challenges and science-based solutions should be encouraged,” said the CAPS Chairman.
In the his speech, BARCIK Director Pavel Parth said that about 1% of the world's rich and developed countries emit the same amount of carbon that 66% of the world’s people emit. “The amount of carbon emission of Bangladesh is very insignificant. Still, our country is constantly suffering from various disasters and dangers due to climate change. Therefore, through this year’s climate conference, we need to ensure both economic and non-economic loss and damage fund for our country,” he added.
He further said, “We also need to take some actions. The participation of the youth should be ensured in the adoption and implementation of all plans to deal with climate change. At the same time, we can move our country towards a developed state by ensuring housing, education, safe water, electricity and safe energy for the low-income people in city.”
Advocate Rasheduzzaman Majumder said that Bangladesh is on the first row in the list of affected countries despite not being responsible for climate change. “If we compare the damage of climate change to a ship, then there are developing countries like Bangladesh on the bottom floor and developed countries on the top floor. In the end, no one will be able to survive if the ship sinks, that is, a terrible disaster. So climate risk must be tackled with collective initiative of all,” he argued.
Kaiser Ahmed said the annual temperature has broken almost all records this year, and it is apprehended to intensify in the future. “We want to make the issue of reducing global temperature more effective at this year’s climate conference,” he said.
Nikhil Bhadra said that the demand for climate justice and compensation must be ensured.
BARCIK’s coordinator Jahangir Alam said, “We are constantly suffering from the luxury of developed countries. We demand that the Loss and Damage Fund be implemented at this Climate Conference and we must show our dues,” he added.
