ZCZC
BSS-19
UN-BD-CLIMATE-CHANGE
Bangladesh a role model in climate change adaptation: Ban Ki-moon
DHAKA, Oct 18, 2018 (BSS) – Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has said
Bangladesh is a role model in the world as it has taken many initiatives to
cope with climate change impacts despite being a developing one.
Ban Ki-moon said this while addressing the launching of
Global Commission on Adaptation (GCA) in the Netherlands on Monday, according
to a message received here today.
The GCA is a new initiative to elevate the political visibility of
climate change adaptation and focus on solutions. Prime Minister Sheikh
Hasina along with the Presidents of South Africa, Senegal, Indonesia, Mexico,
Costa Rica, Marshall Islands, Argentina, Premier of China, Chancellor of
Germany, and Prime Ministers of the Netherlands, India, the UK, Canada,
Denmark, Ethiopia and Grenada are the conveners of the GCA.
Speaking on the occasion, Ban Ki-moon appreciated the leadership of Prime
Minister Sheikh Hasina for her role as a global leader in bringing the issue
of adaptation in an emphatic and innovative way.
While representing Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as Convener, Environment,
Forest and Climate Change Minister Anisul Islam Mahmud said mere discussion
would not solve the problem, but targeted funding is required.
Noting that private funding in the developing world is a huge challenge,
he urged the developed countries to come up with more funding.
Highlighting transboundary nature of climate, Anisul drew the attention
of global community on the problem of melting of snow in the Himalayas at an
alarming rate, and wished to see a Himalayan basin wide approach for more
coordinated actions against the problems of climate change.
He also highlighted the presence of over one million of forcibly
displaced Rohingyas from Myanmar and how they also aggravated the environment
as Bangladesh has to provide them accommodation and means of living.
The environment minister assured that Bangladesh would continue to deal
with the issue of climate change adaptation under the leadership of Prime
Minister Sheikh Hasina as Bangladesh would like to build an eco-friendly and
integrated South Asia, where Bangladesh shall continue to serve as a role
model.
In his inaugurating speech, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte referred to
Bangladesh’s successes as well as challenges with regard to climate change
adaptation.
The inaugural ceremony also included a video message from Bangladesh
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, where she highlighted Bangladesh’s stellar
successes in climate change related disaster risk reduction and climate
change adaptation strategies and programmes, and assured Bangladesh’s own
trend setting work to make the lives and living of Bangladesh people as safe
and prosperous as possible.
BSS/PR/KUC/MRI/1628 hrs