BSS-64 Ban Ki-moon commends Bangladesh efforts in facing adverse impacts of climate change

812

ZCZC

BSS-64

BAN KI-MOON-CLIMATE

Ban Ki-moon commends Bangladesh efforts in facing adverse impacts of
climate change

COX’S BAZAR, July 10, 2019 (BSS) – Former Secretary General of the United
Nations Ban Ki Moon today commended the efforts of Bangladesh in the face of
adverse impacts of climate change saying rest of the world could learn how
this frontline country is now building resilience and adapting to sea-rise,
more frequent cyclones and flooding.

“Bangladesh is one of the mother countries to learn how to adapt to the
changing climate, how to reduce the sufferings of the people and
community…We try to send this message to the rest of the world. Prime
Minister Sheikh Hasina is very effectively leading the adaptation work to cut
vulnerabilities and build resilience,” Ban Ki-moon told BSS here standing on
the hill top of a makeshift Rohingya camp after planting a Chompa sapling.

He also compared the 5,00,000 death in 1970 cyclone with only a very few
in cyclone FANI this year.

The former UN boss along with CEO of the World Bank, Kristalina Georgieva,
CEO of the Global Center on Adaptation Patrick Verkooijen and a number of
other participants of the Global Climate Adaptation Commission (GCAC)
attended a meeting held in Dhaka flown here this afternoon for a whirlwind
visit.

Ban Ki-moon also underscored the need for raising the profile of
adaptation at the global level side by side mitigation saying “Adaptation and
mitigation go hand in hand. But many put more emphasis on mitigation. Not
much on adaptation. That is why we formed Global Climate Adaptation
Commission.”

Besides, attending the GCAC meeting in Dhaka, they are now in this country
to collaborate on projects to help Bangladesh adapt to the stark realities of
the adverse impacts of climate change and to learn from some of the local
initiatives which have had massive benefits on the ground in this country and
to see two major projects which showcase the need for and the progress in
tackling the impacts of climate change in Bangladesh.

The first is a major project to build cyclone shelters in vulnerable
coastal regions, said WB’s CEO Kristalina. At the moment the initiative is
focused on 4000 families, but the plan is to roll this out across almost one
third of the country in the future.

The second location is a Rohingya settlement camp which has been
constructed to be climate resilient to prevent extreme weather events from
becoming disasters. This is done through early warning systems, construction
of evacuation shelters, and community education.

From the chopper, they watched a number of other projects, including
mangrove restoration and see the visual signs of the vulnerability of
Bangladesh. They landed in locations to see for themselves.

The former UN chief Ban Ki Moon, along with Kristina Georgieva, CEO of the
World Bank and Patrick Vrarkooiien, CEO of the Global Center on Adaptation
left here for Dhaka at 6 pm by two helicopters after looking at mangrove
restoration on the coast of Cox’s Bazar to help with flooding prevention and
adaption effort for the Rohingya refugees taking shelter in those camps.

BSS/QC/FI/ 2210 hrs