JS-08 JS unanimously adopts proposal on climate change impact

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ZCZC

JS-08

CLIMATE-CHANGE

JS unanimously adopts proposal on climate change impact

SANGSAD BHABAN, Nov 13, 2019 (BSS) – The parliament today unanimously adopted a proposal on the adverse impact of climate change as Bangladesh would be the ‘worst victim’ due to its impact.

The proposal was adopted in the House unanimously by the voice votes as treasury bench lawmaker Saber Hossain Chowdhury placed the motion under Section 147 of the rules of procedure in the Jatiya Sangsad with Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury in the chair.

Saber Hossain Chowdhury, also chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, urged the parliament to declare a Planetary Emergency on account of existential crisis of climate change, impact of disasters and increase in extreme weather events, irreparable loss of bio-diversity, looming food insecurity, rising water stress, unprecedented pressure on oceans and unsustainable use of resources.

The global community must act urgently, decisively and with considerably higher ambition in achieving net zero emissions well before 2050, capping temperature rise to 1.5 degree clesius and transitioning swiftly to low carbon economies as overarching priorities.

Despite having contributed least to these problems, Bangladesh and many other countries in developing world, including small island developing states (SIDS) are the most impacted and vulnerable.

Actions at global levels have not matched commitments and rhetoric, planetary justice and climate equity demands that these vulnerable countries are assisted with finance and technology to meet their development aspirations.

This House therefore, calls on parliaments, governments, the United Nations and all stakeholders to work on a war footing as custodians and as one team to protect and fortify “our Plant-the only Home we have”, according to the motion.

Lauding the prime minister’s role on the adverse impact of climate change, senior treasury bench lawmaker Tofail Ahmed said, “Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina formed the climate trust fund and that’s why she [Sheikh Hasina] was awarded with the ‘Champion of the Earth’ by the United Nations.

Taking part in the motion, senior parliamentarian Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim said, “We want to set a precedence through adopting a proposal on the affect of the climate change in the parliament. We have to face the climate change impact with collective efforts.”

Talking on the motion, Matia Chowdhury said, “We are the first government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina that introduced ‘bio-fertilizer’ as part of checking climate change impact in the environment.”

Bangladesh has taken 718 projects on the climate change issue, said Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Md Shahabuddin, saying that 463 of these projects are being implemented by the government.

Echoing with the motion, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam said, Bangladesh will be the leading country across the world on the issue of the adverse impact of climate change if the motion is unanimously adopt in the House. He also called for including Paris treaty in the proposal.

Referring to the newly constructed coal-based power plant, State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid said, “We are building Rampal coal based power plant after fully assessing the carbon emission from the plant.”

The power plant is being constructed considering the Paris accord, he added.

Criticizing the government initiative of construction coal-mine based power plant, BNP lawmaker Harunur Rashid said construction of the coal-based power plant would expedite the adverse impact of the climate change by increasing carbon footprint in the environment.

“The motion must have to present before the United Nations as the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki MOOn had acknowledged our prime Minister as one of the pioneer campaigners of the climate change issue,” said Jatiya Party lawmaker Rustum Ali Faraji.

He called for increasing forest to thwart the ultimate impact of the climate change.

“The country needs to take three-tier planning like national, regional and global perspective to face the threat of climate change,” said Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal lawmaker Shirin Akhter.

Treasury bench lawmakers Major (retd) Rafiqul Islam, Nabil Ahmed, Waseka Ayesha Khan, Nazrul Islam Babu, Jatiya Party lawmaker Mujibul Haq and BNP lawmaker Rumeen Farhana took part in the discussion.

BSS/OG/MRU/2216hrs