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Time to Prepare for Earth Summit
With the preparation for UN-sponsored Earth Summit, scheduled for June in Brazil, steadily gaining momentum, we should alert the authorities here on the need for preparation for this historic meeting well in time Otherwise, there is always the danger that the government will try to do too many things at the last moment — and none too well — from deciding on the composition of the Bangladesh delegation to working out a couple of position papers or perhaps a few draft proposals
We should discard this routine approach and get down to work for the Summit with the seriousness the Brazil conference deserves. After all. of all the recent UN-sponsored meetings held in recent years, none has touched our lives — and the future of our people — more directly than the question of environment. A decade ago. this country, like so many other developing nations, was primarily concerned about dealing with a series of environmental hazards, such as pollution. the unhealthy drainage system and the increase in the slum population. In short, our concern was mainly about creating a cleaner life.
Before we could claim any measure of success in dealing with problems identified in the last decade, we are now faced with what can be plainly described as a threat to our life. Several scientific studies have shown that the climatic changes, especially the greenhouse effect and warming of the sea. can cause the rapid disappearance of parts of the coastal areas of Bangladesh. while deforestation along the Himalayan range and lack of understanding on the distribution of water among neighbouring South Aslan countries could turn this country into a permanent victim of natural calamities.
We are familiar with all these Issues. But how do we bring them to the attention of the Earth Summit? Since a number of contentious proposals may emerge dividing the West and the developing world. It Is important that we should play a major role In maintaining unity among the Third World nations. This means that we should play down an unilateral approach in favour of a regional one. say. under the umbrella of South Aslan Association for Regional Co-operation (SAARC). This approach should indeed be based on consensus among the countries concerned.
While we work towards this consensus, we should prepare our own national information kit on environmental problems faced by Bangladesh and on the threat that lies In future. Indeed, we should rlghtaway start feeding the world press with features and materials, preferably in all the six UN languages, dealing with our problems. While we do this for the print media, we should prepare a number of video films on the environmental situation that exists In the country today, the sunken rivers, the barren fields and the columns of Rohingya refugees crossing into this country from Myanmar. In Rio. we must take every opportunity of showing these films to representatives of other countries These films — and what may appear in print media — will mean more than messages and speeches read out at the conferences by delegates from Dhaka.
A regional workshop of environmental journalists. now on In Dhaka, may offer more ideas which deserve to be studied by senior officials of relevant ministries. We wifi be waiting for results.