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Climate Change

PM seeks int'l help to combat fallout

UNB, Geneva
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina sought technological and financial supports from the international community to combat the challenges of climate change.
Addressing the World Climate Conference-3 yesterday at Geneva International Conference Centre, she explained to the
world leadership Bangladesh's vulnerability to the climate change.
Hasina also apprised them of her government's plans, programs and strategies for protecting the country's people from the disas-
trous impacts of the global warming-
Earlier on her arrival at the conference centre at 9:15am (local time), World Meteorological Organisation Secretary General Michel Jarraud received the Bangladesh leader.
"I came here with deep concerns of our people, who no sooner had tasted democracy
than confronted with critical, dire impacts of climate change," the PM said.
She observed that through the decades since independence, whatever progress the
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nation could achieve is being eroded by repeated and increasing vagaries of nature.
"There is no doubt that human-induced climate change is, to a large extent, responsible for these phenomena and, ironically, the people of Bangladesh are least to be blamed for them."
She said tackling the formi-dable challenges facing Bangladesh due to the climate .change calls for help of the international community .
To substantiate her call, the premier informed the conference that Bangladesh is among the countries severely affected
by climate change.
Estimates indicate that 20 million Bangladeshis would require relocation due to climate-change impacts by 2050.
A one-metre rise of sea level would inundate a third of Bangladesh, and this would result in mass migration northwards, imposing increasing pressure on land and resources and loss livelihood of about 40 million people, the PM said.
Hasina further pointed out that the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction has ranked Bangladesh as the most vulnerable country to floods, third most to tsunami and sixth most to cyclones, in terms of
human exposure.
To face natural disasters from global warming and climate change, Bangladesh government has decided to undertake a massive project of dredging all rivers.
Maintenance dredging would ensure sustained regulated water flow of the rivers, the PM told the audience.
Bangladesh, due to its geographical location, has faced natural disasters and, therefore, invested over $ 10 billion since its independence on flood-management schemes, Hasina continued.
Recently, she said, the government has established a
Climate Change Fund, with its own resources, to expand community-based disaster preparedness, and adaptation programs.
The PM also expressed Bangladesh's willingness to help the international community in facing the climate change challenges.
"Bangladesh is willing to share its experience in these areas with the international community, particularly with countries havingsimilar vulnerabilities to natural disasters."
As for environmental pollution, a series of legal, policy, and institutional measures have been taken, Hasina con-
tinued.
The international community must also ensure affordable and eco-friendly technology transfer to developing countries, especially LDCs.
"The LDCs deserve special attention of the global community, due to their economic and climate vulnerabilities," she said, adding that some S 2 billion would be required to implement adaptation programs ih the LDCs oVer next five years.
"Sadly, the LDCs have so far received a meagre $ 172 million since its establishment. Additional funds should, therefore, be made available
through adaptation fund."
Hasina also said the freedom loving people of Bangladesh ultimately achieved democracy, with the universally acclaimed free, fair and credible parliamentary elections held on December 29,2008.
Foreign Minister Dipu Moni, State Minister for Forest and Environment Hasan Mahmud, Foreign Secretary Mijarul Quayes, ambassador M Ziauddin, PM's Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad and Permanent Representative to Geneva Mission Abdul Hannan were present.