Madam Chair,
I thank you for giving me the floor.
Bangladesh aligns itself with the statements delivered by the Chairs of the G77, and the LDCs. I thank the Secretary General for his reports under this agenda item.
Madam Chair,
Bangladesh contributes the least to the global GHGs. Yet, we feature among the most climate vulnerable countries in the world. We have recently taken over the Presidency of the 48-member Climate Vulnerable Forum. In a meeting of the CVF leaders held on 7 October, last, my Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina urged global leaders to submit ambitious NDCs for COP-26. She also declared the 31st of December as the cut-off date for our “Midnight Survival Deadline” for the climate. She called for at least 100 billion US dollars annually towards efforts for mitigation, adaptation, and disaster challenges in the developing countries. Her call was echoed by the Secretary General.
The failure to limit global warming to 1.5˚C can be extremely dangerous for the humanity. Many coastal countries could disappear from the world map. And that would force hundreds of millions of people becoming climate refugees. We welcome the recent decision by the Human Rights Committee that recognized climate change as a pertinent threat to the ability of current and future generations to enjoy their right to life, and the obligation to protect those vulnerable to such displacement due to climate change. Our national parliament has also declared a “planetary emergency”, calling the world to work “on a war-footing” to address climate change.
Madam Chair,
The Secretary-General’s report on implementation of the Sendai Framework recognized the dual challenges of the Climate Vulnerable Countries in the face of COVID-19 pandemic. Amid the outbreak of the pandemic-19, Bangladesh faced the impact of super cyclone Amphan and recurrent monsoon floods. It was only because of our effective disaster warning systems, and community-based disaster preparedness, that we could tackle these dual challenges.
Yet we cannot stress enough the importance of scaling up capacity development support under the Sendai Framework, especially now in our efforts to build back better. We have recently launched the South Asian regional office for Global Center of Adaptation in Dhaka. The center aims to share experience, build partnership, facilitate technology transfer, advance research, and offer creative solutions to this grave global challenge. We look forward to effective south-south and trilateral cooperation through this center.
Madam Chair,
Climate change and biodiversity loss are closely connected. Over the past decades, biodiversity has been declining at an alarming rate. If this trend continues, we run the risk of losing 30–50% of the planet’s species by the middle of the 21st century. My Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina joined the Biodiversity Summit during the high-level week of the 75th GA. As my Prime Minister said there, we wish to contribute to a more ambitious vision for a post-2020 biodiversity framework. Alongside that, we wish to promote eco-friendly alternatives to the many harmful practices in our consumption and production patterns. Last year, Bangladesh led the unanimous adoption of a GA resolution to promote the immense benefits of natural plant fibres.
Madam Chair,
Our pursuit for implementing Agenda-2030 must go hand in hand with Agenda-21 and Paris Agreement. The pandemic has shown us the fragility of our economic systems and our development gains in the face of something as unanticipated and unprecedented as the current pandemic. It is critical that we put our acts together; that we recognize the urgency for climate action through more sustainable development; and by protecting our climate and bio-diversity. There is no plan B. We cannot reverse the damage already done; we can only prevent further harm by acting now.
I thank you.