Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim
Hon’ble Heads of State and Government,
Mr. President of the United Nations General Assembly,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Assalamu Alaikum. Peace be upon you.
At the outset, I would like to express thanks to the President of the General Assembly for convening this High-level Thematic Debate on delivering climate actions. We are only one week away from COP26. This COP is held at a critical time, as the latest science warns us of grave consequences unless emissions are slashed significantly in the next few years.
Distinguished dignitaries,
- Despite our negligible contribution to global emissions, Bangladesh is one of the most climate-vulnerable countries. Every year we are losing 2 percent of our hard-earned GDP to climate change-led disasters. Around six million people in Bangladesh have already been internally displaced due to climate change induced sea-level rise, river erosion, salinity increase, floods and draughts.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
- Nevertheless, under the able leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, we have initiated a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach to shift our journey from one of vulnerability to resilience and then to prosperity. Last August, we submitted an ambitious NDC expanding our emission reduction targets. In addition, our “Mujib Climate Prosperity Decade 2030” is set to guide the country’s development trajectory to a strategic low carbon pathway. For example, we recently cancelled 10 coal base power plant and thus we sacrificed 12 billion dollar expected Foreign investment for emission free energy.
Excellencies,
- The COVID-19 pandemic has created havoc all over the world. Although climate change is unravelling at a slower rate, the ramification will permanently change on the future of the earth, which is also our future. In this regard, I would like to conclude by flagging the following four points:
First, all major emitting countries must declare and implement aggressive NDCs. All countries together have to ensure that the global temperature rise does not cross 1.5 degree Celsius.
Second, the commitment of providing 100 billion dollars annually by the developed countries as climate finance to developing countries must be fulfilled. The allocation has to be at the ratio of 50:50 between adaptation and mitigation. The different international climate funds must synchronize to achieve synergy.
Third, green and clean technology, including for producing renewable energy must be disseminated from developed countries to developing countries, particularly the climate vulnerable countries at affordable costs. The development needs of the vulnerable countries have to be taken into consideration.
And, fourth, the responsibility of rehabilitating the climate migrants – the people uprooted from their ancestral homes and displaced from their traditional jobs – has to be global responsibility.
- We must act now to save this planet earth for our future generations.
I thank you all.
Joi Bangla
Joi Bangabandhu
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