[🇧🇩] Save the Rivers/Forests/Hills-----Save the Environment

[Saif]

Overcrowding, pollution, food stalls: Suhrawardy Udyan under threat

As far as the eye can see, food stalls crowd every nook and corner, offering everything from “bhaja puras” to Chinese dishes. Tea vendors jostle for space alongside hawkers selling women’s ornaments at bargain prices.

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Overcrowding, pollution, food stalls: Suhrawardy Udyan under threat

Once celebrated as the “lungs of Dhaka”, Suhrawardy Udyan, a haven for nature lovers and history enthusiasts, is now under siege by illegal vendors, turning it into a chaotic, polluted shadow of its former self. Overcrowding, pollution, and illegal food stalls now threaten the park’s tranquility and environmental integrity. The photos were taken recently. Photo: Palash Khan/Star

As far as the eye can see, food stalls crowd every nook and corner, offering everything from "bhaja puras" to Chinese dishes. Tea vendors jostle for space alongside hawkers selling women's ornaments at bargain prices.

But this is no carnival, this is not a fairground--it's Suhrawardy Udyan!

Once celebrated as the "lungs of Dhaka", Suhrawardy Udyan, a haven for nature lovers and history enthusiasts, is now under siege by illegal vendors, turning it into a chaotic, polluted shadow of its former self.

Overcrowding, pollution, and illegal food stalls threaten the park's tranquility and environmental integrity.

Photo: Palash Khan/Star

SURGE IN ILLEGAL VENDORS

Since August 5, the park has seen an influx of over 200 makeshift food stalls, up from around 50 previously. Displaced vendors from the nearby Dhaka University campus have capitalised on weak law enforcement, particularly near the Raju Memorial Sculpture, Shikha Chiranton, and Ramna Kali Mandir.

The stalls, concentrated around main entrances, have turned the park into a noisy, crowded hub, much to visitors' dismay.

LOSS OF SCENERY

Aisha Siddiqua Mim, a long-time visitor, said, "It used to be a place to relax, but now it feels like a noisy fairground."

Aqib Hasan added, "This park was once ideal for quiet walks. This is unthinkable now. There are food stalls everywhere, attracting hundreds. This is ruining the natural beauty and raising environmental concerns.

ENVIRONMENTAL TOLL

The surge in vendors has significantly worsened littering and pollution.

Food wrappers, plastic cups, and leftovers are strewn across the park, with waste often left uncollected.

"The trash piles up, and the smell of rotting food is unbearable," said Mehedi Hasan Khan Pavel, a student activist.

"Smoke from grills and stoves has also affected air quality, while habitat loss threatens birds and other wildlife. "

"Birds and animals are losing their habitat due to pollution and reduced green spaces," he added.

Student groups have written to the Public Works Department, demanding the removal of illegal vendors and the park's restoration.

However, vendors argue they are merely trying to survive.

Shamim Patwary, a stall owner for over 20 years, said, "Many of us were forced to move here after being evicted from Dhaka University. If we're removed again, how will we support our families?"

PWD'S INACTION

The PWD, tasked with managing the park, has yet to take decisive action.

Executive Engineer Abul Kalam Azad did not respond to queries, but an official admitted, "We've warned the vendors, but they've resisted. Stronger measures are under consideration to restore the park's environment."​

 

[Saif]

Bangladesh could fetch US$1bn annually from carbon market, says World Bank official

Bangladesh has the potential to fetch around US$1.0 billion annually from the global carbon market, said global lead for carbon markets and finance of the World Bank Chandra Shekhar Sinha on Saturday. He said the country needs to expedite the process of learning to bag the opportunities as offered

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Bangladesh could fetch US$1bn annually from carbon market, says World Bank official
M AZIZUR RAHMAN From Baku, Azerbaijan
Published :
Nov 16, 2024 18:25
Updated :
Nov 16, 2024 18:56

Representational image Photo : Reuters

Bangladesh has the potential to fetch around US$1.0 billion annually from the global carbon market, said global lead for carbon markets and finance of the World Bank Chandra Shekhar Sinha on Saturday.

He said the country needs to expedite the process of learning to bag the opportunities as offered globally under carbon trading.

Mr Sinha was speaking at a discussion on the sidelines of COP29 conference in Baku, the capital city of Azerbaijan.

“Bangladesh has the ability to facilitate the opportunity to grab the carbon market,” Mr Sinha added.

The Infrastructre Development Company Ltd (IDCOL) organised the event titled “Bangladesh Journey in Article 6: Pioneering Carbon Market Opportunities” at Bangladesh Pavilion.

Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) Dr Farhina Ahmed was the chief guest at the discussion. IDCOL executive director and chief executive officer (CEO) Alamgir Morshed moderated the discussion.

Speaking on the occasion, the MoEFCC secretary stressed that the Bangladeshi private sector's greenery and afforestation should be considered as forest too, as the country is a land-scarced one.

The MoEFCC secretary said that every person can take advantage of carbon trading having proper knowledge and information over the carbon market.

“This knowledge is very important,” she said, adding, “All the citizens and private sectors should be aware and have knowledge on what the carbon market is.”

She hoped that Bangladesh would jump in with efficiency and knowledge to grab the opportunity of the global carbon market.

The MoEFCC will extend all-out cooperation to the private sector to gain successes in carbon trading, she assured.

IDCOL executive director Alamgir Morshed said the company has so far implemented projects worth US$1.60 billion.

“We got approval to implement projects worth $2.6 billion but are yet to implement projects worth US$1.0 billion due to shifting the policy to Article 6 from clean development mechanism (CDM).”

Carbon trading expert Shymal Barmon said the market price per tonne of carbon might increase by 50 per cent to US$30 from $20.

He said Bangladesh has the potential to trade 40 million tons of carbon now.

Deputy Director of the Department of Environment Md Harun Or Rashid in his keynote presentation said Bangladesh has already set out a list of actions to achieve Article 6 for entering into the potential carbon markets with more efficiency.

Bangladesh has a target to reduce its green house gas (GHG) emission by 27.56 million tonne carbon-dioxide (MtCO2e) by 2030, or 6.73 per cent below business as usual (BAU) emission; unconditionally, reduce an additional 61.9 MtCO2e, or 15.12 per cent below BAU emission, by 2030, conditionally subject to international support.

Bangladesh has included Article 6 international carbon market mechanism as an opportunity to enhance its targets.

Potentially around 70 per cent of the nationally determined contributions (NDC) conditional commitment can be brought under the Article 6 carbon market mechanism, he said.

Bangladesh has already developed the legal foundations of A6 designated national authorities (DNA).

Institutional arrangements and operational procedures and infrastructure for the pilot activity between the carbon initiative for development (Ci-Dev) and IDCOL are in place, he said, adding that a list of priority areas has already been presented in the NDC.

A great opportunity for international carbon credit buyers and countries interested in internationally transferred mitigation outcomes (ITMOs) to develop carbon projects or buy carbon credits from Bangladesh to meet their commitments—NDC fulfillment requirements.

Md Enamul Karim Pavel, head of renewable energy at IDCOL, also spoke on the occasion.

Sources said the value of the global carbon market reached a record high of US$949 billion in 2023.

Carbon trade is the buying and selling of credits that permit a company or other entity to emit a certain amount of carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gases.

The carbon credits and the carbon trade are authorised by governments with the goal of gradually reducing overall carbon emissions and mitigating their contribution to climate change.

Carbon trading is also referred to as carbon emissions trading.

After much deliberation, rules for a global carbon market were established at the Glasgow COP26 climate change conference in November 2021, enacting a globally unified approach first laid out at the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement.

The agreed-upon framework, known as Article 6, will comprise a centralised system and a separate bilateral system.

The centralised system is for the public and private sectors, while the bilateral system is designed for countries to trade carbon offset credits, helping them meet their emission targets.

Under the new agreement, those who create carbon credits will deposit 5.0 per cent of proceeds generated into a fund to help developing countries tackle climate change.

There is no fixed price of carbon worldwide—prices fluctuate by jurisdiction and by market supply and demand. Benchmark EUA Futures prices on July 24, 2024 ranged from €66.10 to €76.10.14

The aim of Article 6 international carbon markets is to allow for enhanced ambition of climate actions for implementation of nationally determined contributions (NDCs) and to promote sustainable development and environmental integrity.

Parties that have successfully met their own emissions reduction targets can sell their extra reduction credits to finance enhanced climate action. This can move investments to areas and sectors where emissions reductions can be achieved as efficiently as possible.

Article 6 establishes an international carbon market with multilateral governance under the UNFCCC, setting common global standards and guidance for development and trading in emission reductions and Internationally Transferred Mitigation Outcomes.

While there is no global marketplace for carbon trading, several regional jurisdictions have created their own markets for the exchange of carbon credits. The state of California operates its own cap-and-trade program.

Several other US states and Canadian provinces got together to create the Western Climate Initiative.

In July 2021, China started a long-awaited national emissions-trading programme.

In 2021, China launched the world’s largest market for carbon emissions trading. Firms representing 40 per cent of the country’s carbon output will be able to trade their emissions rights.

Another major carbon trade market is the European Union’s Emissions Trading System (ETS).

The EU’s trading market is still considered the benchmark for carbon trading.​

 

[Saif]

Climate adaptation governance requires local voices

As the global focus shifts from merely mitigating climate change to adapting to its inevitable consequences, Bangladesh faces a survival challenge.

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Climate adaptation governance requires local voices

Top-down governance approaches that fail to include local voices risk perpetuating inequality and reducing the effectiveness of adaptation efforts. FILE PHOTO: STAR

Bangladesh is one of the most climate-vulnerable countries globally, with its unique geography and socio-economic conditions leaving it particularly exposed to the impacts of rising sea levels, salinity intrusion, cyclones, and unpredictable weather patterns. However, beyond these environmental challenges lies a critical factor that shapes the country's response to climate change: governance.

As the global focus shifts from merely mitigating climate change to adapting to its inevitable consequences, Bangladesh faces a survival challenge. Adaptation is not just about policy but about ensuring that governance structures are robust, inclusive, and equitable to allow for effective climate resilience. Governance is the key to how well Bangladesh can navigate the climate crisis.

Governance encompasses the processes, institutions, and actors that determine how decisions about public matters are made and implemented. When it comes to climate change adaptation, it involves multiple levels of governance—local, regional, national, and international. In Bangladesh, managing these levels of authority effectively is a significant challenge, as national policies are often disconnected from the realities of local communities.

Bangladesh has made substantial progress in establishing climate governance frameworks, including the Bangladesh Climate Change Resilience Fund (BCCRF) and the Bangladesh Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan (BCCSAP). Numerous representatives from the Bangladeshi government, civil society organisations (CSOs), and the private sector are actively contributing to the global climate adaptation policy dialogue. These efforts reflect a strong commitment to addressing climate risks. However, the true measure of effective governance lies in the translation of these policies into tangible local actions, particularly in vulnerable rural and coastal regions like the Sundarbans mangrove forest region and coastal districts, such as Cox's Bazar.

The Sundarbans is one of Bangladesh's most climate-vulnerable regions, home to the Munda indigenous communities. These communities rely on fishing, agriculture, and forest products for their livelihoods. The region has already experienced the devastating effects of climate change, including rising sea levels, salinity intrusion, and frequent cyclones. For the Munda people, adapting to these changes is not just a necessity but vital for preserving their culture and livelihoods.

Despite their vulnerability, marginalised communities like the Munda often find themselves excluded from decision-making processes that directly affect them. Top-down governance approaches that fail to include local voices risk perpetuating inequality and reducing the effectiveness of adaptation efforts. This gap between policy formulation and implementation is a major issue in Bangladesh's adaptation governance.

Multi-level governance recognises that no single entity—national governments or local authorities—can address climate change adaptation on its own. Instead, adaptation requires coordination between various stakeholders, including local governments, civil society, NGOs, and community leaders. In Bangladesh, this is particularly important due to the diversity of ecosystems and the economic disparities between regions.

Local governments, especially union parishads (the lowest administrative unit in rural areas), play a critical role in implementing climate adaptation strategies. However, many of these local bodies lack the resources, technical capacity, and autonomy needed to design and execute comprehensive plans. This disconnect between local needs and national priorities can be seen in disaster management practices. While cyclone shelters may be built, they are often poorly located or inadequately equipped due to insufficient local input and coordination.

At the national level, governance frameworks often operate in silos, with limited integration between climate adaptation policies and other critical sectors such as disaster risk reduction, livelihoods, and infrastructure. A lack of policy coherence hampers the effectiveness of adaptation efforts, as conflicting goals across sectors can lead to resource misallocation. While the National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA) and the BCCSAP offer essential policy guidance, their success depends on how well they are implemented locally, particularly in areas like the Sundarbans.

To address these governance gaps, it is essential to value community-based adaptation and indigenous knowledge systems. The Munda people and other indigenous communities in the Sundarbans have lived there for generations, developing traditional knowledge and practices that help them withstand climate shocks. These practices include managing saline soils, sustainable fishing techniques, and disaster preparedness systems.

However, the integration of indigenous knowledge into formal governance frameworks remains limited. Community-based adaptation empowers local populations and ensures that strategies are context-specific and culturally appropriate. Local governance structures must be more inclusive, allowing indigenous communities to have a say in decision-making processes. This requires moving away from a purely technocratic approach to one that values the lived experiences and knowledge of vulnerable communities.

A major concern in climate change adaptation governance is equity and justice. In Bangladesh, climate change disproportionately impacts the poor and marginalised, who often lack the resources needed to recover from climate shocks. As the country advances its adaptation agenda, it is essential to ensure that adaptation efforts are equitable.

Distributive justice requires that vulnerable communities receive adequate support, both financially and in terms of policy attention. This can be achieved through targeted financial mechanisms such as grants or subsidies for climate-resilient agriculture, infrastructure, or livelihood diversification. At the same time, procedural justice ensures that marginalised groups are involved in adaptation planning and decision-making, enhancing the legitimacy and effectiveness of adaptation strategies.

As Bangladesh navigates the complex challenges of climate change adaptation, governance will be the deciding factor in whether these efforts succeed or fail. While the country has made significant strides in developing climate policies, the real challenge lies in bridging the gap between national frameworks and local realities. Achieving this will require stronger multi-level governance, improved policy coherence, and a commitment to equity, inclusion, and justice. Integrating indigenous knowledge, empowering local communities, and grounding adaptation strategies in the specific contexts of each region can help Bangladesh foster a more resilient future for all its citizens. Ultimately, effective governance is about more than just policies and institutions. It is about creating systems where every voice is heard and every community is empowered to thrive in a changing climate.

Nazrul Islam is a development analyst and former Bangladesh country director of Relief International. The views expressed in this article are his own.​

 

[Saif]

Hills destroyed in Chittagong for land business

Ruposhi Hill in the western Khulshi area of the Chattogram city, a hill nearly 40 feet high, has been cut along its ridges and foothills and at least eight plots have been developed. The plots have been divided by constructing pillars made of steel rods and cement, with walls made of bricks...

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Hills destroyed in Chittagong for land business
Pronab Bal
Chattogram
Published: 17 Nov 2024, 13: 41

Plots have been developed by cutting hills. The photo was taken recently in the Boroibagan area of Ruposhi hill in the western Khulshi region of Chattogram city.Jewel Shill

The nearly 40 feet high Ruposhi Hill in the western Khulshi area of Chattogram city has been cut along its ridges and foothills and at least eight plots have been developed there.

The plots have been divided by constructing pillars of steel rods and cement, with brick walls that are 3-4 feet high.

From the top of the hill, one can see vegetable fields, while the middle of the hill has been cut flat.

Ruposhi Hill is located in the Boroibagan and Kathalbagan areas of western Khulshi. In the Boroibagan area, temporary structures have been erected at various spots along the hill’s ridges and foothills, where owners or their people reside. One of them said that plots are being created here and sold, with ownership constantly changing.

In the past one year (up to June), the department of environment in Chittagong has filed 12 cases against hill cutting. In the previous year (2022-23), there were 22 such cases, and over the last 20 years, more than a hundred cases have been filed. Hills have been cut in areas like Akbarshah, Bayezid, Khulshi, and Beltali Ghona. Many cases of hill cutting remain unnoticed.

Even as the plot trade continues in the Boroibagan area of Rupshi Hill, it seems as if no one is paying attention. Hill cutting has been going on here since before the political shift on 5 August. Construction work for dividing plots with boundary walls on the cut hills continued until just a few days ago. However, no one was seen working on the site during a recent field visit.

A road about 20 feet wide has been constructed at the foot of the hill. As a result, the price of plots has increased, according to locals.
They said that plots are sold for Tk 2 million to Tk 3 million per katha. However, locals are reluctant to speak about who is creating or selling these plots.

One of the workers, Shahidul Islam, was working on the fields at the top of the hill. He said, "There are many owners here. The ownership changes every day." He was unable to name the current owners of the hill or the plots.

The department of environment recently issued a notice to another structure not far away from the western Khulshi where plots are being created.

A signboard for an institution called 'ITSS Buddhist Monastery and Bhavana Centre' was displayed in a fenced area made of tin, located on the hillside. A notice was issued to this institution.

When asked, senior chemist at the Department of Environment, Rubayet Tahreem Saurav, said that a complaint had been received regarding this institution. The notice was issued after the inspection.

He also noticed the creation of plots at the foothills of the mountain.

He said, "We have initially learned that these areas are classified as 'shankhola' (barren land). If the land is classified as hill or hillock, we can take immediate action. In the case of shankhola, we inform the land office."

Sources said that there is no provision under environmental law to take action in areas classified as shankhola. However, there is a scope of verbal directives for action to be taken in case of visible hills.

The plot trading and hill cutting is not limited to just Boroibagan. Similar activities are ongoing in various parts of western Khulshi, including Kathalbagan, Boroibagan, and Mazar Road. Hills are being cut, and boundary walls are being erected to create plots. Residential colonies such as Krishnachura Residential Area, Paharika Residential Area, and Mukti Joddha Residential Area have been developed in these areas.

When asked, Monira Parveen, the coordinator of the Chattogram unit of the Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA), said, "We have been receiving complaints about hill cutting in several parts of the city. Whenever we receive such complaints, we conduct field inspections and inform the administration. For instance, we held a meeting with the owners in the Akbarshah area last Monday to discuss stopping hill cutting. A similar meeting is planned in western Khulshi."

Hill cutting increases in two areas

A study by professor Sirajul Haque, titled 'Hill Cutting in and Around Chittagong City' shows that in 2000, the area of hill cutting in Chattogram city was 679 hectares. After a decade, this had increased to 1,295 hectares. The research analyzed Google Earth images from 2000 and 2012.

Over the last 45 years, the largest amount of hill destruction has occurred in the Bayezid and Pahartali (now divided into Akbarshah) areas. In Sirajul Haque's 2012 research, it was noted that in 1976, there were 32.37 square kilometers of hills across five police stations of the city. By 2008, this had decreased to just 14.02 square kilometers. The Bayezid and Pahartali areas saw the most hill cutting, with 5 square kilometers cut in Bayezid and 4 square kilometers in Pahartali during this period.

The cutting of hills involves powerful people, including politicians from both the ruling and opposition parties, police officers, and government and private officials.

Despite repeated cases being filed, these activities have not been stopped. Residential buildings are being constructed by cutting hills, and these buildings are often built through legal loopholes, where land classifications are altered.​

 

[Saif]

Cut the theatrics

The UN’s climate chief yesterday told countries at the deadlocked COP29 summit to “cut the theatrics”, as pressure mounts on G20 leaders to deliver a breakthrough.

www.thedailystar.net

Cut the theatrics
UN climate chief tells nations at deadlocked COP29 summit

The UN's climate chief yesterday told countries at the deadlocked COP29 summit to "cut the theatrics", as pressure mounts on G20 leaders to deliver a breakthrough.

As the UN climate talks limp into a second week in Azerbaijan, the world is no closer to a finance deal for poorer countries that will determine the success or failure of COP29.

UN climate boss Simon Stiell said that "bluffing, brinkmanship and premeditated playbooks burn up precious time and run down the goodwill needed".

"Let's cut the theatrics and get down to business," he told delegates assembled in a cavernous football stadium in Azerbaijan's capital Baku.

COP29 President Mukhtar Babayev, a former oil executive turned ecology minister, urged countries to "refocus and pick up the pace".

Government ministers at the negotiating table have until Friday to break the impasse over how to raise $1 trillion a year for developing countries to cope with global warming.

With the clock ticking, pressure is mounting on G20 leaders to throw their weight behind the stalled process in Baku when they meet in Brazil for their annual summit that began yesterday.

"A successful outcome at COP29 is still within reach, but it will require leadership and compromise, namely from the G20 countries," UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Sunday in Rio de Janeiro, where he is attending the G20 summit of the world's biggest economies.

"The spotlight is naturally on the G20. They account for 80 percent of global emissions," Guterres said, calling on the group to "lead by example."

In a sign that a solution could emerge from Rio, the head of the Brazilian delegation to COP29, Andre Aranha Correa do Lago, left Baku to prepare for the G20.

Besides the finance impasse, a fight is also brewing at COP29 over whether countries should recommit to last year's landmark pledge to move the world away from fossil fuels.​

 

[Saif]

Must Buriganga die?

The days are not far off when people will talk about Buriganga river in the past tense. There is still a stretch of narrow water body called Buriganga which was 45 kilometres long when the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) measured it in 2005. But it became shorter by 26 km when BWDB again

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Must Buriganga die?
SYED FATTAHUL ALIM
Published :
Nov 18, 2024 21:51
Updated :
Nov 18, 2024 21:52

The days are not far off when people will talk about Buriganga river in the past tense. There is still a stretch of narrow water body called Buriganga which was 45 kilometres long when the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) measured it in 2005. But it became shorter by 26 km when BWDB again measured its length in 2011. And this river, now a shadow of its glorious past, is diminishing in length, width and depth every day, thanks to the endless encroachment of its banks by land-grabbers as well as its being the favourite dumping site for Dhaka's industries and sewer system.

But whatever is still left of the river is a dark mass of foul-smelling water where no aquatic life, except perhaps sucker fish, can survive. For the amount of dissolved oxygen in its water goes down to 2 milligrams per litre (mg/L), even 1 mg /L, during lean seasons. But for aquatic life to survive and grow, the concentration of dissolved oxygen (DO) in water should be more than 6.5 to 8 mg/L.

The governments in the past undertook numerous projects to free Buriganga from pollution and encroachers. Five rivers including the Buringanga, namely Turag, Sitalakhya, Balu and Dhaleswari that surround the Dhaka city are equally polluted by wastes from industries and Dhaka's sewerage system. To revitalise these rivers, the previous regime undertook a seven-year programme. To implement the programme through some 29 projects, the government of the time planned to spend USD20 billion. It was estimated at that time that unless urgent action was taken to free those rivers from pollution, the loss to the nation would be as high as USD51 billion in the next 20 years. So, another megaproject styled 'Umbrella Investment Plan-Dhaka Rivers' was in the pipeline. But ultimately it could not see the light of day as the government that conceived it was dislodged from power during August 5's student-mass upheaval. However, there was nothing wrong with the idea of salvaging Buriganga and four other interconnected rivers, which basically constitute Dhaka's lifeline. But given the history of massive corruption involving every megaproject undertaken during the previous regime, one wonders what the cost overruns against those 29 projects under the so-called 'Umbrella Investment Plan-Dhaka Rivers', in short Dhaka Rivers, would finally come to. As experience goes, such big projects created the opportunity for the ruling apparatchiks and their cohorts to loot the state exchequer.

However, the interim government, whose environment, forest and water resources adviser herself is an environment crusader can consider the positive aspects, if any, of the Dhaka Rivers project and see if it could be implemented in a modified form to save Buriganga and its other interlinked rivers.

True, the interim government with its limited mandate may not undertake ambitious projects. In this connection, the environment adviser in one of her interviews with the media said that due to time constraint, her government would rather select a small number of rivers from eight divisions and try to free them, particularly from industrial wastes and encroachers. And those would serve as models for future governments to emulate, she viewed. Cleaning other rivers such as the heavily polluted Buriganga, in her view, is a hugely challenging task as the chromium in the Buringanga water will take a long time to remove.

But will the elected governments of the future take the risk of freeing Buriganga, in particular from pollution and encroachment? For none of the governments in the past could even start the work of saving Buriganga despite no end of promises they made. Why? Because, it is the vested interests who grab the river's banks, set up polluting factories, dockyards, you name it, and the governments are always helpless before their power! Or are they?

So, Buriganga must die.​

 

[Saif]

https://thefinancialexpress.com.bd/views/cop16-on-biodiversity-an-appraisal

COP16 on biodiversity: an appraisal
Hasnat Abdul Hye
Published :
Nov 18, 2024 21:41
Updated :
Nov 18, 2024 21:41

Convention on Biodiversity (CBD) held in Cali, Colombia from October 21 to November 1 Photo : Agency

The acronym COP (Conference of Parties) has come to be associated with the annual summit on climate change with such automatic conditioned reflex that other conferences held under the same rubric are easily confused with the former or ignored altogether. So, it was not surprising when the sixteenth conference of parties on the Convention on Biodiversity (CBD) held in Cali, Colombia from October 21 to November 1 did not receive much coverage from media. The fact that the majority COP summit (COP29) on climate change to be attended by heads of states and governments was just around the corner (12 November at the Azerbaijani capital Baku) might also be a factor in overwhelming the publicity for COP16 at Cali on biodiversity.

Polemics apart, it has to be admitted that secondary billing given to COP on biodiversity is because of its smaller scope and status in the overall state of the planet compared to COP on climate. By definition, biodiversity is limited to life forms and organisms on earth's terrestrial space. Secondly, its preservation depends greatly on climate and though climate change is caused by factors like denudation of forests, the same cause and effect relation does not exist as it does in respect of biodiversity-climate nexus. But in terms of outcome for human security and welfare, biodiversity's role is significant by any reckoning. That makes a review of COP16 on biodiversity that has just concluded in Cali, Colombia worth going through. To provide a backdrop to the latest development on the Convention on Biodiversity (CBD) it may be helpful to re-visit the genesis and trajectory of this convention.

It began in 1988 in a meeting of an Ad Hoc Working Group of experts convened by the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) to discuss the state of biodiversity in planet earth. The following year the legal text was drafted that addressed the issues of conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity in the world as well as the sharing of benefits arising from their utilisation with sovereign states and local communities. In 1991, an intergovernmental negotiating team was formed to finalise the Convention's text. The following year a Conference for the adoption of Agreed Text of the CBD was held in Nairobi, Kenya. The conclusion from the Conference was documented in the Nairobi Final Act following which the Convention's text was opened for signatures at the UN Conference on Environment and Development in June, 1992, which was also known as 'Rio Earth Summit'. By its closing date on 4 June, 1993, the Convention had received 168 signatures. The Convention on Biodiversity (CBD) entered into force on 23 December, 1993.

The CBD recognised for the first time in international law that the conservation of biodiversity is a 'common concern of humankind' and is an integral part of the development process. The agreement on CBD covers all ecosystems, species and genetic resources in the world. It links traditional conservation efforts to the economic goal of using biological resources sustainably. The Convention sets principles for the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the use of genetic resources. It also covers the rapidly expanding field of bio-technology through its Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety issues , technology development and transfer, benefit- sharing and biosafety concerns.

As of 2024 the Convention has 196 Parties, including 195 states and the European Union (EU). Among the Parties, the United States (US) has signed but has not yet ratified the Convention, the matter having been blocked in the US Senate.

SUPPLEMENTARY AGREEMENTS: In addition to the main text of the Convention, there are two supplementary agreements signed by the Parties. The first is the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to the Convention on Biodiversity, which is an international treaty governing the movements of living modified organisms (LMOS) , resulting from modern biotechnology, from one country to another. The Cartagena Protocol, (named after the historic city of Cartagena, Colombia where the subject was first discussed) also known as the Biosafety Protocol, makes clear that products from new technologies must be based on the human safety principle and allow developing nations to balance public health against economic benefits. It will, for example let countries ban imports of genetically modified organisms if they feel there is not enough scientific evidence that the product is safe and requires exporters to label shipments containing genetically altered commodities. The required number of 50 instruments of ratification/approval by countries was reached in May, 2003 and the Protocol entered into force on 11 September 2003 and had 173 Parties.

THE SECOND SUPPLEMENTARY AGREEMENT TO THE CBD IS THE NAGYOA: Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilisation. The protocol provides a transparent framework for the effective implementation of one of the three objectives of CBD: the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the utilisation of genetic process. The Nagyoa Protocol was adopted in October, 2010, and came into force on October 2014.

Implementation by the Parties to the Convention is achieved using two means: (a) National Biodiversity Strategies and (b) Action Plans. These are the principal instruments for implementing the Convention at the national level. The Convention requires that countries (Parties) prepare a national biodiversity strategy and ensure this strategy is included in planning for activities in all sectors where diversity may be impacted. By 2022, 173 Parties had prepared national strategies and action plans.

STRATEGIC PLAN FOR 2011-2020: At the tenth meeting of the Parties (COP10). held in 2010 in Nagoya, Japan a revised 'Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020' was agreed upon. The published document included 20 targets that address each of the five strategic goals that coincided with the launch of Agenda 2030 by UN on Sustainable Goals (SDGs). The Convention on Biodiversity published a technical report mapping and identifying synergy between the 17 SDGs and the 20 Biodiversity target's.

POST-2020 GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FRAMEWORK: A new plan, known as the post- 2020 Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), was developed to guide action through 2030s, the final draft of which was released in July, 2021.Reducing agricultural pollution and sharing the benefits of digital sequence information emerged as key points of contention among Parties during preparation of the new framework. The framework was finally adopted in 2022 and had a number of ambitious goals, including commitment to designate at least 30 per cent of global land and sea as protected areas.

MAIN CRITICISMS: The main criticism against CBD has been that its implementation has been weakened due to resistance of Western countries, particularly in respect of the provisions that protect the interests of the global south. As the perpetrators of greater damage to global biodiversity, the industrially developed countries of the north have been reluctant to make concessions with regard to their use of resources that impact on biodiversity. The Convention is also criticised for going soft from its original hard stipulations, making compromises under pressure. The argument to enforce the treaty as a legally binding multilateral instrument with the Conference of Parties reviewing the infractions and non-compliance is gaining ground.

The third criticism is about omissions and commissions. Although commitments have been made to contribute to a fund for protection of fragile ecosystems, contributions by developed countries have been paltry. Finally, in violation of CBD previsions that all life forms are to be covered, examination of reports and of national biodiversity strategies and action plans reveal that this is not happening. For example, the fifth report of the EU makes frequent reference to animals (fish and plants) but does not mention bacteria, fungi etc. As a result no document was assessed as 'good' or 'adequate' while less than 10 per cent reports have been found to be 'nearly adequate' or 'poor'. The rest have been described as deficient, seriously deficient or totally deficient.

SPECIAL AREAS OF INTERVENTION: In the area of marine and coastal biodiversity, CBD's focus is at present to identify Ecologically and Biologically Significant marine areas (EBSAs) in specific ocean locations based on scientific criteria. The goal is to create an internationally legally binding instrument involving area-based planning and decision-making to support conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity beyond areas of national jurisdiction. Preserving mangrove and rain forests to protect the various ecosystems under them has received top priority in the activities of CBD. Even desert ecology has received due attention with the common goal of preserving biodiversity. Achievements of goals in all these respects have been frustrated by lack of due diligence by governments in enforcing the restrictions on the use of natural resources like plant and animals. Commercial interests of multinational companies in extracting natural resources have also been a great impediment. The upside is, without CBD and its regular monitoring, damage to biodiversity would have been greater and more alarming.

COP MEETINGS: The meetings of the Parties to the Convention are known as Conference of Parties (COP). The first one (COP1) was held in Nassau, Bahamas in 1994 and the most recent ones were held in Kunming and Montreal (COP15) in 2021-2022 and in Cali, Colombia (COP16) on October-November, 2024.COP on CBD is held on alternate years unlike the COP on climate change that takes place annually.

The agenda of COP16 held in Cali, Colombia from October 21 to November 1 this year featured a variety of topics including discussions on how to implement the Kunming-Montreal (so named because COP15 was divided between the two cities) Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF) to achieve the goal of living in harmony with nature by 2050. This involved operationalisation of the monitoring framework, mobilising financial resources, progress on restoration of 30 per cent of degraded land by 2030 and finalising a multilateral mechanism on Access and Benefit Sharing. In pursuance of this agenda, two dozens of global goals were earmarked for monitoring by Parties. But the most important item in the agenda was contribution by Parties, particularly developed countries to the $200 billion dollar fund to help developing countries to take measures for protection of endangered ecosystems and species.

After reaching some key agreements, the final negotiation of COP16 was suspended at the last minute, to be resumed at a future date. The Conference, while answering some major questions, left the main issue of funding open and unresolved. So, the roadmap for preserving endangered ecologies and species, remains to be drawn up in a future that remains uncertain.

The only good news to warm the hearts of environmentalists, particularly indigenous people, was the establishment of a new body dedicated to the Indigenous People's rights, roles, territories and knowledge. The creation of this subsidiary body for indigenous people as a participating entity in future biodiversity talks under the CBD is a recognition of the people who have, for millennia, co-existed with managed and enriched biodiversity through traditional knowledge. By fulfilling a demand of longstanding, COP16 was considered a success even though it failed on the funding issue.

On ocean protection, COP16 saw Parties agreeing to establish a standardised way to identify ocean areas with high ecological value. In doing so, COP16 helped pave the way for the Global Ocean Treaty to be ratified by June, 2025. Additionally, the interconnectedness between biodiversity and climate action was acknowledged, further clearing the way forward for protecting the ecosystems that sustain people and the planet.

Another achievement of COP16 has been a win for people power despite intense lobbying from Big Pharma and Big Agribusiness to pass a resolution requiring corporate bodies to pay for protection of nature. This means companies using genetic resources from nature to make products like medicine, cosmetics, genetic-engineered seeds and scientific research will now have to pay back to protect nature.

CONCLUSIONS: Clearly, in preserving biodiversity funding is of the essence. Public financing from developed countries has to come, sooner rather than later. How this will be achieved has now been left to leaders of developed countries who will be represented at the next meeting of Parties. COP17, to be held in Armenia in 2026, will have a crowded agenda, as usual. But like chickens coming home to roost, the funding issue will be on top.​

 

[Krishna with Flute]

Must Buriganga die?

The days are not far off when people will talk about Buriganga river in the past tense. There is still a stretch of narrow water body called Buriganga which was 45 kilometres long when the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) measured it in 2005. But it became shorter by 26 km when BWDB again

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Must Buriganga die?
SYED FATTAHUL ALIM
Published :
Nov 18, 2024 21:51
Updated :
Nov 18, 2024 21:52

View attachment 10744

The days are not far off when people will talk about Buriganga river in the past tense. There is still a stretch of narrow water body called Buriganga which was 45 kilometres long when the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) measured it in 2005. But it became shorter by 26 km when BWDB again measured its length in 2011. And this river, now a shadow of its glorious past, is diminishing in length, width and depth every day, thanks to the endless encroachment of its banks by land-grabbers as well as its being the favourite dumping site for Dhaka's industries and sewer system.

But whatever is still left of the river is a dark mass of foul-smelling water where no aquatic life, except perhaps sucker fish, can survive. For the amount of dissolved oxygen in its water goes down to 2 milligrams per litre (mg/L), even 1 mg /L, during lean seasons. But for aquatic life to survive and grow, the concentration of dissolved oxygen (DO) in water should be more than 6.5 to 8 mg/L.

The governments in the past undertook numerous projects to free Buriganga from pollution and encroachers. Five rivers including the Buringanga, namely Turag, Sitalakhya, Balu and Dhaleswari that surround the Dhaka city are equally polluted by wastes from industries and Dhaka's sewerage system. To revitalise these rivers, the previous regime undertook a seven-year programme. To implement the programme through some 29 projects, the government of the time planned to spend USD20 billion. It was estimated at that time that unless urgent action was taken to free those rivers from pollution, the loss to the nation would be as high as USD51 billion in the next 20 years. So, another megaproject styled 'Umbrella Investment Plan-Dhaka Rivers' was in the pipeline. But ultimately it could not see the light of day as the government that conceived it was dislodged from power during August 5's student-mass upheaval. However, there was nothing wrong with the idea of salvaging Buriganga and four other interconnected rivers, which basically constitute Dhaka's lifeline. But given the history of massive corruption involving every megaproject undertaken during the previous regime, one wonders what the cost overruns against those 29 projects under the so-called 'Umbrella Investment Plan-Dhaka Rivers', in short Dhaka Rivers, would finally come to. As experience goes, such big projects created the opportunity for the ruling apparatchiks and their cohorts to loot the state exchequer.

However, the interim government, whose environment, forest and water resources adviser herself is an environment crusader can consider the positive aspects, if any, of the Dhaka Rivers project and see if it could be implemented in a modified form to save Buriganga and its other interlinked rivers.

True, the interim government with its limited mandate may not undertake ambitious projects. In this connection, the environment adviser in one of her interviews with the media said that due to time constraint, her government would rather select a small number of rivers from eight divisions and try to free them, particularly from industrial wastes and encroachers. And those would serve as models for future governments to emulate, she viewed. Cleaning other rivers such as the heavily polluted Buriganga, in her view, is a hugely challenging task as the chromium in the Buringanga water will take a long time to remove.

But will the elected governments of the future take the risk of freeing Buriganga, in particular from pollution and encroachment? For none of the governments in the past could even start the work of saving Buriganga despite no end of promises they made. Why? Because, it is the vested interests who grab the river's banks, set up polluting factories, dockyards, you name it, and the governments are always helpless before their power! Or are they?

So, Buriganga must die.​

In modern times, we chase many fake narratives without addressing the basics. In an enthusiasm to chase blind Industrialization, we lost the connection with basics such as soil, Jungle, water resources preservation. There was a poverty time in subcontinent country where we were struggling to meet our ends. Now we have money. Survival struggling period is over. Now we should start focusing on basic things like expanding green zone, revival of Rivers, reestablishment of water bodies, soil revival etc.

 

[Saif]

COP29: Bangladesh seeks Japan’s support for waste management, emissions reduction

Advisor to the Ministry of Environment, Forest, Climate Change, and Water Resources of Bangladesh Syeda Rizwana Hasan held a bilateral meeting with Japan's Minister of Environment Keiichiro Asao at the Delegation Office of Japan during the ongoing World Climate Conference (COP-29). The discussions

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

COP29: Bangladesh seeks Japan’s support for waste management, emissions reduction
M AZIZUR RAHMAN From Baku, Azerbaijan
Published :
Nov 19, 2024 22:00
Updated :
Nov 19, 2024 22:00

Advisor to the Ministry of Environment, Forest, Climate Change, and Water Resources of Bangladesh Syeda Rizwana Hasan held a bilateral meeting with Japan's Minister of Environment Keiichiro Asao at the Delegation Office of Japan during the ongoing World Climate Conference (COP-29).

The discussions emphasised enhanced cooperation by signing a memorandum of understanding on waste management, carbon crediting, climate resilience initiatives, and other avenues for mutual cooperation.

Addressing the meeting, the advisor highlighted waste management as a pressing issue for Bangladesh, contributing approximately 10 per cent (21.04 million tons of CO2-equivalent) of its total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Dhaka alone generates 6,000 tons of waste daily, 73 per cent of which ends up untreated in landfills, exacerbating methane emissions. Bangladesh wants Japan's support in establishing integrated resource recovery facilities, waste-to-energy plants, and sanitary landfills to achieve its 8.0 per cent emission reduction target under the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC).

The meeting underscored the Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM) as a crucial tool in advancing low-carbon technologies. Since the signing of the bilateral agreement in 2013, Bangladesh has implemented four JCM projects, including the Southwest transmission grid expansion project, with financial and technical support from Japan and the Asian Development Bank (ADB). Bangladeshi companies benefit from up to 50 per cent subsidies under JCM projects, transferring an equivalent share of carbon credits to Japan. The advisor called for increased private sector participation in future carbon crediting initiatives.

Bangladesh also seeks Japan’s assistance in meeting its updated NDC targets of reducing 15.12 per cent of CO2 emissions by 2030, conditional on international support. Potential collaboration areas include renewable energy, hydrogen energy, e-mobility, and industrial pollution control. Additionally, Bangladesh’s National Adaptation Plan (NAP) 2023-2050, requiring $230 billion for implementation, offers vast investment opportunities for Japanese stakeholders.

Syeda Rizwana Hasan emphasised Japan's expertise in environmental reforms and pollution control as a model for Bangladesh’s ongoing industrialisation and urbanization. Strengthening institutional capacity through innovative solutions and training programmes for the Department of Environment will be pivotal for tackling emerging challenges.

Japan's Minister of Environment Keiichiro Asao remarked Japan is committed to supporting Bangladesh in addressing environmental challenges through innovation and collaboration. "We look forward to scaling up these efforts to meet Bangladesh’s NDC targets and beyond. We are eager to explore new avenues for cooperation. He said all the fields of cooperation will be included in the MoU," he said.

Later, the environment advisor held a meeting with the LDC chair on new collective quantified goals.​

 

[Saif]

Back to square one following futile excavation

Within just two years after excavation by Bangladesh Water Development Board, the Leinga canal at Chattogram's Karnaphuli upazila has been filled up once again.

www.thedailystar.net

Back to square one following futile excavation

Within just two years after excavation by Bangladesh Water Development Board, the Leinga canal at Chattogram's Karnaphuli upazila has been filled up once again.

Locals alleged that unplanned work by BWDB has caused around Tk 2 crore of public funds to go to waste in the excavation work.

Even a couple of decades ago, the 12-kilometre-long and 20-45 feet wide canal used to be a vibrant waterbody, with goods-laden boats navigating it. It drained rainwater to Karnaphuli river, and was also an important source of water for irrigation of croplands in adjoining areas, said Siddique Ahmed, 60, a local resident.

Over time, siltation as well as garbage dumped into the canal piled up in it, restricting its natural flow and leaving it on deathbed, causing severe waterlogging in areas along its both banks, especially in monsoon.

Local farmers were also affected as they were no longer getting adequate water from it for irrigation.

To restore its natural flow, the BWDB excavated a 9km stretch of the canal in 2021 under a project and completed the work in 2022.

However, heaps of the excavated earth and garbage were left on both sides of the canal after completion of the excavation work, which eventually got washed down to the canal again during rains, alleged locals and farmers.

"The canal's excavation did not benefit us the waterbody became refilled within a short time," said Ali Ahmed, a farmer from Charlakshya union under the upazila.

Visiting several points of the canal, this correspondent observed that it has shrunken and turned into a narrow ditch across much of its entire stretch.

Some agricultural lands adjacent to the canal were seen in a barren state due to the unavailability of irrigation water, while pollution has turned the canal's water black.

Lokman Hossain, a seasonal vegetable grower of Shikalbaha union, said they used to collect water from the canal during crop cultivation season.

"We no longer get water from the canal as it has become filled up again despite excavation," he added.

Contacted, BWDB officials, however, claimed that the canal got filled up naturally.

Borno Hoque, sub-divisional engineer of BWDB (Anwara sub-division), said, "Protection dams beside the canal could have prevented it from getting filled up so soon, but we had no funds for it at the time of excavation work."

"We will send a proposal for constructing protection dams beside the canal," the BWDB engineer added.​

 

[Saif]

Water crisis along the coast

SAFE drinking water insecurity is a global issue, particularly severe in Bangladesh’s coastal regions. Frequent cyclones, storm surges, breached embankments, coastal flooding, and rising salinity levels contribute to the contamination of both groundwater and surface water sources. According to...

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Water crisis along the coast
Sufiya Khatun and Mohibbullah 21 November, 2024, 00:00

The only rainwater reservoir serving the residents of this union. | Sufiya Khatun and Mohibbullah

SAFE drinking water insecurity is a global issue, particularly severe in Bangladesh’s coastal regions. Frequent cyclones, storm surges, breached embankments, coastal flooding, and rising salinity levels contribute to the contamination of both groundwater and surface water sources. According to the Bangladesh Environment and Development Society report, 73 per cent of coastal residents lack consistent access to safe drinking water due to rising salinity levels. This crisis becomes particularly severe during the dry season when water scarcity reaches its peak. Despite numerous initiatives aimed at addressing this crisis, millions of coastal residents continue to suffer from safe drinking water insecurity.

In early October, we visited Bagali union in Koyra Upazila, Khulna district, to listen to people’s struggles with water insecurity. One of them was Surma Roy (a pseudonym), a 42-year-old mother of three children. She walks five kilometres daily to a deep tubewell, the only functional source of safe drinking water in her area. It takes her four hours to collect two pitchers, each containing 15 to 20 litres, just enough to meet the daily needs of her five-member family. Surma’s story captures not only the hardships of coastal life but also emphasises the persistent barriers to achieving sustainable water solutions in regions like Koyra.

Reasons for failure: missteps and missed opportunities

OUR observations revealed a familiar list of water systems installed in these villages: solar-powered pond sand filters, traditional PSFs, hand-pumped tube wells, ultra-filtration units, desalination plants, and rooftop rainwater harvesting systems. While some systems worked, many were broken or barely functional. Of the 15 PSFs we saw, only two were in working order; the rest had succumbed to neglect or damage.

One of the clearest reasons for failure echoed across our conversations with locals is poor site selection. In some cases, decisions to build new water plants were not based on proper needs assessments but were influenced by personal connections, with water facilities sometimes set up in areas where people already had access to alternatives. This led to underutilisation of the newly installed facilities while other communities, desperate for safe drinking water, were left empty-handed.

Pricing policies have also posed a major barrier. While technologies like desalination plants and ultra-filtration units offer clean water, they come at a cost too high for most coastal families to bear. In contrast, rainwater harvesting reservoirs can be seasonally affordable, and solar-powered PSFs offer free water, with only community contributions required for maintenance costs. However, the lack of a unified pricing model has created a mismatch between cost and community needs, leaving some water facilities underused while villagers continue to rely on untreated, contaminated sources.

Almost every villager we met expressed frustration over the upkeep of water systems. From solar-powered PSFs to tube wells, the lack of clear maintenance responsibilities has led to frequent equipment breakdowns. In many cases, no sustainable maintenance plans were put in place, meaning there was no regular monitoring, and repairs were delayed or neglected. Surma, like many others, feels the bitter sting of unkept promises, watching as malfunctioning water sources remain unusable while her community waits for help that may never come.

Ironically, there’s no lack of financial support for these projects. International and local donors, including USAID, the Green Climate Fund, Akij Trust, and the Social Development Foundation, have poured resources into establishing these facilities. Yet, without sustainable funding models for ongoing repairs, this support is quickly exhausted, leaving communities with broken equipment and unmet needs. Water accessibility falls short when projects stop at installation, with no assurance of long-term reliability.

Throughout our field visit, we noticed another recurring issue: a sense of disconnection between the community and the water facilities they were supposed to rely on. Many residents, particularly women, told us they were not consulted about the location or type of water systems being installed. As a result, they often don’t feel ownership or have the knowledge to maintain these systems when they break down. Although solar-powered PSFs, for instance, have shown potential, manually operated PSFs often break down because local people lack the skills to repair them.

Future steps in building resilient water solutions

TO ENSURE that communities like Bagali Union can secure safe drinking water in the long term, a different approach is needed: one that recognises the lessons learnt from these missteps. First, local community involvement must be ensured in every project. Residents should be engaged in planning, implementation, and, most importantly, the maintenance of water systems. Involving communities fosters ownership and empowers locals to address technical problems as they arise.

Second, any effective water solution must be built to withstand the environmental conditions in coastal Bangladesh. Rainwater harvesting systems and solar-powered filtration units can be scaled in areas where traditional water sources fail. These solutions are simple yet powerful, as they align with local resources and skill levels.

Water financing models also need restructuring to ensure that these projects remain sustainable. Local governments, NGOs, and the private sector could collaborate to provide maintenance funds, community-managed accounts, or subsidies for low-income households. If support from international support could extend beyond initial installation, funding ongoing maintenance, coastal communities might finally experience a steady supply of safe water.

Lastly, water resource management must reflect the lives of those it intends to serve. Gender disparities, for example, place a disproportionate burden on women like Surma, who shoulder the responsibility of collecting water. Addressing the needs of all community members will ensure systems are inclusive and can support all residents equitably.

Despite years of water initiatives, the story in Bagali Union reveals that without local involvement, climate-resilient solutions, and sustainable funding, families continue to struggle. The vision of safe drinking water for all in coastal Bangladesh remains within reach if we can learn from past failures and commit to a holistic, community-centred approach.

Sufiya Khatun is pursuing her MSc in water resources development at the Institute of Water and Flood Management, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology. Mohibbullah is an environmental economist and is working at Innovision Consulting. Both are from the coastal town of Koyra.​

 

[Saif]

Rich nations urged to commit up to $900b at climate talks

Negotiators at deadlocked UN climate talks said Wednesday that rich countries have been urged to commit as much as $900 billion per year to help poorer nations take action against global warming...

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Rich nations urged to commit up to $900b at climate talks
Agence France-Presse . Baku, Azerbaijan 21 November, 2024, 00:16

Negotiators at deadlocked UN climate talks said Wednesday that rich countries have been urged to commit as much as $900 billion per year to help poorer nations take action against global warming.

With two days left at the COP29 conference in Azerbaijan, countries are scrambling to bridge their differences over money seen as crucial for the world to curb planet-heating emissions.

Developing nations, which are least responsible for global emissions, say rich historic polluters have a duty to help pay for their green transitions and the devastating impacts of climate change.

While developed nations have yet to put any figures on the table, some developing countries have called for $1.3 trillion in annual funds.

Rich countries, which are facing tighter budgets and political pressures back home, insist that any commitment must also include loans and private money.

They also want countries such as China and Saudi Arabia, which have become wealthy but are still listed as developing nations, to contribute to climate finance.

Australian climate minister Chris Bowen, one of two envoys mediating the finance negotiations, said three different figures were suggested for the money that would come from the budgets of developed nations: $440 billion, $600 billion and $900 billion.

‘Many parties told us they need to see certain building blocks in place before they can put forward their suggested number,’ Bowen told COP29 delegates.

Delegates from several countries told AFP the figures were not proposed by developed nations.

Bowen said some countries had drawn a ‘red line’ over the type of money, insisting it come ‘from a wide range of sources and instruments’.

Bolivia’s chief negotiator, Diego Pacheco, said there was a ‘steadily receding hope of getting an ambitious’ deal on climate finance.

‘We are also hearing in the corridors figures of 200 billion being offered by our partners’ on climate finance which would also include contributions from multilateral development banks, Pacheco said.

Buried in debt, developing nations insist that any deal should not include more loans.

‘Only 200 billion,’ he told the conference. ‘This is unfathomable, we cannot accept this.’

The lead negotiator of COP29 hosts Azerbaijan, Yalchin Rafiyev, urged countries to ‘pick up the pace’ of negotiations and said a new draft deal would be released at around midnight on Wednesday.

‘Let us embrace the spirit of collaboration, compromise and determination to ensure that we leave this conference with outcomes that make a real difference,’ he said.​

 

[Saif]

‘Shockingly insufficient’

"The proposed decision to allocate USD 250 billion per year for all developing countries is shockingly insufficient," said the adviser

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‘Shockingly insufficient’
Says Adviser Rizwana as COP29 draft deal proposes USD 250 billion a year for climate finance

Photo: AFP

Syeda Rizwana Hasan, adviser to the Ministry of Environment, today criticised the proposed $250 billion annual climate aid to poorer countries at the COP29 in Azerbaijan as "shockingly insufficient."

Wealthy nations today offered the money to help poorer nations hit hardest by global warming but faced immediate calls from several groups of nations to give more as UN climate negotiations extended into overtime.

She also expressed her profound disappointment with the latest text on the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) for climate finance, published by the COP29 presidency.

In her statement, she criticised the text as a "very disappointing package," noting its failure to meet the critical needs of Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

"The proposed decision to allocate $250 billion per year for all developing countries is shockingly insufficient," she said, emphasising that the amount is neither provisioned nor designated as grants.

Furthermore, the text fails to allocate any dedicated funds to the most vulnerable 45 LDCs.

The adviser highlighted the inadequacy of the COP29 outcomes in addressing climate finance challenges, despite this conference being explicitly focused on the issue.

"The package has failed to provide the minimum required justification for an NCQG that should uplift the most vulnerable nations. It offers nothing concrete for LDCs and SIDS, leaving them exposed to escalating climate risks," she said.

Rizwana urged LDCs to resist this package, asserting that it "will make little difference in reality" without substantive revisions. She called on all stakeholders to advocate for a more ambitious, fair, and actionable climate finance framework that prioritises the needs of the world's most vulnerable communities.​

 

[Saif]

Climate finance: COP29 draft proposes $250b a year

COP29 draft deal says rich nations should pay the amount to fight climate change

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Climate finance: COP29 draft proposes $250b a year

Photo: AFP Activists hold a silent protest inside the COP29 venue to demand that rich nations provide climate finance to developing countries, during the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku on November 16, 2024.

A new draft deal at UN climate talks today proposes that rich nations commit $250 billion a year to help poorer nations combat global warming in an 11th-hour bid to break the deadlocked negotiations.

African countries and climate activists quickly denounced the figure as "unacceptable" and inadequate to meet the realities of a rapidly warming world, but wealthy nations including the United States have insisted that massive packages are not politically realistic.

With the gathering scheduled to end later today, delegates from nearly 200 nations had eagerly awaited COP29 hosts Azerbaijan's new proposal after two weeks of fraught bargaining.

The text sets an ambitious overall target to raise at least $1.3 trillion per year by 2035 from not only the public money but also the private sector.

It is the first time concrete numbers were formally proposed at talks dominated by divisions over how to increase assistance for developing nations to cut emissions and adapt to climate change.

Developing countries were seeking a significant boost in the existing pledge that commits rich nations to $100 billion a year in climate finance.

"The proposed target to mobilise $250 billion per year by 2035 is totally unacceptable and inadequate to delivering the Paris Agreement," said Ali Mohamed, chairman of the African Group of Negotiators.

He said it would "lead to unacceptable loss of life in Africa and around the world, and imperils the future of our world."

"The $250 billion target is not enough -- not big enough, not fast enough, not good enough," said Friederike Roder from activist group Global Citizen.

"Inadequate, divorced from the reality of climate impacts and outrageously below the needs of developing countries," said Jasper Inventor from Greenpeace.

But the US, which President-elect Donald Trump is expected to pull out of climate diplomacy, signalled it was not looking to negotiate a higher figure.

"It has been a significant lift over the past decade to meet the prior, smaller goal. $250 billion will require even more ambition and extraordinary reach," said a senior US official, whose team in Baku comes from outgoing President Joe Biden's administration.

COP29 host Azerbaijan said the $250 billion reflected the submissions made by rich nations during the negotiations.

Azerbaijan said it would keep working on "final adjustments" on outstanding issues.

An influential negotiation bloc of 134 developing nations including China had pushed for at least $500 billion from developed countries.

But major contributors such as the European Union have said that private-sector money inevitably must play a part.

The EU also wanted newly wealthy emerging economies like China, the world's largest emitter, to contribute to the overall goal.

Azerbaijan, an authoritarian state that relies on oil and gas exports, has been accused of lacking the experience and bandwidth to steer such large and complex negotiations.

"This is the worst COP in recent memory," Mohamed Adow, speaking for the Climate Action Network, said at a press conference before the text's release, adding that "no deal is better than a bad deal" for developing countries.

Sindra Sharma from the Pacific Islands Climate Action Network, an activist coalition, expressed "a complete sense of frustration" at the talks.

"I've never seen a presidency like this, I've never seen a process like this," she said.

The EU had also called for stronger leadership from Azerbaijan, whose leader, Ilham Aliyev, opened the conference by railing against Western nations and hailing fossil fuels as a "gift of God".

Apart from splits over money, many nations fear the climate deal in negotiation does not reflect the urgency on phasing out coal, oil and gas -- the main drivers of global warming.

Last year's COP28 summit in Dubai made a landmark call on the world to transition away from fossil fuels after long negotiations in Dubai.

But a Saudi official speaking on behalf of the Arab Group said the bloc would "not accept any text that targets any specific sectors, including fossil fuel" in Baku.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock singled out Saudi Arabia as she said it was "essential" to keep last year's call on fossil fuels.

"Apparently some had a different goal here, and that is turning back the clock," she told reporters.

But European countries, like the US, have also seen a shift in political mood with a backlash against foreign aid and the green agenda.

The annual UN-led climate talks come on what is already poised to be the hottest year in history and as disasters rise around the world.

Just since the start of COP29 on November 11, deadly storms have battered the Philippines and Honduras, while Ecuador has declared a national emergency due to drought and forest fires and Spain has been reeling after historic floods.​

 

[Saif]

COP 29: BD seeks EU support for US$ 200b to LDCs

Bangladesh has urged the European Union (EU) to support a proposal for allocating US$ 200 billion to the least developed countries (LDCs) and the most climate-vulnerable countries so that these nations can effectively respond to the challenges of the climate crisis. Bangladesh made the call at a b

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

COP 29: BD seeks EU support for US$ 200b to LDCs
BSS
Published :
Nov 22, 2024 17:27
Updated :
Nov 22, 2024 17:27

Bangladesh has urged the European Union (EU) to support a proposal for allocating US$ 200 billion to the least developed countries (LDCs) and the most climate-vulnerable countries so that these nations can effectively respond to the challenges of the climate crisis.

Bangladesh made the call at a bilateral meeting held today between the ministers of LDCs and the EU on the final outcomes of COP-29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, according to a message received.

The meeting emphasised the need for collaboration on unresolved issues to achieve a balanced and equitable outcome for all parties.

In the meeting, the Bangladesh delegation highlighted that “many issues remain unresolved," urging both groups to work together to secure a meaningful and inclusive deal for COP29.

During the meeting, the LDC ministers shared their key positions, emphasising on urgent need for financial and technical support to address the adverse impacts of climate change.

The EU ministers acknowledged the concerns raised by the LDCs and reaffirmed their commitment to address climate vulnerabilities to foster sustainable development.

They discussed crucial progress in the negotiations, such as climate finance, adaptation, mitigation, and the global stocktaking process.

The meeting marked an essential step in ensuring that the voices of the most vulnerable countries are heard and acted upon in the final negotiations of COP-29.​