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

[Saif]

‘If tiger survives, Sundarbans will survive’

Today, 29 July is World Tiger Day. This year, Bangladesh has chosen the theme: “Increase in Tiger Population, Prosperity of the Sundarbans.” The tiger is Bangladesh’s national animal. Our national cricket team is famously known as the “Tigers,” and the East Bengal Regiment of the Bangladesh...

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World Tiger Day
‘If tiger survives, Sundarbans will survive’
The Sundarbans is now the last refuge for wild tigers in Bangladesh. Their primary prey is the spotted deer.

Md Anwarul Islam
Published: 29 Jul 2025, 08: 15

A Royal Bengal Tiger at the Sundarbans File photo

Today, 29 July, is World Tiger Day. This year, Bangladesh has chosen the theme: “Increase in Tiger Population, Prosperity of the Sundarbans.”

The tiger is Bangladesh’s national animal. Our national cricket team is famously known as the “Tigers,” and the East Bengal Regiment of the Bangladesh Army bears the tiger in its logo. For these reasons, Bangladesh observes this day with significance.

According to national tiger census data, Bangladesh recorded 106 tigers in 2015, 114 in 2018, and 125 in the most recent 2024 survey. Despite facing numerous threats, the tiger population in Bangladesh is increasing — a hopeful sign. For this, we must express our gratitude to the forest department and the local communities of the Sundarbans.

The Sundarbans is now the last refuge for wild tigers in Bangladesh. Their primary prey is the spotted deer.

According to tiger experts, shortages of deer pose a greater threat to tigers than direct poaching, because without enough food, tigers become weak, lose their immunity, and human-tiger conflict increases.

On 17 July, I saw a news report where members of the Gyanpara patrol outpost in the Sharankhola Range of the Eastern Sundarbans arrested two people on a passenger bus carrying 10 kilograms of venison. In a photo, the sack was labeled with the recipient’s name, phone number, and destination in Dhaka.

Despite the sincere efforts of the forest department, deer poaching in the Sundarbans will not stop as long as demand exists elsewhere. Yet, when blame is placed, it almost always falls on the forest department — never on the consumers.

Currently, there are many deer farms in the country. The main argument in favour of farming deer was that it would reduce pressure on wild deer populations in the forests. However, I do not know any scientific reason why deer farms still exist and are increasing in number here.

A friend recently told me that some wealthy people wanted this to happen. But no one would dare to keep live deer brought from the Sundarbans on their farms. I couldn’t tell my friend that around 2012, three tiger cubs from the Sundarbans were smuggled into Dhaka. Friends in the Forest Department’s Crime Control Unit surely know well what is happening to other endangered species. We all need to take responsibility. In India, wildlife farming is banned.

A survey showed that over 90 per cent of people living around the Sundarbans know that hunting deer and consuming deer meat is illegal.

Yet they continue this practice because deer meat is often cheaper than other meats. This is because the sellers do not have to pay to buy the deer, unlike other livestock which must be purchased before selling. In Vietnam, serving wild animal meat to guests used to be a symbol of prestige. As a result, Vietnam lost its last wild tiger around the year 2000.

Many people believe that the deer population in the Sundarbans is increasing significantly and that even if a few are hunted, they will not disappear. For their information, there was a species of pigeon in North America called the Passenger Pigeon, whose population once numbered between 3 to 5 billion. When they flew in flocks, the sky looked darkened by their numbers. However, due to habitat destruction and uncontrolled hunting, this species became extinct within just 100 years.

The tiger is a keystone species for the Sundarbans. If the tiger survives, the Sundarbans’ ecosystem and biodiversity will naturally be preserved, and the Sundarbans itself will survive. The local people consider the Sundarbans like a mother—it protects them from storms and floods, saves lives, and provides food. According to them, if the tiger survives, the Sundarbans will survive, and if the Sundarbans survives, Bangladesh will survive.

With the cooperation of the Forest Department and WildTeam, 450 volunteers from the villages surrounding the Sundarbans are tirelessly working to conserve the tiger. Members of the Village Tiger Response Team, tiger friends, and tiger scouts are our social capital.

The theme of Tiger Day gives me hope. The number of tigers indicates the health of the Sundarbans. If the Sundarbans is healthy, our mental health will also improve. This will also affect our national happiness index. This idea of measuring overall national happiness and wellbeing has come from Bhutan. They also view the increase in tiger numbers as growth in the national happiness index. Bangladesh has now taken a step on this hopeful ‘Silk Road’.​

 

[Saif]

Rizwana calls for stronger action against wildlife traffickers

Benefits of tiger conservation must be made visible to the public, she says

www.thedailystar.net

Rizwana calls for stronger action against wildlife traffickers

File photo

Environment Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan today called for stronger action against wildlife crimes, particularly tiger trafficking and poaching.

"We must stand firm and use all our strength against tiger traffickers and poachers. The benefits of tiger conservation must be made visible to the public," she said while speaking as the chief guest at a discussion held today at the Forest Department headquarters in Agargaon, Dhaka, marking World Tiger Day 2025.

The environment adviser emphasised that the tiger is not merely a wild animal -- it is a source of national pride and a symbol of our identity.

"Just as we are proud of the Sundarbans, we are equally proud of the Royal Bengal Tiger. We associate the tiger with courage, love, and heroism. Even our national cricketers are affectionately referred to as 'Tigers' -- a testament to the deep emotional connection we have with this majestic animal," she said.

Highlighting recent tiger census data, she noted that the tiger population in the Sundarbans has increased due to some effective conservation initiatives.

"This is promising," she said, "but more robust and long-term efforts are needed to regulate deer hunting, prevent recurring forest fires, and combat poaching."

Rizwana further said that there is a direct link between tiger deaths and illegal trafficking. Additionally, human-tiger conflict is rising, especially in fringe areas of the Sundarbans. To address this, plans are underway to establish social safety zones for local communities.

Addressing the increase in forest crimes, Rizwana urged, "We need lists identifying those involved in trafficking as well as those who could be diverted with alternative livelihoods, so that appropriate actions can be taken."

"To protect our heritage, conserve the environment, and save our tigers, we must remain united and resolute," she added.

Farhina Ahmed, secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, attended the event as the special guest. The discussion was chaired by Mohammad Amir Hossain Chowdhury, chief conservator of Forests.​

 

[Saif]

Dhaka seeks regional cooperation to address growing climate challenges

Bangladesh urged for collaborative, science-based solutions that led to the creation of new livelihood opportunities.

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Dhaka seeks regional cooperation to address growing climate challenges

UNB
Published: 31 Jul 2025, 18: 26

Bangladesh Ambassador to Nepal Md Shafiqur Rahman paid a courtesy visit to the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) on Wednesday. UNB

Bangladesh Ambassador to Nepal Md Shafiqur Rahman has emphasised on mountain-to-delta linkages in sustainable development and urged for collaborative, science-based solutions that led to the creation of new livelihood opportunities.

He stressed the need for regional cooperation to address the growing challenges from climate change and trans-boundary risks and challenges and expressed Bangladesh’s readiness to support ICIMOD to expand and diversify its operation.

The ambassador made the remarks while paying a courtesy visit to the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) on Wednesday upon an invitation from the Director General of ICIMOD, Dr Pema Gyamtsho.

He was welcomed by the Director-General and other senior officials of ICIMOD.

During the visit, the ICIMOD officials briefed the Ambassador about ICIMOD’s core activities and projects in the Hindu Kush Himalayan region, according to Bangladesh Embassy in Nepal.

They also made a presentation on ICIMOD’s works and projects in the CHT region of Bangladesh.

The Ambassador thanked ICIMOD for its contribution in facilitating the transition to a greener, more inclusive, and climate-resilient development.

The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development is a regional intergovernmental learning and knowledge sharing centre, based in Kathmandu, founded in 1983 comprising eight regional member countries of the Hindu Kush Himalaya region – Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan.​

 

[Saif]

Last chance saloon for global plastic pollution treaty

The draft succeeded only in infuriating virtually all corners, and the text was immediately shredded as one country after another ripped it to bits.

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Last chance saloon for global plastic pollution treaty
AFP Geneva
Published: 14 Aug 2025, 21: 17

An artwork by Canadian artist, activist, and photographer Benjamin Von Wong entitled "The Thinker's Burden" a 6-meter-tall sculptural remix of Rodin's iconic Thinker, which is being created for the Plastics Treaty Negotiations is seen in front of the United Nations Offices in Geneva on 13 August 2025. AFP

Negotiators trying to secure a global agreement on tackling the scourge of plastic pollution had just hours left to salvage a deal on Thursday after the talks plunged into disarray.

Countries wanting bold action to turn the tide on plastic garbage are so far apart from a group of oil-producing nations that the prospects of finding meaningful common ground before Friday -- after three years of talks -- seem low.

With just over a day to go, talks chair Luis Vayas Valdivieso produced a draft text on Wednesday based on the few areas of convergence, in an attempt to find common ground.

But the draft succeeded only in infuriating virtually all corners, and the text was immediately shredded as one country after another ripped it to bits.

For the self-styled "ambition coalition" countries, it was an empty document shorn of bold action like curbing production and phasing out toxic ingredients and reduced down to a waste management accord.

And for the so-called Like-Minded Group, with Gulf states leading the charge, it crossed too many of their red lines and did not do enough to narrow down the scope of what they might be signing up for.

The bad, the very bad, the ugly

Vayas held talks with regional delegations late Wednesday that ran past midnight.

Raking over the fall-out, European Union member states held a coordination meeting early Thursday, as did a group of small island developing states struggling to cope with ocean plastic they did little to produce and have scant capacity to deal with.

Latin American and Caribbean nations and the African group of countries were also due to have their own meetings behind closed doors.

After that, the two key cross-regional blocs -- the High Ambition Coalition and the Like-Minded Group -- were to have their own meetings before marching back into the plenary session, which brings all the negotiating countries together in the UN Palais des Nations' main assembly hall.

Aleksandar Rankovic from The Common Initiative think-tank, said Vayas had effectively removed all the ambitious countries' bargaining chips, meaning they are unlikely to get anything better than what is on the table.

"It's very simple: there are only two scenarios: there's bad and very bad -- and a lot of ugliness in between," he told AFP.

"The bad scenario is that countries adopt a very bad treaty: something that looks like the text from Wednesday, but potentially worse.

"The very bad is that they don't agree on anything, and they either try to reconvene," or the treaty is "kept in limbo for a long time -- so practically abandoned".

'Repulsive surrender'

After three years and five previous rounds of talks, negotiators from 180-odd countries have been working at the United Nations in Geneva since August 5 to try to conclude a first international accord on dealing with plastic pollution.

The problem is so ubiquitous that microplastics have been found on the highest mountain peaks, in the deepest ocean trench and scattered throughout almost every part of the human body.

In Wednesday's bombshell plenary, Panama said the draft text was "simply repulsive. It is not ambition: it is surrender", while Kenya said it had been "significantly diluted and lost its very objective".

The World Wide Fund for Nature said ambitious countries "must have by now recognised that there is no possible text that will be acceptable to all UN member states".

Their ministers have the chance to table a new text with binding global bans and phase-outs for the most harmful chemicals, and a mechanism to ensure the treaty can be strengthened over time, Zaynab Sadan, WWF's global plastics policy lead told AFP.

"They must then be prepared to vote their text through. There is no other way a meaningful treaty can be agreed," she said.​

 

[Krishna with Flute]

undefined | The Financial Express

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Govt focused on reducing dust to control air pollution in Dhaka: Rizwana

UNB
Published :
Jun 30, 2025 23:01
Updated :
Jun 30, 2025 23:01

View attachment 19512

Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Advisor to the Ministry of Environment, Forests, Climate Change and Water Resources, has announced a series of proactive steps aimed at tackling air pollution, with a strong focus on controlling dust pollution in Dhaka ahead of winter.

Rizwana also outlined the government's comprehensive plan addressing immediate, mid-term, and long-term solutions under the Bangladesh Clean Air Project (BCAP).

The adviser came up with the information while talking to journalists at the Bangladesh Secretariat following a productive meeting with a visiting team of Chinese air pollution experts.

“As part of short-term measures, all road repair works in Dhaka are targeted to be completed before winter. Surface covering, fencing and water spraying systems will be implemented to control dust,” she said.

Additional initiatives including using watering carts, land hardening and enforcing a “zero soil” policy will be taken to prevent dust from exposed surfaces, she added.

To curb vehicular pollution—a major contributor to poor urban air quality—the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) will remove outdated vehicles and introduce 250 new ones.

Plans are also in place to establish 10 automatic vehicle inspection centers to enforce emission standards.

Besides, a working group will be formed in consultation with the Chinese experts to develop long-term strategies, said the adviser.

She also stressed the importance of accurate data collection and analysis for policy formulation and sustainable progress.

Mid- and long-term goals include establishing an advanced air quality emission monitoring system, aligning emission standards with global norms, introducing sanitary landfills and waste incineration plants and promoting liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) for cleaner cooking.

Meanwhile, tax incentives for environmentally friendly practices and technologies are also under review.

Under BCAP, the Department of Environment (DoE) will launch a continuous emission monitoring system for high-polluting industries and conduct training and awareness programs nationwide.

Meanwhile, the Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA) will install road fencing and introduce 50 electric vehicles to promote cleaner transport.

A Japan-funded initiative will establish eight real-time air quality monitoring stations to support evidence-based policymaking and the BEST project will also be implemented to complement these efforts.

Advisor Rizwana expressed optimism about the collaboration with the Chinese expert team, noting that their expertise will significantly enhance Bangladesh’s capacity to fight air pollution.

She reaffirmed the government's strong commitment to creating a cleaner and healthier environment for all.

Dr. Farhina Ahmed, Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change; Professor Yu Zhao, Executive Dean, School of Environment, Nanjing University; Dr. Haikun Wang, Vice Dean, Nanjing-Helsinki Institute in Atmospheric and Earth System Sciences; and Dr. Tengyu Liu, Associate Professor, School of Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing University, were present among others.

The meeting emphasized the importance of developing a national emission inventory and conducting chemical analyses to identify pollution sources.

These steps will lay the foundation for a robust source apportionment study—key to designing targeted, science-based interventions across the country.​

Plant Saru tree for dust and bamboo for other politician. I have planted both on periphery of our township.

 

[Krishna with Flute]

I have created my own small Vantara called Shanti Park. 9500 trees are planted. Atleast 2000 more are planned this rainy season. 4 small Miyawaki forest.

3500 trees planted this season and one more Miawaki forest added. Total trees reached 13000. Half of my target achieved. 500 trees planted elsewhere.

 

[Saif]

Saving Dhaka's Wetlands

The Dhaka North City Corporation's (DNCC’s) recent call for a moratorium on the sale and conversion of lands in areas earmarked under the Detailed Area Plan (DAP) is most pragmatic. Alongside this, the DNCC has urged restrictions on tax collection in these areas to help preserve the waterbodi

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Saving Dhaka's Wetlands

FE
Published :
Aug 18, 2025 01:04
Updated :
Aug 18, 2025 01:26

The Dhaka North City Corporation's (DNCC’s) recent call for a moratorium on the sale and conversion of lands in areas earmarked under the Detailed Area Plan (DAP) is most pragmatic. Alongside this, the DNCC has urged restrictions on tax collection in these areas to help preserve the waterbodies, open fields and parks as envisioned in the DAP, which is vital for improving the capital's environment, biodiversity and quality of life. Reportedly, the DNCC has also initiated plans to create water-centric parks in areas such as Badda, Aftabnagar and Mirpur. If implemented, these waterparks would not only serve as areas for water retention but also add scenic beauty and relief to the otherwise lifeless concrete jungle of Dhaka.

The DAP, an ambitious urban development blueprint for 2022-2035, designates specific areas as wetlands, including waterbodies, flood flow zones and water retention areas. These ecological spaces are indispensable for flood management, groundwater recharge and maintaining biodiversity. Yet, over the years, most of Dhaka's wetlands have indiscriminately been filled up, exposing the city to irreversible environmental degradation. Once teemed with fish and migratory birds, these wetlands have been reduced to barren land and aggressively occupied by real estate developments or industries. This reckless encroachment has been driven by runaway population growth, poor governance and an unrestrained culture of land grabbing. Tragically, policymakers failed to appreciate that the disappearance of wetlands would have disastrous consequences for both the city's environment and its residents. Only a handful of urban experts and environmentalists have consistently warned against this suicidal trend of destroying the natural reservoirs that sustain life.

The situation is no better when it comes to rivers, canals and ponds. These water bodies, once central to Dhaka's drainage and water management systems, have also been subjected to encroachment, pollution and even obliteration. The authorities' inexplicable indifference to this crisis is unpardonable. As a result, a large number of rivers, canals, and wetlands have already disappeared. Even today, the city authorities are engaged in protracted battles with land grabbers to reclaim what remains of the canals that were once lifelines of Dhaka's drainage network. Ideally, a liveable city should have at least 15 per cent green space and 10-12 per cent wetlands. But a study by the Bangladesh Institute of Planners (BIP) found that green space in central Dhaka has shrunk to just 7.09 per cent, while wetlands cover to a meagre 2.9 per cent of the city area. This exposes how urbanisation in Dhaka has gone astray. Unplanned development has been prioritised over environmental balance, and the consequences are evident in the city's declining air quality, comparatively higher temperature, frequent waterlogging and loss of biodiversity.

It is, therefore, imperative to take immediate and effective measures to rein inunplanned and chaotic urbanisation. In this regard, the DNCC's latest initiative is commendable. The Dhaka South City Corporation should also follow suit. Conserving wetlands, reclaiming canals, protecting parks, and expanding green spaces are not luxuries; they are the prerequisites for making Dhaka liveable. Only by striking a balance between growth and ecological preservation can Dhaka hope to become a truly liveable and sustainable city. The DNCC's call for action should therefore be heeded with utmost urgency, and more importantly, followed by strict enforcement. Otherwise, the capital's residents will continue to pay the price of shortsightedness for generations to come.​

 

[Saif]

ESG for Bangladesh: silent progress to collective commitment

Sustainability is no longer an add-on; it is today an economic and ecological imperative. In Bangladesh, transformation is underway: from green start-ups to ready-made garments, from food to finance, the conversation around Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) standards is becoming louder in

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

ESG for Bangladesh: silent progress to collective commitment

Nayma Jahan and Sameera Zaman
Published :
Aug 20, 2025 00:13
Updated :
Aug 20, 2025 00:13

Sustainability is no longer an add-on; it is today an economic and ecological imperative. In Bangladesh, transformation is underway: from green start-ups to ready-made garments, from food to finance, the conversation around Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) standards is becoming louder in Bangladesh. But to translate this into real impact, we need to move away from soloed pilot projects towards a collective, system-wide change.

Last month Dhaka hosted its second Sustainability Summit organized by Bangladesh Brand Forum and Sustainable Brand Initiative at the Radisson Blu, an initiative of Bangladesh Innovation Conclave. This time it widened its frame. Along with the multinational corporations, local companies were also brought onto the stage to showcase their action plans on social responsibility, waste reduction, and fair sourcing. This inclusiveness was a key turning point. It showed that ESG is no longer a foreign compliance controlled by regulators or investors. Rather, it is being rebuilt from ground zero-by Bangladeshi youth, farmers, entrepreneurs, and engineers.

But beneath the jargon and signboards lies an even more pressing question: How do we transform ESG from an ad hoc epitome into a functioning, equitable reality?

FROM CSR TO ESG - A NECESSARY MINDSHIFT: Bangladesh has had a long tradition of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Many companies have sponsored philanthropic campaigns, funded educational drives, and entered "green" initiatives. But ESG demands more extensive change. It demands instilling sustainability into the very fibre of an organisation-at every step from the way it acquires materials and treats employees to the way it disposes of waste and communicates with communities.

Unlike CSR, which will usually be on the fringe of strategy, ESG is more about accountability and evidence. This requires robust indicators, credible data, and, above all, a mind shift for many small and medium-sized businesses/enterprises (SMEs). This can feel like an overwhelming shift. Technical nomenclatures of ESG reporting, international norms, and data disclosure requirements can be intimidating, rather than inspiring. But here is the paradox: many of these same companies are already performing ESG-aligned activities albeit without the label. Whether it is recycling water in a dyeing house, offering childcare to factory workers, or making investments in metal recycling, these activities correspond to ESG principles. The trick is to recognise, support, and scale up these efforts to make ESG accessible and relevant, not just for the business owners, but for the broader economy.

THE MISSING ROADMAP: Along with progressive speeches and high intentions, Bangladesh suffers from a persistent policy-practice gap. Take the case of polythene bags. The recent ban on plastic bags in supermarkets has been in effect, yet plastic keeps clogging our drains and over-filling our landfills. The gap exists because enforcement remains weak, without viable alternatives or incentives, and businesses are ensnared in unsustainable supply chains.

Take the example of Bangladesh's leading electronics conglomerate. Their technologies for metal recycling and e-waste are a form of internal ESG investment and a national priority. But without systems to scale up such technologies -via mutual information sharing, technical transfer, or public-private finance, their impact will be limited. Such technologies must be expanded for the benefit of the system overall, particularly in local markets and municipalities where sustainable technologies are sorely needed but technically and economically out of reach. Besides, there yet remains a question on the willingness of companies to share technological knowledge and information, which may create more jobs in this sustainability sector.

BRIDGING THE DATA GAP: Among the largest obstacles to integrating ESG in Bangladesh is a lack of transparent, aggregated, and reliable data. How much water are we using across industries? What is the emissions footprint of our garment exports? How many informal workers are being reached through social protection schemes? We often don't know.

Others print glossy sustainability reports, but since they have not been verified by third parties, their credibility is doubted. Others, including SMEs, do not report at all because they have no knowledge, resources, or incentives. Meanwhile, government agencies publish contradictory or outdated statistics, making monitoring and planning an impossibility in practice.

This void of information hurts everyone. It hinders good businesses that want to shine a light on their work, enables green washing, and complicates collaboration on shared goals. But perhaps most importantly, it erases many worthwhile stories such as student's clean-up campaigns, informal recyclers, and rural women-led circular businesses-who are critical to the sustainability agenda but do not show up in formal statistics.

If we are to mainstream ESG, we must democratize the data system. Shared data platforms, open access to environmental and social markers, and common frameworks linking local action to national progress.

A CALL FOR A NATIONAL ESG PLATFORM: To move beyond individual initiatives, Bangladesh needs a national ESG and sustainability reporting platform. That platform cannot be yet another top-down bureaucratic effort. Instead, it must be a multi-stakeholder, collaborative platform upon which public institutions, private companies, academia, and civil society collaborate to co-develop standards, provide verification of impact, and promote local innovations.

Such a platform would have three implications. First, it would localize ESG indicators to mirror Bangladesh's development priorities-e.g., climate resilience, gender equality, and SME competitiveness. Second, it would provide capacity-building for business, particularly SMEs, to embrace and report ESG practices meaningfully. Third, it would give voice to underrepresented voices and innovations, pushing the sustainability of conversation from elite boardrooms to grassroots change makers.

WHY ESG MATTERS TO EVERYONE: For ESG to be embraced across society, people must see why it matters. It is not just a company checklist or an investor request but is reflected on the water we drink, the air we breathe, the food we eat, and the work we do. Until such connections are made, ESG will remain abstract and elitist. Generating awareness and establishing trust is therefore imperative, not necessarily only through campaigns but through education reform, youth empowerment, and community dialogue.

FROM POTENTIAL TO PRACTICE: Despite all these issues, Bangladesh has a solid foundation to build on. We already have resilient communities, bold entrepreneurs, and growing awareness for sustainability. The Dhaka Sustainability Summit reminded us on time that we already have the seeds of change. But they must be nurtured: with coordination, infrastructure, and trust.

ESG is a journey, not a destination. It cannot be reduced to checkboxes or PR campaigns. It calls for a culture of integrity, transparency dedication, and learning and collaboration mindset.

If we are committed to developing a green, just, and prosperous Bangladesh, then ESG is not an option-it is a necessity. It is time to move from silent progress to collective resolve. That means not only investing in technology and reports, but in relationships. Because ultimately, sustainability is a journey we share, and a one that Bangladesh cannot undertake alone.

Nayma Akther Jahan and Sameera Zaman are Lecturers at the Center for Sustainable Development at the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh.​

 

[Saif]

Nature-based solution to address climate change

Climate change is an existential threat to mankind, particularly to affected states. Among other options, Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) are increasingly recognised as vital to addressing climate change and biodiversity loss. According to IUCN (2016) "Nature-based Solutions (NbS) are actions to prote

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Nature-based solution to address climate change
Significance and relevance for Bangladesh

Mohammad Abu Yusuf
Published :
Aug 20, 2025 00:07
Updated :
Aug 20, 2025 00:07

Climate change is an existential threat to mankind, particularly to affected states. Among other options, Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) are increasingly recognised as vital to addressing climate change and biodiversity loss. According to IUCN (2016) "Nature-based Solutions (NbS) are actions to protect, sustainably manage and restore natural and modified ecosystems in ways that address societal challenges effectively and adaptively, to provide both human well-being and biodiversity benefits".

In other words, NbS involves protecting our natural ecosystems such as forests peatlands, wetlands, grasslands, fisheries, timberlands and marine habitats through locally led projects that support communities. Healthy mangroves absorb and store large amounts of carbon. Sea grasses and tidal marshes also act as first line of defence against coastal hazards such as storms/cyclones. When hurricane hits coastal areas, mangroves are the first line of plant communities that take all wind impacts, absorb all storm surges and divert the storm surge away. Everglades Mangrove Forest (South Florida) is of the significant examples of perfect NbS to fight climate change as it takes the first hit from storm surge, capturing CO2 from the atmosphere and storing it (mangroves store nearly four times more carbonthan other forests).

The Everglades mangroves, the largest contiguous mangrove forest in North America, home to nearly 550 square miles of mangrove forests, form a strong natural infrastructure against large waves and storm surges; it also stabilises the shores against erosion.

SIGNIFICANCE: Nature-based solutions i.e., restoration and protection of nature could not only safeguard biodiversity but also help people adapt to the effects of climate change. NbS in urban areas bring varied benefits and ecosystem services such as flood management, cooling effects and recreational values. The mangroves and seagrasses, are among the most efficient carbon sinks available. These ecosystems can absorb more carbon per hectare than terrestrial forests, resulting in mitigation of carbon. When properly managed, NbS acts as a dual solution of mitigation and adaptation (enhancing climate resilience). River restoration and protection is another NbS that highly benefits residents and communities. Planting grass and trees along the riverbank, river cleaning through the removal of solid wastes helps restoration of rivers. It also helps us not to get infected with malaria or any other waterborne disease. The significance of NbS is manifested in the Youth4Nature's mission of mobilising youth to advocate for political leaders to deliver up to 30 per cent of climate solutions needed by 2030 through NbS.

Bangladesh has been a pioneer in promoting NbS by coastal afforestation. The mangrove plantation at the Mukdara and Chokatoli Mouja areas carried out under the Sustainable Forests and Livelihoods (SUFAL) project, implemented in selected sites in 147 upazilas of 28 districts during 2018 to 2023 resulted in collaborative forest management, a protection for coastal people against storms and floods; it also created alternative livelihoods for forest-dependent communities in targeted sites.

ENGINEERED SOLUTION VS NBS: In many parts of the world, the dominant approach to dealing with the hazards of climate change has been static engineered interventions such as sea walls, wells, and irrigation infrastructure. These can be very expensive, but very effective, at least in the short term. NbS in many situations, can provide a more affordable long-term solution.

RELEVANCE OF NBS FOR BANGLADESH: National Adaptation Plan of Bangladesh (2022) outlined the main climate induced challenges of the country, and its urban areas. These challenges are flash floods and waterlogging, drought, riverbank erosion, urban flood, sea level rise and storm surges, salinity intrusion, extreme heat, heatwave, landslides, sea surface temperature increase and ocean acidification.

The following case of Kudalichora Canal, Moulvibazar presents an example of NbS that addresses urban challenges of climate change.

The Kudalichora canal is an example of how restoring natural waterways can significantly enhance climate resilience and urban living. Flowing through the centre of Moulvibazar Municipality, the canal, serves as the area's primary drainage system. Due to flooding, waterlogging, and severe pollution, it was once known as the "curse of Moulvibazar". The Canal underwent a transformation through a restoration project led by the municipality and funded by LGRD. This initiative not only improved its drainage capacity but also turned it into a functional and eye-catching urban waterway. The project has also addressed the urban challenges such as indiscriminate waste-dumping and odour pollution, waterlogging in the city and illegal encroachment on both sides of the canal. Boosting urban ecology through the canal and canalside plantation, and better navigability in canal are the other major co-benefits reaped with the implementation of the project.

NBS FOR SALINITY INTRUSION: The southwestern coastal area of Bangladesh is frequently impacted by tropical cyclones and storm surges. Such cyclones and storm surges inundate the area with saline water. When tidal water gets trapped within embankments or polders, it results in long-lasting salinity that severely hampers crop productivity. It also adversely affects infrastructure, water supplies, soil quality, ecology, and biodiversity. Nature-based solutions such as rainwater harvesting offers an effective way to address water scarcity and reduce reliance on saline groundwater, although on a short-term basis.

URBAN RAINWATER HARVESTING AS AN NBS: The water treatment project in Mongla City serves as a prime example of nature-based solutions addressing salinity in daily water use. The project features two large rainwater harvesting ponds; the objective of these ponds is to reduce the salinity of river water collected from the Mongla river. Moreover, two overhead tanks store the treated water before the same is distributed throughout the city. This sustainable approach ensures a reliable and safe water supply for the community, showcasing an effective adaptation to the region's environment challenges in addition to its role of mitigation of salinity.

BLUE CARBON AS A NATURAL CARBON SOLUTION: Blue carbon, known as the greenhouse gases (GHZs) captured and sequestered by coastal and marine ecosystems such as seagrasses, mangroves, salt marsh and other tidal wetlands is recognised as a vital NbS. It is therefore necessary to scale up Nature-based Solutions (NbS) aiming to address the impacts and risk of climate change and environmental degradation. In this process, forming local level action plans aiming to cope with adverse impacts of climate change is imperative.

Regarding NbS, the Environment, Forest and Climate Change questioned the global push for NbSs without sincere commitments to GHG emission reductions. She observed that it has become fashionable to talk about NbS. Substantiating her observation, she rightly mentioned that if commitment for mitigation is not demonstrated and improved, adaptation will always remain a challenge. According to her, NbS is protecting the natural resource bases that will help adaptation better. She accepts NbS "as a value that you protect your natural resource bases so that the water logging that persists in Noakhali after a given flood can be addressed."

Her observation also concurs with the observation that "an NBCS approach can draw upon aspects of the Rights of Nature (RoN) paradigm through exploring the competing concerns of the 'use' of nature by humans, as a tool to mitigate climate change, against the intrinsic value of the environment and the needs of non-human species - all of this while retaining control of climate change" made by Deane and Bell-James (2025).

The most significant message we can get from the adviser (who is also an environmental and climate change specialist and a front-line activist for environmental justice) is that NbS is learning from our communities. A Nature-based Solution uses the tools that nature already provides. NbS is not something that should be imposed from the top. Rather, it should be the other way round (Frugal Innovation Forum, 2025). NbS can only be sustained if they are designed and implemented by local communities showing respect to the indigenous knowledge, local needs and management, cultural traditions and human rights.

To conclude, nature-based solutions are a critical tool for any country's climate action, offering both mitigation and adaptation benefits. NbS is not just about conserving nature in its current state, it is also about integrating nature solutions with all of our climate actions.

Dr Mohammad Abu Yusuf is a climate analyst and Additional Secretary, Finance Division, Ministry of Finance.​

 

[Saif]

The urgency of positive actions to deal with plastic menace

On March 2, 2022 in Nairobi, representatives of 175 countries pledged to create a legally binding agreement to end plastic pollution. The agreement urged addressing the full lifecycle of plastic and proposed alternatives including reusability. An Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) that c

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

The urgency of positive actions to deal with plastic menace

Muhammad Zamir
Published :
Aug 18, 2025 00:45
Updated :
Aug 18, 2025 00:45

An exhausted delegate reacts to the outcome of the UN negation as developing a landmark treaty to end plastic pollution have once again failed in Geneva last week —IISD/ENB Photo

On March 2, 2022 in Nairobi, representatives of 175 countries pledged to create a legally binding agreement to end plastic pollution. The agreement urged addressing the full lifecycle of plastic and proposed alternatives including reusability. An Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) that could conceive the agreement by the end of the year 2024 was also created. The agreement expected to facilitate the transition to a circular economy, which would reduce GHG emissions by 25 per cent. Inger Andersen, executive director of UNEP called the decision "a triumph by planet earth over single-use plastics".

On August 5, 2025 the world's nations met again at a UN conference in Geneva to finally agree on how to curb the plastic excesses. Nearly 100 countries, called for an "ambitious" treaty which would include a commitment to limit production levels. But there has been strong opposition from a group of oil-producing nations. Nevertheless, following 10 days of negotiations, Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) talks to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment, adjourned early on 15 August without consensus on a text of the instrument. The Committee agreed to resume negotiations at a future date to be announced. It means, the sixth round of United Nations negotiations on ending plastic pollution broke up in Switzerland early Friday without a deal after disagreements with oil-producing nations pushing for recycling solutions over reducing plastic use.

We need to understand that plastics are a "grave, growing and under-recognised danger" for human health, according to a new expert report. The Lancet Countdown has estimated that health-related disease and death from the "plastic crisis" is responsible for at least US Dollar 1.5 trillion a year in health-related damages. These impacts can range from air pollution from the production of plastic to elevated risk of cancer, respiratory illnesses and miscarriages from plastic contamination in our bodies. Plastics contain more than 16,000 chemicals such as dyes and flame retardants, some of which are toxic and cancer-causing. Despite the growing body of evidence of the hazards of plastic, just a quarter of plastic chemicals have data on their impact. Of those tested, 75 per cent were found to be "highly hazardous". Single-use plastic is the biggest contributor to plastic waste in the environment, and most of our daily consumption of this comes from food packaging.

In 2019, 368 million tonnes of plastic was produced each year; 51 per cent in Asia, where China is the world's largest producer. From the 1950s up to 2018, an estimated 6.3 billion tonnes of plastic was produced worldwide, of which an estimated 9 per cent was recycled and another 12 per cent was incinerated. This large amount of plastic waste entered the environment and caused problems throughout the ecosystem. Studies have revealed that tests carried out at that time indicated that the bodies of 90 per cent of seabirds contained plastic debris.

However, at that time, there were significant efforts in some areas to reduce the prominence of free-range plastic pollution, through reducing plastic consumption, litter cleanup, and promoting plastic recycling.

Nevertheless, environmentalists have pointed out that as of 2020, the global mass of produced plastic exceeded the biomass of all land and marine animals combined.

A May-2019 amendment to the Basel Convention regulated the exportation/importation of plastic waste, largely intended to prevent the shipping of plastic waste from developed countries to developing countries. Nearly all countries joined this agreement. However, things have not evolved as desired.

The United States is the world leader in generating plastic waste, producing an annual 42 million metric tons of plastic waste. Per capita generation of plastic waste in the United States is higher than in any other country. In the beginning of 2024, 12 States and at least 500 municipalities had some kind of plastic bag ban. Three state bans and two cities ban alone reduced the number of plastic bags used in one year approximately by 6 billion. In 2009, Washington University in St. Louis became the first university in the United States to ban the sale of plastic, single-use water bottles. In 2009, the District of Columbia required all businesses that sell food or alcohol to charge an additional 5 cents for each carryout plastic or paper bag. In 2011 and 2013, Hawaii prohibited non-biodegradable plastic bags at checkout as well as paper bags containing less than 40 per cent recycled material. In 2015, Honolulu was the last major county approving the ban. In 2015, California prohibited large stores from providing plastic bags. In 2016, Illinois adopted the legislation and established "Recycle Thin Film Friday" in an effort to reclaim used thin-film plastic bags and encourage reusable bags. In 2019, the New York State banned single use plastic bags and introduced a 5-cent fee for using single use paper bags. The ban entered into force in 2020. This will not only reduce plastic bag usage in New York State (23 billion every year until now), but also eliminate 12 million barrels of oil used to make plastic bags used for this purpose.

In 2015 the European Union adopted a directive requiring a reduction in the consumption of single use plastic bags per person to 90 by 2019 and to 40 by 2025. In April 2019, the EU adopted a further directive banning almost all types of single use plastic, except bottles, from the beginning of the year 2021. On July 3, 2021, the EU Single-Use Plastics Directive (SUPD, EU 2019/904) went into effect within EU Member States. The directive aims to reduce plastic pollution from single-use disposable plastics. It focuses on the 10 most commonly found disposable plastics at beaches, which make up 43 per cent of marine litter (fishing gear another 27 per cent). According to the directive, there is a ban on plastic and balloon sticks, plastic plates, cutlery, stirrers and straws. In December 2022 the EU took the first steps for banning the export of plastic waste to other countries. Agreement between the European Parliament and the European Council went for a revision to the Waste Shipment Regulation. This was reached on November 17, 2023.

The government of India decided to ban single use plastics and take a number of measures to recycle and reuse plastic from October 2, 2019. In the year 2022 India began to implement a country-wide ban on different sorts of plastic. New Zealand has announced a ban on many types of hard-to-recycle single use plastic by 2025.

In January 2019, the Iceland Supermarket chain, which specialises in frozen foods, pledged to "eliminate or drastically reduce all plastic packaging for its store-brand products. By 2024, substantial advance has been made in this regard.

McDonald's pledged to be plastic-free from 2021 and are now using a paper wrap for its meals. From October 2023 many types of single use plastic have been banned in England including cutlery and plates. Scotland and Wales have already implemented such bans.

Other high-income countries, such as those of the EU-28 (annual per capita generation 58.56 kg), also have a high per capita plastic waste generation rate. Some high-income countries, such as Japan (annual per capital generation 38.44 kg), produce far less plastic waste per capita.

Microplastics alter soil biophysical properties which affect the quality of the soil. This affects soil biological activity, biodiversity and plant health. It decreases seedling germination, affects the number of leaves, stem diameter and chlorophyll content in these plants. Microplastics in the soil are a risk not only to soil biodiversity but also food safety and human health. Soil biodiversity is important for plant growth in agricultural industries.

Some academics and NGOs believe that a legally binding international treaty to deal with plastic pollution is necessary. They think this because plastic pollution is an international problem, moving between maritime borders, and also because they believe there needs to be a cap on plastic production.

We must understand that a global pact can help us to stop the threat that is evolving throughout the world. No one can contest the fact that plastic and microplastics have been found in Arctic sea ice, the bellies of whales, Earth's atmosphere and oceans, as well as human blood vessels and digestive systems. That is why governments have been under increasing pressure to unite in action against this global threat but to no avail.

One can only hope that the increasingly fractured international world order will face up to their deep divisions and try to mediate the health and ecological hazards that result from plastic use and disposal worldwide. Such a positive move needs to be given priority despite the diverging interests of nations, industries, and those trying to protect the environment and human health.

Muhammad Zamir, a former Ambassador is an analyst specialised in foreign affairs, right to information and good governance.​