The looming impact of climate change threatens to force 20-30 million people away from their homes since much of the country has a possibility to disappear under water in the future, said Science and Technology Minister Yeafesh Osman recently.
Bangladesh would do well to adapt to such climate changes and remain prepared in advance. Such adaptations will help the country see off the impacts and allow its development trajectory to remain on course, Osman said.
The minister was speaking at a seminar at the Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) office in Dhaka on raising awareness among Bangladeshi research and business communities about Horizon 2020, a flagship research and innovation program of the EU for the period 2014 to 2020.
Horizon 2020 is the biggest EU research and innovation program ever making available almost €80 billion to fund collaborative research projects by researchers from Europe and beyond including Bangladesh.
Climate-related expenditure is expected to constitute over 35 percent of Horizon 2020 budget, so it is high time Bangladeshi firms proactively made efforts to become a part of the researching parties, the minister said.
