DHAKA, Dec 13, 2017 (BSS) - Bangladesh will require an additional US$ 7 billion to meet the targets of environmental development projects by 2021 under the government's seventh Five-Year Plan, according to Bangladesh Country Investment Plan for Environment, Forestry and Climate Change.
It reveals that the government has already invested US$ 4.7 billion in 170 projects to address the country's environment, forestry and climate change during the 2016-17 fiscal.
Bangladesh Country Investment Plan for Environment, Forestry and Climate Change (EFCC) (2016-2021) was launched for the first time at a function at a city hotel today.
Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal spoke on the occasion as the chief guest while Environment and Forests Anwar Hossain Manju as special guest.
FAO Representative in Bangladesh David Doolan, USAID Mission Director Janina Jaruzelski, senior officials and representatives of different local and international organizations, among others, addressed the function with additional secretary of the Environment and Forests Ministry Abdullah Al Mohsin Chowdhury in the chair.
Mustafa Kamal said climate change has emerged as the biggest threat to humanity as it destroys planet's development activities for future generation.
"There were only 50 lakh people in the planet 10,000 years ago. In that time, we have a beautiful world with livable environment for people. But, now there are seven billion people in the world," he added.
"We're facing adverse impacts of climate change since some developed countries are burning fossil fuel ignoring the planet's environment. Five countries - the USA, Russia, Brazil, China and India are responsible for the 55 percent global carbon emission," the Planning Minister said.
He urged climate vulnerable countries like Bangladesh to raise their voices at global forums to mount pressure on the leading carbon emitting countries so that they are compelled to implement the Paris Agreement.
Anwar Hossain Manju said the countries responsible for global carbon emissions should provide sufficient financial and technical supports to the Least Developed Countries (LDCs), including Bangladesh, to help them to cope with the adverse impacts of climate change.
Despite having little contribution to global carbon emission, he said, the LDC Countries like Bangladesh are bearing the burden of excessive carbon emissions caused by the industrialized nations, which are historically responsible for global warming, a great challenge for the planet.
The Environment and Forests Minister said various milestone initiatives have been taken in the country, including Bangladesh Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan (BCCSAP)-2009, Bangladesh Climate Change Resilience Fund (BCCRF), Bangladesh Climate Change Trust Fund (BCCTF) and Climate Change Trust Act-2010, aiming to enhance the country's capacity to deal with climate change issues.
He said as per the Paris Accord, all countries need to devise plans to achieve the goal of keeping the global temperatures within two degrees celsius above pre-industrial levels and strive for 1.5 C if possible.
The LDCs must be united with developing strong leadership to pile up pressure on industrialized nations to take action to stem the planet's rising temperatures, Manju said.
