Foreign Minister Dr Abdul Momen said climate justice must be ensured for all countries as number of climate refugees is increasing in socially climate change vulnerable countries like Bangladesh.
“We have very practical experience of such a scenario having 1.1 million Rohingyas in Bangladesh creating environmental and social havoc,” he said.
The foreign minister was addressing virtually the Inaugural Session of Global Gobeshona Conference organized by International Center for Climate Change and Development (ICCCAD), association with Global Centre on Adaptation (GCA).
Former United Nations (UN) Secretary General Ban-ki-Moon, lawmakers Md. Shahab Uddin and Saber Hossain Chowdhury and CEO of Global Centre on Adaptation Prof. Patrick V Verkooijenon also spoke at the session.
Dr Momen said Bangladesh has been highly applauded by the global community for her home-based excellent adaptation activities to enhance climate resilience.
He, however, said “I want to make it clear that there is a limit to adaptation and unless the responsible states adopt and implement required mitigation measures, we cannot eternally continue our adaptation measures”.
The foreign minister said Bangladesh is one of the most climate vulnerable countries due to its limited coping capacities and specific geographical features, although Bangladesh has no or negligible contribution in global warming.
Considering global high risks, he said Bangladesh parliament adopted with consensus a resolution and called it a “Planetary Emergency” and urged the leadership of the world to work “on a war footing” to manage the negative impact of the climate change.
He said Bangladesh has significant experience on locally led adaptation initiatives and it would like to share these with the rest of the world.
