One Planet Summit and Bangladesh

The environmental summit in Paris undoubtedly rings an awakening bell of alarm especially for those at the steering wheel of the industrial civilisation

Whenever a global forum goes into session, the participants of the forum conspicuously attend it with some specific targets to fulfill within a stipulated time-frame. The two-day long One Planet Summit held in Paris and hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron is not an exception to this tradition. The extraordinary significance of this international summit is that this summit’s deliberations highlight some serious global concerns so as to work out specific mechanism for combating the effects of global climate changes precisely because of the greenhouse gas emissions. Surely, the explosive emissions of the greenhouse gases from the multi-faceted anthropogenic activities of the industrial civilization at this moment indisputably pose the most serious ever threat to the very existence of the human race on this only one so far livable planet of ours.

The environmental summit in Paris undoubtedly rings an awakening bell of alarm especially for those at the steering wheel of the industrial civilization by reminding them that they are fast heading towards a Frankenstein-like self-annihilation. Most importantly, the One Planet Summit has boldly addressed the common basic environmental concerns of the worst-affected countries. Alongside holding out solid assurance of tangible help and assistance, the summit has worked out pragmatic guidelines for the stake-holders of the only one livable planet of ours as to how to get out of this onrushing total catastrophe. For instance, the honourable delegates of the globe are at one in putting pressure on the industrial giants and the corporate world with the highest track records of emissions. To enhance the pressure further, the summit leaders have gone a step ahead in mulling financial sanctions if necessary in future.

Bangladesh being a lower riparian country is obviously in the list of most vulnerable countries with regard to the adverse impact caused by global climate changes. According to a number of ecological studies and surveys conducted by authentic global bodies like ESGP, EEP, etc., Bangladesh has already been exposed to the severest risks of the global greenhouse gas emissions. The most alarming revealation of one of these studies is that by the middle of the 21st century, the whole of the southern Bangladesh that is the greater Khulna division may go under water. Even taken it as an apprehension, the fact of Bangladesh’s vulnerability to global climate changes is crystal clear.

In the context of the ground reality of today’s globe, practicably sustainable endeavours of combatting the adverse impact of climate changes call for topmost priority. The One Planet Summit has truly fixed its focus on the right premises by deciding to go for fighting against the climate changes from the economic front. With this end in view, the summit participants have unanimously adopted three aims as its motivating goals: (a) Take tangible and collective action; (b) innovate; (c) support one another.

The summit leaders representing the globe has indeed made it their focus concern that we all share one planet and that is why we all are affected in varying degrees by the adverse effects of the climate changes occurring throughout the globe. So fighting climate changes collectively should be our first priority. In conceiving a holistic approach, we have to be creative in responding quickly to the immediate needs of the fast changing surroundings. It is not possible to rein in the free flow of greenhouse gas emissions without the direct help of those working in both private and public financial organizations. Thus, an assured fund figure in our war against climate changes can surely be a durable warrantee to pursue our efforts to live and let live.

Initially, with a fund of 3 trillion dollar plus the steering body will go into operations and in the process will increase its working fund. Undoubtedly, it is quite a heartening thing for Bangladesh that the summit participants have agreed in principle that all are not equally affected by the raging emissions and the bonus dividend for Bangladesh is that the globe is ethically bound to help most those hardest hit by climate changes. Now the question naturally arises as to how far Bangladesh will be able to reap the promised financial help. I firmly believe that mere participation in a summit is far from achieving our true goal of striking a rightful deal of share in our war against climate changes. The best possible way to get the reparations caused against our ecology and biodiversity by the greatest emitters is that we have to be firmly committed voicing our real situations in all global forums in a far more audible pitch. In this connection, we have to run relentless mileage on global diplomatic runway.

Unfortunately, it is true that the serious concerns regarding environment in Bangladesh are still in the low-profile in public protocol for reasons unknown. We hardly hear the echoes of our environmental concerns both in the regional as well as global forums as loudly as expected. Until and unless we make our gravest concerns regarding environment as an inseparable part of our speech, our way of thinking and our mode of action, the global policy-makers will hardly be convinced to come forward to help us out of the claustrophobia caused by emission-induced climate changes. The scenarios of rampant deforestation in the one hand and rambling expansions of unplanned urbanization at the cost of greeneries and wetlands on the other can be anything but pleasing to the conscious and sensible people of the global village.   

The writer, Assistant Professor of English, Bogra Cantonment Public School and College, is a contributor to The Independent. E-mail: [email protected]

 

One Planet Summit and Bangladesh

The environmental summit in Paris undoubtedly rings an awakening bell of alarm especially for those at the steering wheel of the industrial civilisation

Whenever a global forum goes into session, the participants of the forum conspicuously attend it with some specific targets to fulfill within a stipulated time-frame. The two-day long One Planet Summit held in Paris and hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron is not an exception to this tradition. The extraordinary significance of this international summit is that this summits deliberations highlight some serious global concerns so as to work out specific mechanism for combating the effects of global climate changes precisely because of the greenhouse gas emissions. Surely, the explosive emissions of the greenhouse gases from the multi-faceted anthropogenic activities of the industrial civilization at this moment indisputably pose the most serious ever threat to the very existence of the human race on this only one so far livable planet of ours. The environmental summit in Paris undoubtedly rings an awakening bell of alarm especially for those at the steering wheel of the industrial civilization by reminding them that they are fast heading towards a Frankenstein-like self-annihilation. Most importantly, the One Planet Summit has boldly addressed the common basic environmental concerns of the worst-affected countries. Alongside holding out solid assurance of tangible help and assistance, the summit has worked out pragmatic guidelines for the stake-holders of the only one livable planet of ours as to how to get out of this onrushing total catastrophe. For instance, the honourable delegates of the globe are at one in putting pressure on the industrial giants and the corporate world with the highest track records of emissions. To enhance the pressure further, the summit leaders have gone a step ahead in mulling financial sanctions if necessary in future. Bangladesh being a lower riparian country is obviously in the list of most vulnerable countries with regard to the adverse impact caused by global climate changes. According to a number of ecological studies and surveys conducted by authentic global bodies like ESGP, EEP, etc., Bangladesh has already been exposed to the severest risks of the global greenhouse gas emissions. The most alarming revealation of one of these studies is that by the middle of the 21st century, the whole of the southern Bangladesh that is the greater Khulna division may go under water. Even taken it as an apprehension, the fact of Bangladeshs vulnerability to global climate changes is crystal clear. In the context of the ground reality of todays globe, practicably sustainable endeavours of combatting the adverse impact of climate changes call for topmost priority. The One Planet Summit has truly fixed its focus on the right premises by deciding to go for fighting against the climate changes from the economic front. With this end in view, the summit participants have unanimously adopted three aims as its motivating goals: (a) Take tangible and collective action; (b) innovate; (c) support one another. The summit leaders representing the globe has indeed made it their focus concern that we all share one planet and that is why we all are affected in varying degrees by the adverse effects of the climate changes occurring throughout the globe. So fighting climate changes collectively should be our first priority. In conceiving a holistic approach, we have to be creative in responding quickly to the immediate needs of the fast changing surroundings. It is not possible to rein in the free flow of greenhouse gas emissions without the direct help of those working in both private and public financial organizations. Thus, an assured fund figure in our war against climate changes can surely be a durable warrantee to pursue our efforts to live and let live. Initially, with a fund of 3 trillion dollar plus the steering body will go into operations and in the process will increase its working fund. Undoubtedly, it is quite a heartening thing for Bangladesh that the summit participants have agreed in principle that all are not equally affected by the raging emissions and the bonus dividend for Bangladesh is that the globe is ethically bound to help most those hardest hit by climate changes. Now the question naturally arises as to how far Bangladesh will be able to reap the promised financial help. I firmly believe that mere participation in a summit is far from achieving our true goal of striking a rightful deal of share in our war against climate changes. The best possible way to get the reparations caused against our ecology and biodiversity by the greatest emitters is that we have to be firmly committed voicing our real situations in all global forums in a far more audible pitch. In this connection, we have to run relentless mileage on global diplomatic runway. Unfortunately, it is true that the serious concerns regarding environment in Bangladesh are still in the low-profile in public protocol for reasons unknown. We hardly hear the echoes of our environmental concerns both in the regional as well as global forums as loudly as expected. Until and unless we make our gravest concerns regarding environment as an inseparable part of our speech, our way of thinking and our mode of action, the global policy-makers will hardly be convinced to come forward to help us out of the claustrophobia caused by emission-induced climate changes. The scenarios of rampant deforestation in the one hand and rambling expansions of unplanned urbanization at the cost of greeneries and wetlands on the other can be anything but pleasing to the conscious and sensible people of the global village. The writer, Assistant Professor of English, Bogra Cantonment Public School and College, is a contributor to The Independent. E-mail: [email protected]