Minister let down country at Paris climate meet, say activists

Rights groups have demanded the resignation of the forest and environment minister, Anwar Hossain Manju, for his alleged failure to raise Bangladesh’s position at the recent Paris Climate Change Conference. They also alleged that the minister’s meekness at the summit was inimical to the Prime Minister’s position to realise compensation from developed countries responsible for climate change. The allegation came during a human-chain protest by 24 organisations in front of the National Press Club in Dhaka yesterday.
The programme, titled “Paris Climate Agreement: We have been made slave”, was moderated by Mustafa Kamal Akand of EquityBD. The organisers also issued a public statement claiming that the most dangerous point of the agreement was decision number 52.
“The condition of the summit’s decision number 52 is that no one can raise any claim for compensation in future due to climate change,” it said. This would help rich nations to deny liability and compensation for climate change, the statement added. The protesters said decision number 52 was a huge setback to Bangladesh’s long time demand. Even the Prime Minister has made this demand several times.
The Bangladeshi delegation has to clarify to the nation why it did not uphold the PM’s position in the conference, they demanded.
They also alleged that there was no coordination among the delegates, and there was lack of access to CSOs and media to the Bangladeshi delegation as well. The minister’s speech in the press conference and sessions were always contradictory and confusing, and he had hardly given space to other members of the delegation, they added.
Speaking on the occasion, Foyez Hossain of Jatiya Sromik Federation
said developed and emerging nations were concentrating on their self-priorities and ignoring issues related to the survival of the most vulnerable countries (MVCs).
He alleged that the issues of compensation and liabilities, historical responsibilities, developed countries’ responsibility to provide climate finance, preferential treatment to MVCs and LDCs were not mentioned in the draft agreement.
Aminur Rasul Babul of Unnayan Dhara Trust said the target of global warming increase rate was fixed at 2 degree centigrade, while IPCC has predictions to keep the figure at 1.5 degree centigrade. “By ignoring the demand of keeping the rate within 1.5 degree centigrade, the whole world has been put into grave danger,” he added.
Zayed Iqbal Khan of Bangladesh Krishak Federation said rich countries were reluctant to take liability for climate change. “The issues of liabilities and compensation were not mentioned in the draft Paris agreement due to unprecedented pressure by US with the passive support of EU and other developed countries,” he added.
Prodip Kumar Roy of Online Knowledge Society, Subal Sarkar of Bangladesh Bhumihin Samity, Firoja Begum of Banchte Shikho Nari and Kader Hazari of ARPAN also addressed the human chain.

 

Minister let down country at Paris climate meet, say activists

Rights groups have demanded the resignation of the forest and environment minister, Anwar Hossain Manju, for his alleged failure to raise Bangladeshs position at the recent Paris Climate Change Conference. They also alleged that the ministers meekness at the summit was inimical to the Prime Ministers position to realise compensation from developed countries responsible for climate change. The allegation came during a human-chain protest by 24 organisations in front of the National Press Club in Dhaka yesterday. The programme, titled Paris Climate Agreement: We have been made slave, was moderated by Mustafa Kamal Akand of EquityBD. The organisers also issued a public statement claiming that the most dangerous point of the agreement was decision number 52. The condition of the summits decision number 52 is that no one can raise any claim for compensation in future due to climate change, it said. This would help rich nations to deny liability and compensation for climate change, the statement added. The protesters said decision number 52 was a huge setback to Bangladeshs long time demand. Even the Prime Minister has made this demand several times. The Bangladeshi delegation has to clarify to the nation why it did not uphold the PMs position in the conference, they demanded. They also alleged that there was no coordination among the delegates, and there was lack of access to CSOs and media to the Bangladeshi delegation as well. The ministers speech in the press conference and sessions were always contradictory and confusing, and he had hardly given space to other members of the delegation, they added. Speaking on the occasion, Foyez Hossain of Jatiya Sromik Federation said developed and emerging nations were concentrating on their self-priorities and ignoring issues related to the survival of the most vulnerable countries (MVCs). He alleged that the issues of compensation and liabilities, historical responsibilities, developed countries responsibility to provide climate finance, preferential treatment to MVCs and LDCs were not mentioned in the draft agreement. Aminur Rasul Babul of Unnayan Dhara Trust said the target of global warming increase rate was fixed at 2 degree centigrade, while IPCC has predictions to keep the figure at 1.5 degree centigrade. By ignoring the demand of keeping the rate within 1.5 degree centigrade, the whole world has been put into grave danger, he added. Zayed Iqbal Khan of Bangladesh Krishak Federation said rich countries were reluctant to take liability for climate change. The issues of liabilities and compensation were not mentioned in the draft Paris agreement due to unprecedented pressure by US with the passive support of EU and other developed countries, he added. Prodip Kumar Roy of Online Knowledge Society, Subal Sarkar of Bangladesh Bhumihin Samity, Firoja Begum of Banchte Shikho Nari and Kader Hazari of ARPAN also addressed the human chain.