President for concerted efforts to combat climate change

S Asian judicial confce on environment and climate change begins in Dhaka

Describing the phenomenon of climate change as a global issue and a dangerous threat to mankind, President Abdul Hamid yesterday emphasised the need for concerted efforts on part of the global community to mitigate its impacts. A single country or region would not be able to address this burning issue. Concerted efforts by the global community are needed to mitigate and combat the deleterious impacts of climate change, observed the President while addressing the inaugural session of the two-day ‘South Asian Judicial Conference on Environment and Climate Change’ as the chief guest. The conference was held at the Radisson Blu Water Garden Hotel in the capital.
The Bangladesh Supreme Court, with support from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), has organised the prestigious conference for the first time.
In line with the Kyoto Protocol and Paris Agreement, world leaders have promised to protect the environment and the earth from the adverse impacts of climate change, said the President, adding, "Time has come to materialise the decisions and turn commitments into actions."
The Bangladesh Supreme Court and also the South Asian judiciary deserve high appreciation as they are playing a very important role in protecting and preserving the environment through the initiation of public interest litigation and utilisation of constitutional remedies.
The President also highlighted the initiatives taken by the Bangladesh government to address climate change. “Bangladesh is one of the first countries that signed and ratified the Paris Agreement and also the first country to set up a Climate Change Fund of USD 400 million from its own resources.”
Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha, chairman of the inaugural session, said the Supreme Court of Bangladesh is playing a very proactive role on the degradation of the environment to make it friendly for the people. It has played a very impressive role in its judicial activism, either suo motu, or on the basis of public interest litigation (PIL) and progressive interpretation of some constitutional and other legal provisions.  He said, “The judiciary applied internationally recognised environmental concepts in its different landmark judgments as regards environmental and climate change issues. It has expanded the locus standi so that social action litigation may be filed easily to protect the environment and prevent climate change.” “I think that even after all these endeavours, we  have a long way to go. We must be persistent in our efforts to build public awareness and to legislate suitable laws to cope with the needs of the changing society. Otherwise, it would be difficult for us to protect the bountiful treasures of nature and ensure environmental security, without which the lives of our future generations will be at stake. Those who are driven by greed and profiteering must be made to realise that the judiciary cares more for their offspring and the future generations of this country,” the CJ said.
“In recent years, many countries and various organisations have paid more attention to environmental protection. It is unrealistic to expect individual nations to independently make the sacrifices necessary to prevent environmental changes. No one can deny that international leadership and worldwide cooperation are essential if we expect to protect the world for the future generations,” CJ said.
Human rights abuses are worsened by environmental degradation for several reasons, including the fact that exhaustion of natural resources leads to unemployment and migration to cities, he added.
About 60 per cent of 5,000 million people—who live in the least developed and developing countries—lack basic healthcare services and almost a third of these people have no access to supplies of safe water, the CJ noted.
The CJ also said that global climate change would affect people and the environment in many ways. Some of these impacts, like stronger hurricanes and severe heat waves, could even threaten life.
Environmental law has, in many parts of the globe, suffered from the problem of standing. Because of this barrier, it is often difficult for individuals or groups to challenge infringements of environmental law, treaties or directives, as the case may be, CJ SK Sinha added. Referring to the apex court verdict, the CJ said in compliance with the apex court verdict, the government enacted the National River Saving Commission Act, 2013, for establishing a commission to save the dying rivers of the country.
The CJ also said that in compliance with the apex court order, the environment ministry has framed Rules titled ‘Dangerous and Hazardous Wastage and Ship Breaking Wreck Management Rules, 2011’ and the ‘Ship Breaking and Recycling Rules, 2011’, which helped stop deforestation and gave a fillip to afforestation. It also helps workers perform their duties in a safe condition and get remedies for casualties, if any, the CJ noted.
The CJ said the main cause of environment degradation was the lack of effective enforcement of various laws relating to human rights, preservation and protection of forests, protection of rivers, canals, water reservoirs, haors (swamps), among others.
He observed that the apex court has, in an order, asked the authorities to remove all structures and/or encroachments within the original areas of the Buriganga, Turag, Sitalakhya and other rivers.  Referring to its judgement, the CJ said the apex court asked the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) to dismantle or demolish the BGMEA Bhaban within 90 days from the date of receipt of the judgment, if only to protect the environment and the ecological balance.
He also said that after taking into consideration the devastating effects of the Hazaribagh tanneries on the environment, the apex court has issued a direction to shift those tanneries within the timeframe fixed by the court. As the tanneries were not shifted within the stipulated time, the court directed 154 tannery owners at Hazaribagh to pay the government Tk. 10,000 per day as fine, he noted.
“It is necessary to emphasise that the problem of environmental degradation can be tackled only by concerted efforts by every person, organisation and institution, and by stringent enforcement of the laws. We have to educate, spread awareness, involve and motivate every person in the country to conserve the local flora and fauna, soil and water resources and all other gifts of God, which are national properties,” the CJ added.
Law minister Anisul Huq, judge of the Supreme Court’s Appellate Division, Justice Abdul Wahhab Miah—who is also the chairman of the preparatory committee for the conference—deputy minister for environment and forests, Abdullah Al Islam Jakob, and ADB general counsel Christopher Stephens also addressed the inaugural session.

 

President for concerted efforts to combat climate change

S Asian judicial confce on environment and climate change begins in Dhaka

Describing the phenomenon of climate change as a global issue and a dangerous threat to mankind, President Abdul Hamid yesterday emphasised the need for concerted efforts on part of the global community to mitigate its impacts. A single country or region would not be able to address this burning issue. Concerted efforts by the global community are needed to mitigate and combat the deleterious impacts of climate change, observed the President while addressing the inaugural session of the two-day South Asian Judicial Conference on Environment and Climate Change as the chief guest. The conference was held at the Radisson Blu Water Garden Hotel in the capital. The Bangladesh Supreme Court, with support from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), has organised the prestigious conference for the first time. In line with the Kyoto Protocol and Paris Agreement, world leaders have promised to protect the environment and the earth from the adverse impacts of climate change, said the President, adding, Time has come to materialise the decisions and turn commitments into actions. The Bangladesh Supreme Court and also the South Asian judiciary deserve high appreciation as they are playing a very important role in protecting and preserving the environment through the initiation of public interest litigation and utilisation of constitutional remedies. The President also highlighted the initiatives taken by the Bangladesh government to address climate change. Bangladesh is one of the first countries that signed and ratified the Paris Agreement and also the first country to set up a Climate Change Fund of USD 400 million from its own resources. Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha, chairman of the inaugural session, said the Supreme Court of Bangladesh is playing a very proactive role on the degradation of the environment to make it friendly for the people. It has played a very impressive role in its judicial activism, either suo motu, or on the basis of public interest litigation (PIL) and progressive interpretation of some constitutional and other legal provisions. He said, The judiciary applied internationally recognised environmental concepts in its different landmark judgments as regards environmental and climate change issues. It has expanded the locus standi so that social action litigation may be filed easily to protect the environment and prevent climate change. I think that even after all these endeavours, we have a long way to go. We must be persistent in our efforts to build public awareness and to legislate suitable laws to cope with the needs of the changing society. Otherwise, it would be difficult for us to protect the bountiful treasures of nature and ensure environmental security, without which the lives of our future generations will be at stake. Those who are driven by greed and profiteering must be made to realise that the judiciary cares more for their offspring and the future generations of this country, the CJ said. In recent years, many countries and various organisations have paid more attention to environmental protection. It is unrealistic to expect individual nations to independently make the sacrifices necessary to prevent environmental changes. No one can deny that international leadership and worldwide cooperation are essential if we expect to protect the world for the future generations, CJ said. Human rights abuses are worsened by environmental degradation for several reasons, including the fact that exhaustion of natural resources leads to unemployment and migration to cities, he added. About 60 per cent of 5,000 million peoplewho live in the least developed and developing countrieslack basic healthcare services and almost a third of these people have no access to supplies of safe water, the CJ noted. The CJ also said that global climate change would affect people and the environment in many ways. Some of these impacts, like stronger hurricanes and severe heat waves, could even threaten life. Environmental law has, in many parts of the globe, suffered from the problem of standing. Because of this barrier, it is often difficult for individuals or groups to challenge infringements of environmental law, treaties or directives, as the case may be, CJ SK Sinha added. Referring to the apex court verdict, the CJ said in compliance with the apex court verdict, the government enacted the National River Saving Commission Act, 2013, for establishing a commission to save the dying rivers of the country. The CJ also said that in compliance with the apex court order, the environment ministry has framed Rules titled Dangerous and Hazardous Wastage and Ship Breaking Wreck Management Rules, 2011 and the Ship Breaking and Recycling Rules, 2011, which helped stop deforestation and gave a fillip to afforestation. It also helps workers perform their duties in a safe condition and get remedies for casualties, if any, the CJ noted. The CJ said the main cause of environment degradation was the lack of effective enforcement of various laws relating to human rights, preservation and protection of forests, protection of rivers, canals, water reservoirs, haors (swamps), among others. He observed that the apex court has, in an order, asked the authorities to remove all structures and/or encroachments within the original areas of the Buriganga, Turag, Sitalakhya and other rivers. Referring to its judgement, the CJ said the apex court asked the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) to dismantle or demolish the BGMEA Bhaban within 90 days from the date of receipt of the judgment, if only to protect the environment and the ecological balance. He also said that after taking into consideration the devastating effects of the Hazaribagh tanneries on the environment, the apex court has issued a direction to shift those tanneries within the timeframe fixed by the court. As the tanneries were not shifted within the stipulated time, the court directed 154 tannery owners at Hazaribagh to pay the government Tk. 10,000 per day as fine, he noted. It is necessary to emphasise that the problem of environmental degradation can be tackled only by concerted efforts by every person, organisation and institution, and by stringent enforcement of the laws. We have to educate, spread awareness, involve and motivate every person in the country to conserve the local flora and fauna, soil and water resources and all other gifts of God, which are national properties, the CJ added. Law minister Anisul Huq, judge of the Supreme Courts Appellate Division, Justice Abdul Wahhab Miahwho is also the chairman of the preparatory committee for the conferencedeputy minister for environment and forests, Abdullah Al Islam Jakob, and ADB general counsel Christopher Stephens also addressed the inaugural session.