A wake up call
THE recent oil spillage in the Sundarbans has already taken a hefty toll on the world's largest mangrove forest ecosystem. Animals have started to die and tree roots are under layers of oil. There is no denying that institutional incapacities and weak enforcement of laws in Bangladesh have aggravated the impact of this and many other accidents. The spill has drawn global attention at a time when world leaders at the Lima Climate Talks are specifically focusing on the role of mangrove forests in mitigating disaster risks.
The Sundarbans protects the densely populated Bay of Bengal from cyclones and other natural extremes, as it did when cyclone Sidr hit the area in 2007. Over 3.5 million people living around the Sundarbans are directly or indirectly dependent on natural resources from the forest. Sundarbans was declared as a World Heritage Site by Unesco in 1997 while the Department of Environment declared 10 kilometres around the Sundarbans Reserve Forest as 'Ecological Critical Area' (ECA) in 2010. Through this, certain development activities in and around ECA has been restricted according to the Environmental Conservation Rules 1997. The Rampal coal-based power plant, devoid of an integrated carbon sequestration method, is located just four kilometres away from the ECA boundary. According to experts, similar accidents may occur in the future if the proposed Rampal power plant is allowed to proceed. Some other proposed projects to be built nearby Sundarbans are the Khan Jahan Ali airport and the deep-sea port. All these will escalate the level of risks for the forest, making it susceptible to climate change.
James Krier, a professor of the University of Michigan Law School, asked in an article: “What can be more fundamental than Eevironment?” and “Why is environment not recognised constitutionally” ? After the 15th Amendment was made in 2011, the Constitution of Bangladesh evidently reflects contemporary development through recognising the needs for environmental protection. Protecting the world's fast disappearing mangroves indeed has some social, environmental and economic benefits. This has also gained particular attention in the Lima Climate Talks this month. It has been reiterated that if mangroves are cleared at a higher rate than other forests, according to UNEP estimates, the losses will be felt particularly in developing countries, including Bangladesh. The tragic oil tanker accident has definitely escalated the level of threats to the mangrove forest in Bangladesh. It is high time to protect our resources for our own survival and to build pathways towards a balanced development.
The writer is Senior Lecturer, East West University.
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