Climate change: Developed nations not assisting Bangladesh address its needs

While Bangladesh faces massive loss and damage due to climate change, the industrialised countries are doing little to help the country address its needs, said UN Special Rapporteur on human rights and climate change, Ian Fry.

At the regional level, upstream countries from Bangladesh also appear to be unresponsive to Bangladesh's concerns about flooding and droughts – both affecting millions every year, he said at a virtual press conference today (September 15, 2022), following a visit to coastal regions in Khulna and low-lying Sylhet regions. 

Fry said 10 million people live on coastal islands in extremely precarious conditions, while millions of others along the coast are exposed to the impacts of cyclones, storm surges and saline intrusion into agriculture.

Over 300 people die each year due to lightning strikes. Also, millions of people are displaced by disasters, making them vulnerable and denied of basic rights, he said.

He said loss and damage are well enshrined in decisions made by the Conference of Parties (COP) and the Paris Agreement. Despite institutional progress, no money has been provided by the international community.

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UN Special Rapporteur Ian Fry due on Sept 4 

"This is an inadequate and contemptuous response to the need for loss and damage finance. Countries like Bangladesh cannot afford the impacts that climate change that major polluters are creating. It is time the polluters paid for the loss and damage inflicted on other countries," the UN special rapporteur said.

"Regional river catchment nations need to sit down at the negotiating table and work through a fair and equitable regional river catchment plan," citing government officials, Fry said Bangladesh accounts for a mere 0.56 percent of global emissions, yet it is one of the world's 10 countries most affected by climate change.

"Reliance on coal and natural gas is already creating an economic burden as it must rely on external supplies. Bangladesh should be striving to be self-sufficient in energy through expanding its development of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies," Fry said.

Fry suggested amending the Digital Security Act for free expression of the climate change human rights defenders and indigenous peoples. "These people are not terrorists."

"In the lead-up to the next election, I encourage the Government of Bangladesh to allow civil society to have a voice. Suppression of such voice will only lead to malcontent," he said.