Hasina seeks consensus on emission cut

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina calls on British Prime Minister Gordon Brown in Copenhagen on the sidelines of climate change conference on Tuesday.Photo: PID

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina urged world leaders to reach an international agreement on cuts in greenhouse gas emissions and arranging adaptation fund to protect Bangladesh and other most vulnerable countries (MVCs) from the perils of global climate change.
She made the call from a bilateral meeting with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown at his Hotel Radisson suite on Tuesday evening.
"The world leaders are now here in Copenhagen. I hope they will reach a consensus over how to save the climate victims. Climate woes and responsibilities have to be shared and faced jointly and unitedly," Hasina said.
During the talks, both the prime ministers agreed that fund arrangement is a must for the MVCs to enable them to tackle the challenges stemming from the calamitous climate change, said the Bangladesh premier's Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad.
The two leaders observed that the strategy and mechanism as to how the climate fund is to be disbursed and used also need to be devised effectively and successfully for best use of the funds.
At the same time, Hasina said, it has to be ensured that development works in the countries are not impeded while getting down to tackling the climate change challenges.
She thanked the British premier for his initiatives to raise an adaptation fund for the countries--most vulnerable to the climate risks caused by global warming due to carbon emissions.
Hasina also conveyed her thanks to Gordon Brown and the US President Barack Obama for making telephone calls to her and giving her assurance of continued cooperation and assistance for Bangladesh.
In reply, the British PM, who arrived in Copenhagen Tuesday, two days ahead of his schedule, again assured Hasina of providing every possible assistance to Bangladesh in tackling the climate change risks.
Hasina told her British counterpart that despite resource constraints, Bangladesh government has taken various plans and programmes to save its people from the climate calamities.
She mentioned a massive project chalked out to launch capital and maintenance dredging to bring back navigability in the country's silted up rivers for protecting the people from unexpected floods and tidal upsurge.
Besides, the government has taken up various measures for rehabilitation of the victims of the cyclonic storm Sidr and Aila, she said.
"But it will not be sufficient to face the terrible impacts of global warming on Bangladesh. Bangladesh needs international help," she added.
Hasina made it clear that Bangladesh and its people are not responsible for the climate change, but the fact is that they are the worst sufferer of the natural calamities.
The British PM highly praised the bold and courageous role of Hasina for protecting the climate victim people of the MVCs and other parts of the world.
Foreign Minister Dipu Moni, Health Minister AFM Ruhal Haque, State Minister for Forest and Environment Hasan Mahmud, Ambassador-at-large M Ziauddin were present.