Hasina remains upbeat
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh is still hopeful about concluding soon a reasonable agreement on funding climate-change adaptation and carbon-emission cuts to protect the endangered planet.
She struck the note of optimism in her lecture titled 'Climate Change in Bangladesh: Facing the Challenges' at Lund University of Sweden yesterday noon (local time).
As the global meet concluded without any binding deal on carbon cuts and adaptation funds, Hasina called upon the countries participating in the Cop-15 climate summit to be "realistic" taking into account various aspects of the world economy and development.
The PM, however, expressed satisfaction over a 'reasonable conclusion' of the UN Climate Change Conference, saying that there are certain areas that need to be finalised in the future.
"An agreement has been agreed upon taking in most of our concerns. There are certain areas that would be finalised in the coming days to safeguard the earth's existence threatened by the global warming," she said to the teachers and students of the university.
She noted that all are expecting to have all from this Copenhagen summit, but this conference may be the beginning of an end. "It is not the end," she said.
She sought international cooperation with Bangladesh in enabling the country and its people to face the challenges of the climate change.
The PM also expressed her government's strong commitment to establish Bangladesh as "the most peaceful nation of South Asia".
Hasina had first visited the Lund University campus forty years ago in 1969 with her late husband and nuclear scientist Dr MA Wazed.
Lund University Vice-chancellor Per Eriksson, faculty members, scholars, students and Swedish eminent persons attended the function.
Sheikh Rehana, younger daughter of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Health Minister AFM Ruhal Haque, the Daily Star Editor Mahfuz Anam, the Daily Samokal Editor Golam Sarwar, PM's Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad, lawmaker Fazle Noor Taposh, among others, were present.
DRAFT ACCORD FOCUSES PROPOSALS OF LDCs, MVCs
The proposed Copenhagen Accord has recognised the impacts of climate change on the Least Developed Countries as well as Most Vulnerable Countries.
"The draft of the Copenhagen Accord has focused many of our proposals we have placed in the plenary," Bangladesh State Minister for Environment and Forests Hasan Mahmud said here yesterday, reports BSS.
"But many things remained pending to achieve," he said adding that Bangladesh would continue its efforts to include the issues of climate displaced persons in the UN framework.
The agreement said various approaches would be taken to pursue the countries to tap the opportunities of carbon market, enhance the cost-effectiveness, and to promote mitigation actions.
Funding for adaptation will be prioritised for the Most Vulnerable Countries (MVCs), such as the Least Developed Countries, Small Island Developing States and countries in Africa affected by drought, desertification and floods.
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