Vow to fight climate change

Children from 44 countries, including Bangladesh, who attended the Children's Climate Forum in Copenhagen pledged to educate and empower themselves in order to combat the climate change in collaboration with the adults.
At the seven-day forum that ended on December 4, some 164 children declared their commitment to bring changes to personal lifestyle to help fight the climate change.
Demanding action, they announced that the time for talk is over. They decided not to sit back and watch anymore but to engage themselves actively to adapt to the climate change and hold heads of state and government accountable for their commitments in the future.
Unicef and the City of Copenhagen jointly organised the climate forum to facilitate the contribution of young people to the international discussions on climate change.
Four Bangladeshi children -- Miti Annesha of Rajshahi, Tariqul Islam of Bhola, Fatema Akhter of Noakhali and Arif Arman of Satkhira -- took part in the climate forum.
At a media briefing at the Unicef conference room in the city, they reiterated the points of declarations of the children's climate summit.
Describing his experiences, team leader Tariqul said, "Our purpose was to make our voices heard at the summit, as children are the most vulnerable groups facing the effects of the climate change all around the world."
He said, "We become the victims of diseases. Supply of drinking water system breaks down whenever there is flood. Education system faces the worst blow as schools are often destroyed or used as cyclone shelters."
He added that natural disasters also create social unrest and lead to displacement of children and breakdown of families. Different forms of violence against children, including trafficking, also increase at that time, he pointed out.
Annesha said, "Because we are the worst victims and we are the future leaders, we should have a say in what is being done to save the planet."
The children who participated in the event were between the age of 14 and 17. The Bangladeshi delegates were selected through an essay writing competition on climate change among the child reporters of Shishu Prakash, a publication of Mass-Line Media Centre (MMC), sponsored by Unicef.
At the children's climate summit, the young delegates prepared a declaration along with recommendations. The document was presented to the President of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP15) Connie Hedegaard.
Children also shared ideas among themselves about potential solutions and took part in life skill trainings.
The children's climate forum recommended that the industrialised countries should spend more on adaptation and technology transfer, promote environment-friendly fuel, cities should be well planned and sustainable, safety standards, regulations and emergency protocols be established to prepare for natural disasters, better water conservation be practised, and education on climate change, its effect and related subjects should be included in school curriculum.