Bali conference ends today with finalisation of Adaptation Fund

Bangladesh hopes that the Bali conference on climate change would finalise today a fund to finance adaptation projects and programmes in developing countries to cope with adverse effects of climate change.
“Decisions to establish Adaptation Fund and set up a secretariat to operate it have already been finalised, and we're hopeful and looking forward to see that the fund is finalised today,” said Environment and Forest Adviser CS Karim during a press briefing on Bangladesh's position at the Bali conference at his ministry in the city.
The 13th conference of the parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) began on December 3 and ends in Bali, Indonesia today.
The Adaptation Fund, which was established to finance concrete adaptation projects and programmes in developing countries that are parties to the Kyoto Protocol, is to be financed with a share of proceeds from clean development mechanism (CDM) project activities and receive funds from other sources.
Bangladesh has proposed for greater funds for adaptation, easier transfer of clean technologies, training, compensatory financing mechanism and increasing adaptation levy from CDM projects, said the adviser.
He said being worried by the adverse effects of climate change, Bangladesh, which is leading the least development countries at the conference, also proposed setting up of an international centre for adaptation with climate change here for research and capacity building to adapt with changes.
“We want to make it a centre of knowledge for adaptation with climate change. Experts in this field will come and talk here, and we want to play leading role in coping with climate change,” CS Karim said, adding that mission chiefs in Bangladesh and the development partners have already assured Bangladesh of supporting the proposal.
The Bangladesh delegation was scheduled to make a presentation on Sidr, flooding and possible adverse effects of climate change as a side event at the conference yesterday.
Expressing his fear that natural disasters would be more frequent because of climate change, the adviser said, “We don't want to wait to see what the multilateral conferences decide regarding an international design to adapt with effects of climate change. We're seeking help of world community to prepare ourselves for coping with the changes.”
Mentioning that it is difficult for the developing countries to reach a consensus on deciding common demands, the adviser said, “We're pushing our agendas from our own stand since all the countries have their own agendas.”