Cooperation needed to combat climate change: speakers

Speakers at a summit yesterday emphasised the importance of regional cooperation and direct collaboration among organisations to combat climate change.

Centre for Policy Dialogue organised the 14th South Asia Economic Summit titled, "Reframing South Asian Regional Cooperation in the New Context National and Global Dimensions" at a Dhaka hotel.

Stressing the importance of effective planning within the regional countries, Dr A Atiq Rahman, executive director at the Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies, said this kind of management between agencies and countries can be achieved, as climate change is a global issue, and cooperation at a regional level is essential.

Associate Prof Sabyasachi Saha, Research and Information Systems for Developing Countries in India emphasised India's robust climate action agenda, particularly its transition to renewable energy, as 40 percent of their electricity is generated from non-fossil fuel sources.

Kshitiz Dahal, senior research officer of SAWTEE in Nepal, said, "We aim to become carbon neutral by 2045 and implement climate-resilient planning in all 753 local governments by 2030."

Florian Hollen, head of cooperation at the German embassy, highlighted the need to de-risk private investments in the green sector.

The session, chaired by Dr M Asaduzzaman, former research director at BIDS, was addressed by Prof Babar Shahbaz of Education and Rural Development University of Agriculture Faisalabad; Prof Praveen Jha of Centre for Economic Studies and Planning at Jawaharlal Nehru University; and Dr Swarnim Wagle, a member of the Federal Parliament of Nepal.