OPINION: The era of loss and damage from climate change is upon us
As extreme weather worsens, what can Germany and other disaster-hit countries learn from well-prepared at-risk nations like Bangladesh? Sitting in Dhaka, Bangladesh I have been glued to my TV watching the heart-rending loss of so many lives and so much property due to the horrendous flash floods in Germany over the last few days. My heart goes out to all …
OPINION: If ‘totemic’ climate finance pledge is missed, developing nations should skip COP26
The UK official running the UN summit says rich nations must fulfill an unmet promise to provide $100 billion a year if they are to retain their credibility in negotiations Back in 2009, at the U.N. climate summit in Copenhagen, Denmark, rich countries first set a goal of channelling $100 billion in public and private finance each year to help …
From vulnerability to resilience to prosperity
Transforming the narrative of tackling climate change
The development gains and hard-earned productivity of Bangladesh are at risk of being inverted if the 1.5 degree Celsius limit of the Paris Agreement is breached. To that end, it remains imperative to equip vulnerable communities, key sectors and the government with vital instruments to bring about resilience and stability for all. At the end of last year, Bangladesh’s Prime …
Scientists warn G7 that cost of breaching 1.5˚C warming limit will far exceed costs of achieving it
A group of world-leading climate scientists are calling on global leaders to factor in the economic, environmental and humanitarian costs of failing to keep global warming below 1.5˚C this century, in a move led by experts from UCL, the University of Exeter and the ICCCAD. As the leaders of seven of the world’s wealthiest nations meet in Cornwall for the …
‘Adaptation swap can be an effective instrument if designed well’
Leading climate policy expert Mizan R Khan talks about the G7 summit and its relations to climate change action This year’s G7 summit is scheduled to begin tomorrow, where the leaders of the G7 countries will meet to discuss important policies. Climate change will be among the topics these economic superpower will discuss and take decisions on. For Bangladesh, and …
Bangladesh’s climate diplomacy needs to take a whole-of-society approach
One can argue that the issue of tackling climate change in Bangladesh has already achieved a whole-of-government approach, and is also rapidly moving towards a whole-of-society approach. However, our international diplomacy on tackling climate change also needs to develop both approaches. What do these two terms mean, and how are they being rolled out? The whole-of-government approach means that not …
OPINION: We must discuss the Paris Agreement every day – not just once a year at COP
As the pandemic again threatens the annual UN climate summit, known as the COP, it’s time to push on with a fresh approach that uses all opportunities for climate action The British government, as the host of the COP26 U.N. climate conference that was originally planned for November 2020, decided to postpone it a year due to the COVID 19 …
The G7 countries need to step up on climate finance
One of the positive outcomes of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change back in 2015 was a pledge from the rich countries to provide USD 100 billion a year, starting from 2020, to help the poorer countries tackle climate change through both mitigation and adaptation actions. However, the year 2020 has come and gone, but this pledge was not delivered. …
IUB’s Prof Saleemul Huq named in Reuters Hot List
He is the only Bangladeshi scientist to rank 208th in the list
Dr Saleemul Huq, director of International Centre for Climate Change and Development (ICCCAD) and professor of the Independent University Bangladesh (IUB) has been named in Reuters Hot List. He is the only Bangladeshi scientist to rank 208th in the list that identified and ranked the world’s most influential climate scientists, said a media statement. The ranking recognizes Prof Huq and …