SUMMARY REPORT
OF
ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION
ON
CLIMATE CHANGE AND BANGLADESH:
THE WAY FORWARD
Sonargaon Hotel
30 December 2002
Summary
Report
of
Roundtable
Discussion
on
Climate Change and Bangladesh:
The Way Forward
Organised
by
Bangladesh
Centre for Advanced Studies
held
at
Sonargaon
Hotel on 30 December 2002
A roundtable discussion on Climate Change and
Bangladesh: The Way Forward was held on 30 December 2002 at Sonargaon
Hotel, Dhaka Bangladesh. The meeting was jointly organised by Bangladesh Centre
for Advanced Studies (BCAS) and International Institute for Environment and
Development (IIED). The objectives of the meeting were to discuss present
opportunities and future challenges of climate change in view of three broad
thematic areas i.e. (i) adaptation, (ii) mitigation and (iii) international
negotiations, and identify some recommendations for concrete actions in
medium and long term. The summary of the roundtable discussion is given below.
(i) Overview and Introduction
Dr. Saleemul Huq, Director, Climate Change Programme,
International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) and Chairman of
Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies (BCAS) introduced the objectives and
agenda of the meeting and asked for individuals to give their frank opinions on
what needs to be done. He mentioned that over the last 10 years environmental
awareness has increased among the different government departments and
non-government organizations through undertaking projects at national level and
attending various international meetings. Preparation of National Environment
Management Action Plan (NEMAP) is one of the best examples where a large number
of people have been consulted to identify environmental problems in the
country. He mentioned that the next decade would be to work on climate change,
which is important for the country. It will require participation from
different groups including government departments, non-government organizations
and private entrepreneurs. It will also require capacity building as climate
change has both local and global dimension while on the environmental issues we
act mainly on local and national scale.
At the international level, Bangladesh negotiates as
a group (within the Group of 77 and China) in all major negotiations such as
WTO, and played significant role. In the climate change negotiations,
Bangladesh has and can play significant role as an individual country taking
advantage of its vulnerability to climate change, which is recognized by the
global community. It has also national level experts having recognition in
climate change activities at global level. Strengthening of negotiation skills
and strategy would help us in international negotiations. The country can work
collectively with Least Developed Countries (LDCs) group as well as others
(e.g. SAARC). There is major scope to improve and get funding as well.
Dr. Atiq Rahman, Executive Director of Bangladesh Centre for
Advanced Studies (BCAS) highlighted challenges and opportunities for Bangladesh
in the arena of climate change. Strengthening capacity in the international
negotiations is necessary for Bangladesh and we should be very tactical about
Buenos Aires Plan of Action. Discontinuity problem of the delegates in the
negotiation is improving and incorporation of experts from the non-government
sector is a major shift in international negotiations reflects the openness of
the government. Now the issue is wider integration incorporating different
agencies and acting together in a coordinated fashion. Private sector is
showing their interest to participate in the new opportunities created under
the UNFCCC and Kyoto Protocol.
He also stressed that Bangladesh has political
commitment in climate change (as expressed by the Prime Minster herself at the
opening of the LDC meeting on NAPAs in September 2002) but need positioning us
and prepare strategy both in climate change adaptation, mitigation and
international negotiations. Question is how? He expects that this roundtable discussion
will generate some ideas around this question.
Dr. Mizan R. Khan, Policy Analyst,
Sustainable Environmental Management Programme (SEMP) initiated discussion on
adaptation to climate change. It is revealed from the discussion that
Bangladesh is preparing project document for National Adaptation Plan of Action
(NAPA) as a follow up of COP7 and COP8 decisions. Implementation strategy of
NAPA needs to be finalized by 15 April 2003 with one of the GEF implementing
agencies. It is reported by the Department of Environment, Ministry of
Environment of Forest (MOEF) that NAPA
will be implemented through UNDP. They also report that preparation of NAPA
will take 18 months which will includes the following steps.
1.
Methodology
for Adaptation Assessment: it will be based on existing available methodology;
2.
Prioritisation
of Sectors
3.
Detail
Adaptation Analysis
4.
Implementation
Methodology and
5.
Preparation
of Sectoral Project Document
In order to integrate other
ministries for the preparation of NAPA, Ministry of Planning might be included
in the management team, and other stakeholders will be involved.
Assessment of vulnerability and adaptation should be
based on country level or regional level climate change scenarios rather than
on use of global scenarios. New PC based computer model of Hadley Centre, which
will probably be installed soon in Bangladesh, will facilitate developing
country level scenarios based on regional model. It is also important to link
climate change-impacts-climate change in the analysis. Sharing information in a
customized format is necessary in Bangladesh suggested by the participants.
In order to integrate other
departments and agencies in the preparation of NAPA, Mr. Marghub Morshed,
Ex-Secretary of MOEF and Mr. Sabihuddin Ahmed, Secretary of MOEF
suggested reactivating the government’s existing Inter-Ministerial Climate
Change Committee.
Dr. Izaj Hossain, Professor of Chemical
Engineering Department, BUET initiated discussion on mitigation potential and necessary
legal and institution for enabling Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) Projects
in Bangladesh. The CDM has dual objectives of which one , namely Sustainable
Development (SD) has to be certified by the host government. Without government
support CDM cannot be operationalized. The country has expertise to prepare
sustainable development indicators and private sector is showing their
willingness for investing in CDM projects. The necessary institutional and
legal mechanism should be in place for attracting CDM projects as early as
possible.
It was revealed from the
discussion that the government has a vital role to play in CDM for which it
needs to set up a Designated National Authority (DNA). The main role of the DNA
would be to endorse CDM projects by ensuring contribution to sustainable
development of the country. It was also reported that government has initiated
a project towards setting up a Designated National Authority for facilitating
CDM project activity in Bangladesh (with support from UNDP).
Capacity building both in
government private sectors is necessary for obtaining fund from various
international initiatives such as Prototype Carbon Fund (PCF), Community
Development Carbon Fund (CCDF) and Bio Carbon Fund (BCF).
Three private sector groups
(namely Rahimafrooz, Waste Concern and Grameen Shakti) have presented their
initial work on CDM projects. They revealed that integration of and cooperation
from other government departments/agencies would be required for removing
existing barriers particularly policy for implementing CDM projects.
It was agreed that the
Ministry of Environment would look into setting up the DNA as quickly as
possible and that future consultations would be held with other relevant ministries
and departments (e.g. Ministry of Energy) for removing barriers to CDM
projects.
Dr. Saleemul Huq initiated the discussion
and said that future international negotiations in the arena of climate change
would concentrate on future commitments (second commitment period of the Kyoto
Protocol). The main issue would be (a) how to bring USA back on board and
persuade it to take on mitigation targets?, ( b)how to bring the big developing
countries (e.g China, India and Brazil) to reduce their emissions and (c) how
to ensure that the principles of equity, right, justice and entitlement are
integral to any future agreements. Strengthening negotiations skills and
positioning ourselves with existing group like LDCs and vulnerable countries is
absolutely essential for Bangladesh if we wish to get any substantially
favourable outcomes from the international negotiations. To do this it will be
necessary to find common interests with other groups (e.g. the LDCs) and
prepare a strategy for building consensus.
It was noticed that
institutional memory is very low, necessary prerequisite, in the international
negotiations due to lack of continuity. Preparation of negotiation strategy and
points through involving civil society will make position more concrete and
will represent common people’s needs.
General awareness has been
increased but there is need for leadership, concerted and coordinated effort in
environmental diplomacy and negotiations by the government ( with the
Environment and Foreign Ministries taking the lead). It was felt by the
participants that negotiation is an art and not easy to learn. It needs
building capacity. For this selected persons within the Foreign Ministry and
Environment Ministry/Department should be designated and trained. The overall
leadership of the negotiations should be placed in the hands of a skilled,
senior diplomat who would be designated to lead the Bangladesh team at all
climate change negotiations for at least five years (backed up by a technical
team of experts from government and non-government sectors).
Mr Sabihuddin Ahmad, Secretary, MOEF made some
concluding remarks while thanking the organisers for holding such an
informative (and informal) round table discussion. He requested that such
meetings be held on a regular basis to share information and bring each other
up-to-date on latest developments in this fast changing field of climate
change. He assured the cooperation of his ministry and department in this
regard. The following were some of the conclusions and action points agreed
during the course of the round table discussion.
·
Reactivating existing Inter Ministerial Climate Change
Committee
·
Preparation of NAPA involving all stakeholders
·
Setting up Institutional and legal framework for
facilitating CDM in Bangladesh through Climate Cell, which will be established
with the financial support from DFID.
·
An institutional mechanism for international negotiation
for keeping institutional memory
·
Institutional capacity building and improve negotiating
skills
·
Sharing of all information on climate change (both within
as well as outside government)
·
Holding of regular such roundtable discussions on different
aspects of climate change issue bringing together all relevant stakeholders,
including government ministries and agencies, NGOs, private sector,
researchers, academics and media.
Held on 18-21 September 2002 in Dhaka, Bangladesh
LDC Expert Group on “Capacity Building
for Preparation of National Adaptation Programmes of Action (NAPA)
My
Cabinet Colleagues
Hon’ble
Members of Parliament
Diplomats
and Officials of Development Agencies
Ladies
and Gentlemen,
Assalamu
Alaikum,
We
have assembled here this morning of a mid-Autumn day. The belated Summer still
continue to radiate scorching heat in Bangladesh. We cannot afford to overlook
this erratic behavior and whims of nature.
These changes are occurring not only in Bangladesh, but worldwide. We are all concerned over this breakdown of
balance in nature. As human beings we are no less responsible for these
unnatural changes than nature itself. Should we fail to take cognizance of the
issue and adopt ameliorative measures, calamity beckons us. Therefore, it has
indeed been thoughtful of the LDC Expert Group to hold this Workshop to
deliberate upon what can be done to face this climatic change. This endeavor
will certainly contribute to capacity building for meeting the challenge. The
initiative is timely as well, in the immediate aftermath of the World Summit on
Sustainable Development.
We
are indeed happy that Dhaka has been selected as the venue for this important
event. The major share of responsibility for this human-induced climate change
rests with the industrial world. The contribution of countries like ours is
miniscule, but we have to pay a disproportionate price. Besides, the resources
and technology needed to face the challenge is beyond our reach. A workshop of
this kind would be beneficial to us all.
May
I take this opportunity to extend to all the foreign participants, who have
traveled from different corners of the globe, a warm and hearty welcome. I wish
you a very pleasant and fruitful stay in Dhaka. On behalf of the Government of
Bangladesh and on my own behalf, I thank all the sponsors and organizers of
this event.
Distinguished
Audience:
You
all know that global warming will have significant impact on the world as a
whole. However, the effects will not be
the same across the globe, because of geographic locations and different levels
of development. While for some
countries, the impact might be “life-style threatening,” for others it is “life
threatening.” The group of least developed countries (LDCs) will face the worst
effects, because of dependence of their economies on agriculture and natural
resources. The small island states, their peoples and cultures are even at risk
of being wiped out of the world map. While the LDCs contribute least to global
warming, they are the worst victims and least able to adapt.
Let
me take this opportunity to say a few words about Bangladesh. The intention is
not to scare, but to sensitize you all. As the most densely populated, deltaic
and low-lying country, Bangladesh is extremely vulnerable to climate change.
The IPCC Report has mentioned that half a meter sea-level rise will permanently
inundate about 11% of our territory. Sundarbans, the world’s largest mangrove
forest and a UNESCO-declared World Heritage Site, will be at stake. Keeping
this threatening scenario in mind, it needs to be mentioned that per capita
emissions of CO2 in Bangladesh is a mere 0.2 ton against an average
of 6 tons in the industrial world.
Distinguished
Participants,
Our
people often witness the problems of floods and drought. Scientists have
reached the conclusion that deforestation in the Himalayas exacerbates flooding
in lower riparian Bangladesh. On the other hand, structural control of water
upstream causes great loss to productivity of our agricultural land and
exacerbate desertification in the western part of Bangladesh.
The
Government of Bangladesh with its limited resources is trying hard to meet the
challenge, posed by climate change. We have signed and acceded to the Kyoto
Protocol. The government has initiated a mass movement for afforestation, which
has already contributed to enhance our forest cover. Besides, we have taken
several climate-friendly initiatives, such as the building of power plants
based on natural gas and converting our motor vehicles to CNG system. As a
natural disaster-prone country, Bangladesh have developed a variety of coping
mechanisms at formal and informal levels. This has greatly reduced the loss of
life and property from such disasters. However, in recent years, the frequency
of extreme climatic events, such as floods and cyclones have increased
worldwide. This is causing great havoc particularly to the LDCs.
Ladies
and Gentlemen:
For
obvious reasons, both the Climate Convention and the Kyoto Protocol have
emphasized on mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions in the industrial
countries. But non-mitigation of CO2 by these countries further
exposes the LDCs in particular to the adverse impacts of climate change. Public
pressure on policy-makers for action needs to be strengthened in the industrial
countries. We all have to appreciate that we have only one Earth to live in.
Once some of its parts are affected by environmental disasters, other parts
will not remain safe.
Distinguished
Participants:
You
will appreciate that climate change impacts add additional complexities and
burdens to planning for sustainable development. So we need to address these
issues within the paradigm of sustainable development. Then the immediate
concerns of poverty alleviation, safe and adequate water, health care, access
to affordable and clean energy and adequate adaptation come to the fore.
However, with limited resources, it’s a real challenge for the LDC governments
how to address simultaneously the issues of climate change and sustainable
development.
Ladies
and Gentlemen:
Till
recent times the LDC group could not make much headway in devising a collective
strategy in climate negotiations. You are going to meet at COP-8 of the UNFCCC
in Delhi next month. For the purpose, LDCs require more interactions and
dialogue within themselves for working out a common strategy, before
negotiating with larger groups. I can assure you all that Bangladesh remains
ever ready to extend total cooperation to these efforts.
All
these activities on the part of the LDCs obviously require capacity building at
all levels - policy and institutional, human resources, research and
development as well as technical levels. I am confident this Workshop will
significantly contribute to this broader agenda of capacity building needs and
provide guidance for the preparation of National Adaptation Programmes of
Action. I hope the LDC Expert Group will live up to its mandate of assisting
the LDC governments in this task. I wish this workshop will fulfill its stated
objectives, with active participation from you all. With these words, I declare
this workshop open.
Allah Hafiz. Bangladesh Zindabad!
Venue: Titas Room,
Sonargaon Hotel
30 December 2002
(3:00 – 5:30 PM)
|
SL. |
Name of participants |
Designation and
Organization |
Telephone |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mr. Sabihuddin Ahmed |
Secretary,
Ministry of Environment and Forest (MOEF) |
8611676 |
|
|
Mr. Marghub Morshed |
Chairman,
Telecommunication Regulatory Board |
9890016 |
|
|
Dr. Ijaz Hossain |
Professor,
Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) |
9665609
(off) 8110189 (res.) |
|
|
Dr. Anwar Ali |
Chairman,
Space Research and Remote Sensing Organization (SPARRSO) |
9113329 |
|
|
Mr. Zabed Hossain |
Bangladesh
Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC) |
9881265 |
|
|
Mr. Iftekher |
Director,
Waste Concern |
9884774,
9873002 |
|
|
Mr. A. H. Md. Maksood Sinha |
Executive
Director, Waste Concern |
9884774,
9873002 |
|
|
Ms. Rizwana Hassan |
Director
(Programme), BELA |
8614283,
8618706 |
|
|
Dr. Riaz Khan |
Executive
Director, CEIGS |
8817648 |
|
|
Mr. Reazuddin |
Director
(Technical), Department of Environment (DOE) |
9115120 |
|
|
Dr. Mahfuzul Haque |
Senior
Assistant Secretary, MOEF |
8619621 8614880
(res.) |
|
|
Mr. Md. Zulfiqur Rahman |
Director,
MEA, Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
9554231 |
|
|
Md. Shameem Ahsan |
Director
(SAARC), Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
9559538 |
|
|
Md. Akram Hossain |
Director,
Met. Dept. |
8116634 |
|
|
Mr. Syed Iqbal Ali |
BEMP,
DOE |
011805575 |
|
|
Dr. Mizan R. Khan |
Policy
Advisor, SEMP |
|
|
|
Dr. Ibrahim |
CMES |
8111898 8619223
(res.) |
|
|
Mr. Enayetullah Khan |
Holiday |
9110886,
9122950 |
|
|
Mr. Monawar Moin |
Chief
Executive Officer, Rahimafroz Batteries Ltd. |
9113522 |
|
|
Mr. Mujibur Rahman |
General
Manager, Grameen Shakti |
9004081 |
|
|
Md. Ataur Rahman |
James Finlay Ltd. |
0171821908 |
|
|
Dr. A. Atiq Rahman |
Executive
Director, BCAS |
8115829 |
|
|
Dr. Saleemul Huq |
Director,
IIED, UK. |
020-73882117 |
|
|
Dr. M. I. Sharif |
Fellow,
BCAS |
8115829 |
|
|
Mr. Mozaharul Alam |
Research
Fellow, BCAS |
8115829 |
|
|
Mr. Nasimul Haque |
Research
Fellow, BCAS |
8115829 |
|
|
Mr. Khandaker Mainuddin |
Research
Fellow, BCAS |
8115829 |
|
|
Mr. Sarder Shafiqul Alam |
Research
Fellow, BCAS |
8115829 |
|
|
Mr. B. M. Faruque Ahmed |
Senior
Programme Officer, BCAS |
8115829 |
|
|