Dhaka – Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali has said climate change induced disaster displaced people have the right to survive and all need to look at the displaced persons’ ‘choice’ and ‘ability’ to move elsewhere.
He said this while addressing a global state level conference – Nansen Initiative Global Consultation chaired by the governments of Switzerland and Norway -held in Geneva, Switzerland on Monday, said a press release on Tuesday.
Prime Minister from Cook Islands, Ministers from different countries including Kenya, Madagascar, Kiribati, Lesotho, and high officials from 132 states and international UN and other organization including civil society leaders have been participating in the conference.
The conference was inaugurated by Switzerland Minister for Foreign Affairs Didier Burkhalter.
The key note presentation was addressed by Assistant High Commissioner from UNHCR through video message, and Director General of IOM.
The conference will be continued until 13th October and will adopt a declaration in this regard.
The Foreign Minister said in many situations, displacement is beyond what resilience can cover. “Clearly we need to find out what is within our capacity and what is not.”
He also mentioned from 5th IPCC report that Bangladesh has lost 6 % of GDP during the period of 1998 to 2009 due to extreme climate events, as a result the state is likely to experience 15 % increase in poverty by 2030.
Quoting from IPCC, he mentioned that one meter rise in sea level would inundate one sixth of Bangladesh, which would result in displacement of 31.5 million people, and with a risk of 2 to 3 % of GDP loss in each year.
In the afternoon session Bangladesh Foreign Minister launched a book title “ A Tale from Climate Ground Zero : Climate Change, Land and People of Bangladesh” with the Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Md Shahidul Haque, Permanent Representative and Ambassador of Bangladesh in Switzerland, M Shameem Ahsan, Envoy to the Chairmanship of Nansen Initiative Prof Walter Kaelin and COAST Executive Director Rezaul Karim Chowdhury.
-News Deska
