Dhaka should find alternative to COP to fight climate change

Dhaka, Jan 04 – A climate advocacy group on Saturday vented its frustration over the outcome of the COP25 meet, saying Bangladesh should come up with its own alternative to fight climate change. The press conference titled “Madrid Climate Conference and Civil Society Observations” was organized at the Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU). Moderated by M. Rezaul Karim Chowdhury of COAST Trust, the discussion was attended by Dr. Atiq Rahaman of BCAS (Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies) and Md. Ziaul Hoque Mukta from CSRL (Campaign for Sustainable Rural Livelihood) among others.
The keynote was presented by Syed Aminul Hoque from COAST Trust.
In the keynote presentation, Aminul Hoque said that the negotiation in CoP25 in Madrid was the longest in history, but ended in a deadlock and disappointment over most of the important issues.
Major emitters failed to show how they plan to increase ambition by 2020 and broke their promises to long term finance that was much expected by MVCs and LDCs. Finalization of the Paris agreement Rulebook is yet to be completed, said Aminul.
He said the existing deep divide and contentious issues between developed and vulnerable countries might hamper the next negotiation in 2020 and deeper the crisis towards a solution.
“So the government has to consider it critically and will have to take initiative accordingly in next climate conference (CoP26) that will be held in Glasgow in Dec 2020,” he said.
Dr. Atiq said that the politics and fossil-fuel interests taking place above people and the planet. “These are played by the United States, Japan, Australia and Brazil once again exposing their lack of goodwill to save the millions of vulnerable people, which is a willful rejection of the science.”
Ziual Hoque Mukta said that due to connivance between rich and some advance developing countries, we have lost the CBDR (Common but Differentiated Responsibilities) principle in Paris Agreement (PA) which has weakened the negotiation capacity of MVCs (Most Vulnerable Countries) that turned the PA into non-binding in implementation.
He also asked the government to explore separate forum under MVCs in the next conference. – Staff Reporter