Hasan Mahmud co-chairman of Climate Conference meet

DHAKA: State Minister for Environment and Forest Dr Hassan Mahmud will act as co-chairman of a climate change conference committee devoted to increasing ability, transferring technology and economic development.

He will work together with Tony Burke, Environment Minister of Australia, who was also given the same responsibilities at the 16th Climate Change Conference being held in the Mexican city of Cancun.

Mexican foreign minister and also president of the ongoing UN Climate Change Conference Patricia Espinosa gave the crucial charge to the Bangladeshi state minister and the Australian minister during the stocktaking meeting held Sunday, the Ministry of Environment and Forest sources said Monday.

During the meeting, the Mexican president and also president of the conference expressed the commitment to pursue New Zealand and Indonesia for cutting carbon emissions.

She also took the responsibilities of pressing the Unite Kingdom and Brazil to sign the Kyoto Protocol.

T+he president gave the responsibility to Ecuador, Singapore, Norway and Switzerland for coordinating and monitoring the progress and achievements of the conference.

BDST: 1700 HRS, DEC 6, 2010