FROM NEW YORK: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday said the climate change may threaten our wheat and major rice crop (Boro) production.

“The climate change may threaten our wheat and major rice crop (Boro) production and many people may have to move out, changing their traditional living and livelihoods,” she said.

The premier was addressing the 69th General Assembly of the United Nations in New York. 

Studies suggest that 2 to 3 percent of our GDP may be wiped out because of climate change, she added.

Sheikh Hasina told his audience that climate change continues to affect the lives and livelihoods of millions in our unique and active delta.

Frequency and intensity of flooding, storm surge, and salinity intrusion are badly affecting our coastal habitat, she commented.

Mentioning her country’s recent significant steps the PM said, “We now have 3.2 million Solar Home Systems, over 1.5 million Improved Cook Stoves across Bangladesh.”

She added: “We have developed stress-tolerant crop varieties; and implemented Bangladesh Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan.”

“Though we are a climate-vulnerable LDC, we allocated 385 million US dollars from our own resources, for adaptation and mitigation,” the assembly was told.

Make a few specific points, the premier said ‘adaptation’ and ‘loss and damage’ are crucial for sustainable development.

‘Critical balance between adaptation and mitigation will have to be maintained. Also, support for finance and technology transfer must get priority.’

‘Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs)’ must be measurable and verifiable.

‘We all need to pay attention to ‘Carbon budgeting’ and ‘de-carbonization’.

We are working on possible INDCs. But, new and additional resources will be needed for their implementation.

She further said private ‘climate finance’ can only be complementary, and for mitigation.

Green Climate Fund needs to take those into account, particularly for countries like Bangladesh. Robust and early capitalization of GCF is crucial.

“Adaptation is key for us. The developed countries must match our own contributions and efforts,” she added.

Support to ‘capacity building’ and ‘development of adaptive technologies’ are important.

According to her, for LDCs, IPR must be facilitated. LDCs need access to ‘life-saving technologies’.

She added: “We have also gathered experience in adapting to climate change over decades. We are ready to share our modest experience on climate-resilience with rest of the world.”

“Let me again assure this Summit: Bangladesh will never exceed the average per capita emission of the developing world.’

The large emitting countries should reciprocate our voluntary commitments,” she concluded.

Health Minister Mohammad Nasim, Food Minister M Qamrul Islam, Environment and Forests Minister Anwar Hossain Manju, Permanent Representative Dr AK Abdul Momen, Foreign Minister AH Mahmud Ali and Chair of Parliamentary Standing Committee on Foreign Ministry Affairs Dr Dipu Moni were present on the occasion. 

** PM prepares for UNGA

BDST: 2155 HRS, SEP 23, 2014