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‘Stop fossil fuel use immediately’


Published : 29 Nov 2021 10:02 PM

Members of several civil societies have demanded to stop using of fossil fuel including coal by 2050 to reduce carbon emissions at the appropriate rate in order to keep it confined to 1.5 degrees.

Speakers came up with the demand at a discussion programme titled “A Post-Mortem of COP 26: Outcry, Outcome and Takeaways” at the National Press Club in the city on Monday.

Center for Participatory Research and Development (CPRD) associated with BARCIK, CANSA-BD, CCDB, CDP, COAST Foundation, Maleya Foundation, NCCB, SDS and YPSA organized the event.

Dr Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad, Chairman of Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation said, “Our policy makers often don’t see the regional problems and the problems of root level people. Sometimes they send people and collect information. So the reflection of most-affect people and the materialization of their requirement are often neglected. It gives a negative effect to national and international policies.”

Mentioning the negative affect of climate change, he said, “The global temperature has increased by 1.1 degree Celsius recently which will create many climate migrants. If we cannot limit the global temperature within 1.5 degree Celsius and if the limit is declared to be 2 degree Celsius instead of 1.5 degree Celsius, it will become the death trap for the people of many regions. So the world needs to focus on reducing carbon emission.”

Md Shamsuddoha, Chief Executive of CPRD, delivered the keynote speech. He said, “Except some limitations, there are many significant achievements during this COP-26. It has brought new hope. Evolvement of all parties to pursue efforts to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C is the beginning of new pathway. All efforts and initiatives could become unsuccessful if we fail to reduce carbon emissions at the appropriate rate in order to keep it confined to 1.5 degree Celsius.”

“Time is flying, and pretty soon it will be too late to reduce carbon emissions to keep global temperatures under control. One of our biggest demands during this COP summit was a phase-out time frame of using coal but it has not been achieved due to dissenting positions of some countries,” he added.

Kawser Rahman, President of Climate Change Journalist Forum, said, “COP is slowly becoming a weapon to fulfill political motives and ignoring different scientific eagerness and suggestions. Instead of giving grants for the impacts of climate change, Loans are given in the name of helping. And the countries are using this as business purpose. The developing countries should keep this matter in mind.”

The co-ordinator of ‘Shundarbon O Upokul Andolon,’ Nikhil Chandro Vadro, said, “Many people in the coastal areas have to depend on tide and ebb for their livings. They cannot go to their homes when the tides come up. Specific adaptation plan needs to be taken in order to fulfill the requirements of the coastal people.

Among others, Ex-Additional Secretary of Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Nurul Quadir, President of Bangladesh Environmental Journalist Forum, Qamrul Islam Chowdhury, Executive Director of CDP, Syed Jahangir Hasan Masum, also spoke at the programme.