Coping with climate change

It was earlier reported in a section of the media that Bangladesh would get some $4.0 billion for spending on coping activities against climate change from the multinational capital donors and some bilateral sources. About $3.0 billion were to come as loan from one multilateral capital donor and the rest, as developmental assistance from the some government donors. Thus, the greater part of the expected assistance to be given by the multilateral capital donors as loan .., where it comes will have to be serviced or repaid by Bangladesh over a period of years. It is, however, yet not known when such funds would really come in the ‘indicated’ or ‘promised’ quantum and in what forms and in which manner. The matter – a vital one – as to who, for all practical purposes, would be put in controlling position of the whole operation? This is an issue of consequence because if the fund at the indicated level does really come, it has a chance for being misspent to a sizeable extent misspent on consultancies, studies and other services. This fear is grounded on previous experiences that showed in so many cases in Bangladesh.

In this backdrop, many people consider that such assistance, if it is extended at all, would be truly useful if the same are planned as pure grants. On its part, Bangladesh can every reason for extending such grants as compensation from the rich countries for the great havocs, caused likely to be caused to it, for no fault of its own. It is, therefore, important for Bangladesh to put the pressure on the rich countries to get their direct cooperation to deal with climate change. One can cite here the case with the Maldives, a South Asian country could, as reported in the media earlier, get a bill piloted successfully through the Australian parliament to admit a large number of its environmental refuges to Australia as that island nation would start sinking from sea level rise. The Maldives also has reportedly a similar agreement with Canada. If there are the realities, then it should be considered an imperative for Bangladesh to engage in hard negotiations with European, North American and other countries for the migration of at least 20 million of its environmental refugees who could be created from climate change by 2030.

However, the greatest benefit can come to Bangladesh by working as a catalyst to get the rich and developed countries to agree to an immediate reduction in their carbon emissions. To this end, it should engage all its diplomatic mite. If pressures from Bangladesh and others likely to be most affected countries by climate change, are concerted and applied in a sustained manner, then the offending countries are more likely to feel responsible. That may be in the foreseeable future make them to appreciate clearly the need for demonstrating a more pro-active reaction to the situation by putting caps on their carbon emissions. Persuading successfully the developed countries to reduce their greenhouse gas emission appropriately at an early date should, therefore, be considered a mere important input from Bangladesh than any amount of resources given to it in order to cope with the effects of climate change.

As such, the authorities in Bangladesh do need to be alert so that in the name of seeking to get international assistance for coping with climate change, this country does not become the unfortunate victim of fruitless spending, when such funds do really come, and get saddled with fresh amount of debts. In the event of the latter situation, its future generations will have to bear a heavy load without receiving well the benefits from disbursement of the promised or pledged funds.

source : The Financial Express