CAPS made five recommendations to protect Dhaka’s air pollution

According to the Center for Atmospheric Pollution Studies (CAP), if it can ensure 40 percent of electricity generation by using clean energy or renewable energy by 2041, the country’s air quality will be by the guidelines provided by the World Health Organization. The research organization has also given 5-point recommendations to control air pollution.

These proposals were given at a press conference organized on August 19, 2023, at the Auditorium of Dhaka Reporters Unity to demand the ‘expansion of renewable energy in wind and energy development’.

The Center for Atmospheric Pollution Studies (CAPS), BARCIK, and World Vision Bangladesh jointly organized the press conference and co-hosted the conference by Paribh Udyog, Institute for Planning and Development (IPD), Bangladesh Nature Conservation Alliance (BNCA), and Center for Law and Policy Affairs (CLPA).

 Mihir Biswas, Joint Secretary of Bangladesh Environment Movement (BAPA), presided over the press conference, and atmospheric scientist professor Dr. Ahmad Kamruzzaman Majumdar, the founding chairman of Atmospheric Pollution Study Center (CAPS), presented the keynote speech at the press conference.

Jahangir Alam, coordinator of Barsik; Dominic Centu Gomez, Urban Program Technical Coordinator of World Vision Bangladesh; Advocate Syed Mahbubul Alam Tahin, Secretary of Center for Law and Policy Affairs (CLPA); Advocate Rasheduzzaman Mazumder, Bangladesh Supreme Court, Professor Dr. Adil Mohammad Khan, Executive Director, Institute for Planning and Development, Mohammad Anwarul Haque, Member Secretary of Bangladesh Nature Conservation Alliance (BNCA), Kamruzzaman Sagar, project director of BARCIK, Eng. Nashir Ahmed Patwari, Coordinator of Environment Initiative Research, and Abdul Wahab, Executive Director of the Center for Global Environment and Development (CGED) delivered their speeches at the press conference.

In the keynote speech, the founding chairman of CAPS, Professor Dr. Ahmad Kamruzzaman Majumdar, said, “The use of renewable energy plays an important role in both air quality and energy development. The use of fossil fuels to meet the energy demand is constantly increasing the amount of greenhouse gas emissions, which can play an important role in global climate change and cause massive deterioration of air quality.”

Increasing the use of renewable energy by reducing dependence on fossil fuels can be an effective solution to address these challenges, and he is hopeful that if the use of renewable energy is ensured, the country’s air quality will meet the guidelines given by the World Health Organization.

He gave five recommendations in his speech. Those are:

1. The newly enacted Air Pollution (Control) Rules 2022 recommend maintaining at least the previous standard of 15 micrograms per decimeter to reduce the severe impact of air pollution in the future.
2. In the same way that the countries providing support in the production of thermal power comply with the emission standards in their own countries, they also recommend maintaining the emission standards in the production of thermal power in Bangladesh.
3. He advised ensuring low sulfur (50 ppm) diesel import and use.
4. In the Environment Conservation Rules-2023, all coal, oil, and gas-based thermal power plants are recommended to be classified as red as before (Environment Conservation Rules-1997).
5. According to the announcement of COP26 by the Hon’ble Prime Minister, adequate measures are recommended to achieve the target of 40% of the total electricity generation using clean or renewable energy by 2041.

In the President’s speech, Mihir Biswas, joint editor of Bangladesh Environment Movement (BAPA), said, “Air pollution has reached such a level that now heavy metals are mixing in the blood of the human body through breathing. The combustion of biofuel releases various pollutants into the air, which are extremely harmful to the human body. The power sector and shredder should expand renewable energy more.”

World Vision Bangladesh’s Urban Program Technical Coordinator Dominic Centu Gomez said, “It is the right of all people to live in clean air, which is one of the government’s responsibilities to ensure, and if not, the risk of contracting various critical diseases increases to a large extent.”

  Jahangir Alam, the coordinator of BARCIK ‘s, said, “Not only research institutes like CAPS but also youth society should come forward to preserve the air quality and environment of the city.”

“The government should take initiatives to control pollution by identifying the sources of air pollution. Reclamation of wetlands, increase in urban forestry to build livable cities for all,” he added.

Rasheduzzaman Majumder, Advocate of Bangladesh Supreme Court, said, “No one wants to live without load shedding or electricity, so they also want to breathe clean air. And both are possible with renewable energy because the sun is endless.”

Advocate Syed Mahbubul Alam Tahin, secretary of CLPA, said, “According to the constitution of Bangladesh, it must preserve the environment for the present and future generations. In this situation, air pollution control is essential for public health and development of the country; Renewable energy is essential for this.”

“In the short term, the city authorities and the environment department should stop the pollution from construction work and provide eco-friendly public transport to control vehicular pollution,” he advised.

Professor Dr. Adil Mohammad Khan, Executive Director of the Institute for Planning and Development, said, “Compared to the amount spent in the past years in the production of electricity in various fossil power plants of the country, including quick rental, the investment and research of the state in the development of renewable energy is significantly less.”

“Although state policies and plans promise to reduce air pollution, development initiatives, and activities are further degrading our air quality, ” he added.

“The relaxation of air quality standards in air pollution regulations and environmental protection regulations and the downgrading of coal and oil-based power plants from red to orange could pose a public health disaster, which should be reversed immediately,” he continued.

Mohammad Anwarul Haque, Member Secretary of Bangladesh Nature Conservation Alliance (BNCA), said, “Fossil fuels not only cause air pollution but are also responsible for aquatic environment pollution.”

“Tidal and wind energy have huge potential in coastal areas; concerned authorities should work to increase the country’s renewable energy supply by using the right technologies, ” he opined.

Eng. Nashir Ahmed Patwari, “Environmental Initiative’s Research Coordinator, said, “Instead of relying on dependent non-renewable energy, we should meet the fuel demand by increasing the use of renewable energy at the individual, local and national levels.”

“By increasing public awareness, the use of readily available technologies like solar power at the individual level should be increased so that it is possible to contribute to the national grid through the net metering system as well as self-sufficiency,” he said.

Abdul Wahab, Executive director of the Center for Global Environment and Development (CGED), said, “By using renewable energy, we can reduce the number of harmful pollutants emitted into the air and the impact of air pollution on human health and the environment.”

Eng. Marziat Rahman, a Researcher at the Atmospheric Pollution Study Center (CAPS), and Nayan Sarkar, Chief Coordinator of Save Future Bangladesh, also attended the press conference.

Also present were members of CAPSresearch assistants, BARCIK, and representatives of World Vision Bangladesh and other environmental organizations.