The cost of tackling climate change effect for Bangladesh requires US$2 billion a year
By Adnan Tazvir
Mustafa Kamal, Finance Minister, Bangladesh, informs the country has to spend US$200 million every year since 2010 mitigating to climate change effects.
“Everyone knows who is really responsible for climate change in this globe,” he said.
“Rich countries are mainly responsible. Only five percent of their population. However, with 5 percent of the population, they are producing 22 percent of carbon dioxide. On the other hand, we are constantly being affected by climate change,” he regretted.
The finance minister made the remarks at the Climate Vulnerable Finance Summit on July 7, 2021.
AHM Mustafa Kamal said, “Climate change is a human-made disaster. We are not responsible for this at all. The coal-fired power plant to be built at Matarbari will not produce as much carbon dioxide. Besides, we are producing nuclear power in Rooppur, fossil fuel will not be used here.”
Regarding the fear of climate change, Mustafa Kamal further said, “The world is getting warmer due to the use of fossil fuels. There are also many problems with air travel. The huge icebergs of the Antarctic continent have already begun to melt.”
“As a result, the lowlands of our country will submerge in the recent future. The problems of climate change cannot tackle without the financial support of developed countries,” he worried.
“We are all suffering because of climate change effects- public opinions are raising on this issue. We all know that 70,000 people died in Europe in 2003 due to climate change alone,” he noticed.
The finance minister also said, “If solar energy can produce, it will possible to tackle climate change.
However, the amount of our land is less comparing our population. Solar energy production requires a lot of lands. We are making the best use of agricultural land to meet the demand for food.”
Shahab Uddin, Minister for Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Abul Kalam Azad, Chief Coordinator for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the Prime Minister’s Office of Bangladesh, also spoke at the meeting.
