Urgent action must take against climate change: Gwen Lewis, UN Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh
Gwen Lewis, the UN Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh, said, “Climate change is happening right now, and there are many opportunities and plans to mitigate and adapt.
“The youth voices are being integrated and reflected in the plans. Now our action is urgent. We need to know the views of our youth on climate.”
Brighters Society of Bangladesh, with the support of ActionAid Bangladesh, organized a two-day virtual Pre- COP27 conference titled Bangladesh Youth COP 2022‘ to highlight climate talks and youth voices at the global level.
Professor Salimul Haque, Director of the International Centre for Climate Change and Development (ICCCAD), said, “There is not much hope from COP27.
World leaders gather at the COP and take some small initiatives. So, it is not only important to participate in the COP Conference. Yesterday’s climate change problem is different from today’s or tomorrow’s.
We have already entered an era of damage and harm from climate change. In COP, we need to highlight the loss and damage issues. The world’s polluters must agree to pay pollution victims. Young people must act as leaders and activists to support and involve others.”
Saber Hossain Chowdhury, Member of Bangladesh Parliament and chairman of Parliamentary committee, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bangladesh, said,
“It is a joy that the youth of every corner of Bangladesh are thinking about the whole world. They are needed to combat the problems of climate change. Due to climate change, we see various crises worldwide. The sad reality is that we have yet to find a sustainable solution to this.”
UN Resident Coordinator stresses urgent action to combat climate change. He said, “We try to raise the voice of the youth and their recommendations in the COP conference and involve them gradually.”
The youth from Bangladesh and different parts of the world raised six-point demands and demanded immediate action from the world leaders in this conference ahead of COP 27.
The demands include:
- Limiting the average global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius,
- Stopping the burning of fossil fuels and using renewable fuels,
- Compensation for countries affected by climate change,
- Responsibility for protecting the climate for the people of developed countries,
- Guaranteeing protection funds for women and children affected by climate change
- Ensuring adequate funding and technical support for change and adaptation
