Other Blog Posts

[VOICE] Climate Change and Bangladesh: Adaptation planning to address Impacts and Vulnerabilities

Submitted by Anonymous on

Bangladesh is expected to be the most vulnerable country in the world in next 30 years mainly because of its exposure to climate-related natural disasters and sea-level rise; human sensitivity in terms of population growth and pattern, development, natural resources, agricultural dependency and conflicts; in adequate adaptive capacity to combat climate change (Maplecroft, 2010). In fact, multiple hazards instigated by various climatic factors including temperature variation, erratic rainfall, flood and recurrent flood, cyclone and storm surge, drought, saline intrusion coupled with social or non-climate factors (such as population density and poverty) are already affecting the many parts of country especially in the coastal region, north-west and low-lying areas.  

The Government of Bangladesh realizing the consequences of the climate change has made striking progress in terms of policy, strategy and institutional arrangement. Following allocation of 100 million USD in 2008 and 2009 together to bring adaptation and mitigation actions on the ground, the country recently established Bangladesh Climate Change Resilience Fund (BCCRF) and approved another 100 million USD for 2010/2011 to implement the projects and programmes under six major themes (i. Food security, social protection and health ii. Comprehensive Disaster Management iii. Infrastructure iv. Research and knowledge management v. mitigation and low carbon development and vi. Capacity building and institutional strengthening) of the Bangladesh Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan (BCCSAP). This fund will be managed and implemented by the government and technical support will be provided by the World Bank to facilitate that the requirements are met in the implementation process. A governing council and a management committee chaired by the government will be the apex bodies to manage the fund. However, representatives of the line ministries, development partners and civil society will be included in both the council and management committee. In addition, a policy titled “Climate Change Trust Fund Policy” has been developed by the Cabinet as part of an integrated plan to face disaster due to climate change in the country.

The government also officially launched the “Climate Change Unit” under the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) in June 2010. At this stage, the CCU is headed by the Joint Secretary, MoEF. The unit will be equipped with 9 senior officers and 33 staff. National level experts will also be recruited as advisors to strengthen the unit and make it better functional. The MOEF and CCU have already approved 66 projects for implementation in vulnerable coastal zone, drought prone area, flood and low lying ecosystem, hilly and haor area, and charlands covering mainly water, agriculture, forestry, infrastructure, health, capacity building sectors etc. Some of the projects are approved for conducting action research and institutional strengthening. However, most of these projects will be implemented by the different relevant government institutions. Some of the projects will be implemented by NGO or Civil Society Organizations at both national and local level. 

Tags: 
adaptation
Bangladesh
climate finance
VOICE
Topics: 
Adaptation
Region: 
South Asia
Related Campaign: 
Leadership Development Program
Related Event: 
COP16/CMP6 - Cancún

[VOICE] Global Climate Talks and Constitution Making in Nepal: A Comparison

Submitted by Anonymous on

Global Climate Change talks and the process of constitution making in Nepal has several similarities. The agreement made in Bali, Indonesia (resulting in the Bali Action Plan) and the provision in the Interim Constitution of Nepal. Both the processes had similar mandates - two years for drafting a new agreement respectively on a fair, ambitious and binding outcome under the UNFCCC / a fair Constitution for the Nepali people. Both were delayed, brushing aside the high expectations and with very little hope for meeting timelines, one more year has been added for both discourses as we found to our dismay at the beginning of this year. Lack of trust among the countries in the Climate Change discussions and among Nepali political parties engaged in the drafting of the Constitution is hampering the negotiations on both ends, and there's little hope that the negotiations/drafting will be complete within the revised-time frame. In this whole process, we, the Nepali Civil Society, are getting to see both the painful processes very closely.


Climate Change discussions peaked gradually after COP 13 held in Bali, Indonesia. Parties adopted the Bali Road Map as a two-year process to finalize a legally binding agreement in 2009 in Copenhagen. The Bali Road Map decided to establish subsidiary bodies under the Convention to conduct the process- the Ad Hoc Working Group on Long-term Cooperative Action (AWG-LCA) and the Ad Hoc Working Group on Further Commitments for Annex I Parties under the Kyoto Protocol (AWG-KP) - that were to complete their work in 2009 and present the outcome to the Conference of Parties at its 15th session in Copenhagen. Ending with a weak political statement, the Copenhagen Conference was not successful and failed to meet our expectations. The parties were not able to remove the brackets (undecided issue within parties) from the draft text of Ad-hoc working groups; this resulted in the working groups being given extended mandates until Cancun, Mexico (COP 16) at the end of 2010.


The Nepalese Constituent Assembly is a body of 601 members formed as a result of the Constituent Assembly election on April 10, 2008. At the first session of the Constituent Assembly on 28 May, it voted to declare Nepal a Federal Democratic Republic, thereby abolishing the monarchy. Besides this, the newly elected jumbo body is receiving criticism on several fronts : lack of evidence about real work done to the public, the excessive expenses that are inflating the budget of the country towards its upkeep and alleged charges of corruption amongst members of the Assembly.

 
It is clear that the main reason for the failure to nail down a final agreement is a lack of political commitment endemic to both the discourses. At the Nepali Constitution Assembly front, members have not been able to move ahead with the constitution writing process and within the international climate discourse, member states clearly lack high level commitment to further the climate talks, thus the negotiations have failed to ratchet up its pace, and so has the constitution writing process. The priority at present should be the peace process and constitution making in Nepal. However, the parties are giving too much emphasis on who should lead the government, which shows the misplaced priority of the parties. By making the peace process and constitution writing their priority, the parties need to work collectively to write the new constitution and complete the peace process.


To contrast both a little, Climate change discussion at this moment seems quite progressive, as compared to discussions within parties here in Nepal. While the political powers seem to have forgotten the main issue and focus on getting their hands on the prime ministerial lollypop – the climate change discussion is moving ahead under the leadership of Christiana Figueres the new Executive Secretary of UNFCCC.


The extra year derived from the extension of the tenure of the Constituent Assembly in Nepal and the time frame between Copenhagen and Cancun is an opportunity for the political parties of Nepal and world leaders to create yet another milestone worth making Nepalese proud, both at home and abroad. We really hope that the leaders will make the best use of this opportunity for the advancement and welfare of this nation. Likewise we the people of Nepal hope that the International community and world leaders will make us all proud by agreeing to a international agreement on climate change that will be fair, ambitious, equitable and stem the tide of a changing climate before it is too late.

- Manjeet Dhakal

Topics: 
Adaptation
Region: 
South Asia
Related Campaign: 
Leadership Development Program
Related Event: 
Tianjin, China UNFCCC Session

[VOICE] Ivory Coast: The Water , Energy and Climate Change Nexus

Submitted by Anonymous on

Over the past several decades, Ivory Coast like many countries in West Africa has experienced intense drought events. This was the consequences of an estimated gap of about -20% to -60% in rainfall which resulted in a deficit of river runoff ranging from -30% to -80% as reported by several scientific studies.

Meanwhile, the social and economic development of these countries predominantly based on agriculture has not been integrated into a planned response to environmental threats. Some action has been taken by the Government however despite the efforts by the governments- the actual action undertaken towards improving environmentally sound practices remain weak. The most immediate effect of this reduced water availability is the threat to activities like rain-fed agriculture which is the primary option for the poorest farmers to make a living.

Industrial crops like cocoa and coffee are also at risk. Ivory Coast is the first cocoa bean producer in the world however due to changing climate patterns people are leaving old production area located in the north-east part of the country to establish new cocoa plantation in suitable areas located in the south-eastern part of the country. This shift in geographical location for plantations has a serious side-effect. Since the 1960s, Ivory Coast which was a heavily forested country has lost about 80% of its forest area.The remaining forests are located in the south-eastern part of the country within the National Park of Taï - which is one of the remaining forest of the Guinean variety. Nowadays due to increased pressure on land due to the need for finding suitable agricultural land this area too is under encroachment by groups looking to set up plantations.

Thus climate change has not only affected agriculture, climate change has also brought about severe damage to other infrastructure projects like hydro-power plants. As far back as 1983-84 the country was in the throes of major power cuts because all the hydro-power dams were almost dry due to an unprecedented drought episode. This situation continues to haunt us even today (Hydroelectricity accounts for only 27% of the net national energy production). The government continues to sanction more hydro power projects even issue related to resettlement of displaced population during the construction of hydropower dams earliest are still unresolved and on the agenda.

To help address such complex and crosscutting issues of the nexus of water, society and climate change, urgent and strong measures must be taken both at national and international level. For my country it is not an option to continue to deal with a dual edged sword of poverty and climate variability. As an African I have a question to ask - are we going to accept a new failure under the climate negotiations in Cancun?     

What a pity!

Ange-Benjamin Brida

Topics: 
Adaptation
Region: 
West Africa
Related Campaign: 
Leadership Development Program
Related Event: 
Tianjin, China UNFCCC Session

[VOICE] My Tuvalu

Submitted by Anonymous on

Climate Change is one of the very hot issues in Tuvalu and the government is putting in its utmost effort to address this issue at the national level and also at the international level. Citizens of most countries in the world have never heard of our tiny islands in the Pacific. Although I am proud to say that we have the biggest ocean in the whole world and we have lived with the sea all around us for centuries. This way of life is our ancestors' greatest gift to their children and we are in their debt.

This is why we are in this climate fight not because we are saving our lands and our resources for ourselves but rather we are doing it for our children and their offsprings. Our ancestors gave us this beautiful place for us and it has been a tradition to pass on these gifts to our children. We are obligated to do so to the future generations to come. That is why we are must continue to fight whatever the personal costs to us as Tuvalu Civil Society.

It is this uniqueness that makes us so strong and believe in our cause. Our culture and tradition are unique and we would want to maintain it for as long as the earth exists. Climate Change cannot and will not stop us from enjoying our beautiful island, our music ,our bountiful sea ,our livelihoods and most of all our people.

God bless our land and people !

Taukiei Kitara

Region: 
Pacific
Related Campaign: 
Leadership Development Program
Related Event: 
Tianjin, China UNFCCC Session

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