DHAKA, – Foreign minister Dr AK Abdul Momen today urged the United Nation Security Council (UNSC) to take bold decision in implementing the Paris Climate Agreement (COP21) to ensure security and peace across nations.
“The UN security council cannot evade this (climate change) issue any longer. Let them take bold decision in consultation with relevant stakeholders for a better world,” he said in a video statement screened at the Berlin Climate and Security Conference 2020 on Tuesday.
Bangladesh minister warned that evading the climate change issue for a longer period by the UNSC is likely to increase potential of serious security and stability problems for many countries and the world.
Therefore, Momen said the UNSC must help implement the Paris Agreement and arrange necessary resources to face the challenges of climate change.
The Paris Agreement aims to strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change by keeping global temperature rise below 2 degrees Celsius as well as to support the ability of countries to deal with the impacts of climate change.
“Climate issue is not only our development issue, not only it’s a security issue, it is our existential issue and this needs to be handled and managed by collaboration of all countries and we must follow the Paris Agreement,” Momen said, adding “We must implement it for the global security, stability and welfare of the people of this planet.”
Bangladesh foreign minister appealed the world leaders to work together in collaboration and in partnership to save the planet from destruction. “We must work together to ensure security and peace across nations,” he said.
Terming the COVID-19 pandemic as an eye-opener for all the countries, Momen said, if global warming goes up above 1.5?C, not only Bangladesh or Maldives will suffer from climate vulnerability rather “many cities and towns that we are so proud of may not exist at all for our future generations”.
In terms of climate change, he said Bangladesh is one of the most vulnerable countries in the world as if sea level of the country rises one-meter due to global warming, then its one-fifth will go under water that may displace 30 to 40 million people from their habitats.
“If millions are uprooted, it will be security risk not only for Bangladesh but the region as well,” he warned.
Stating that thousands of people have already migrated to cities in Bangladesh due to river erosion caused by climate change, Momen said it is liability of the countries those are responsible for global warming to rehabilitate and reintegrate these displaced people into the development process.
Mentioning that Bangladesh became President of Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF), a platform of 48 climate vulnerable countries, he said it is imperative to put focus on mitigation of loss and damage caused by climate change and adaptation to it.
