Bangladesh News

Bangladesh has been nominated for the vice-chair of the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI) that implements all decisions of convention and protocol under United Nations Framework Convention of Climate Change (UNFCC).

AKM Rezaul Kabir, secretary to the Ministry of Environment and Forest and the present leader of the Bangladesh delegations, will represent Bangladesh as vice-chair in SBI when Iran chairs it.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh included the “international migration issue” on the agenda of contact group discussion. If all parties agree, the climate change victims will get the chance of international migration once their locality becomes affected.

Items on the agenda are supposed to be discussed during next year’s Copenhagen meet of the Conference of Parties (COP 14) now being held in Poznan, Poland.

Starting on Saturday afternoon and ending at midnight, the parties could not settle the agenda since Saudi Arabia vetoed the emission cut issue as their petroleum trade might get hampered.

In article 4.8 of the UN Framework Convention, 1992, it is said that impact of the implementations of response measures have to be taken into consideration … especially in countries where economies are highly dependant on income generated from the production, processing and export or consumption of fossil fuels.

Mentioning this article, Saudi Arabia at the contact group meeting said their petroleum business will be affected if emission-cut measures are taken. According to the convention, if a single country vetoes anything, it would not be taken into consideration for discussion.

“The parties could not settle the agenda… that does not mean it has been cancelled, it will be discussed at the minister-level meeting later on at the last part of the conference,” said Nasiruddin, a member of Bangladesh delegation, adding “international migration issue” will also be discussed.

Meanwhile, International Institute of Environment and Development (IIED) arranged a seminar on “Community-Based Adaptation” at the Sheraton Hotel in Poznan.

Mazharul Alam Babu, research fellow of Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies (BCAS), presented community based adaptation concept where Richard J Klein of Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI), Jian Liu, Bubu Pateh Jallow from UNEP, and Mazoe Gondwe of Malawi were present as panellists.

All official meetings of the conference were closed yesterday.