DHAKA, July 9, 2019 (BSS) – President M Abdul Hamid today urged donor states not to stay confined to the donation-commitment only and sought more contribution to the Bangladesh Climate Change Resilience Fund (BCCRF) as Bangladesh is one of most vulnerable countries to climate change impacts.
The head of the state came up with the appeal when Marshall Islands President Dr Hilda C. Heine called on him at Bangabhaban here this afternoon.
The President of the Pacific island nation is on a two-day visit to Bangladesh from early today to attend the Dhaka Meeting of the Global Commission on Adaptation (GCA).
President Hamid urged the donor states not to stay confined to the donation-commitment to the climate resilience fund only rather play an active role in this connection, his press secretary Joynal Abedin told BSS.
Welcoming Dr Hilda for her maiden visit to Bangladesh, the President appreciated her contribution as a Commissioner of the Global Commission on Adaptation and thanked her for selecting Dhaka to organize Dhaka Meeting of Global Commission on Adaption on July 9-10.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the GCA two-day meeting tomorrow here while Ban Ki-moon, the current chair of GCA, will address a session titled “Way forward and next step towards climate change adaptation” in the programme.
Referring to the climate change affects, Abdul Hamid said, “Despite Bangladesh contributes a very little to the air pollution, the country is one of the most vulnerable countries to the climate change impacts in the world.”
On the problems involving the global climate change issue, he said Bangladesh has been playing proactive role in all national and international discourses on climate change.
Bangladesh has been working to relentlessly to overcome her vulnerabilities and in the meantime established a dedicated “Climate Change Trust Fund” with its own domestic resources, the President stated.
Abdul Hamid said Bangladesh is also pursuing a low-carbon development path with giving priority to development with the renewable energy, its efficiency and energy conservation.
“Besides, the country has laid emphasis on using solar home systems across the country,” President Hamid added.
During the meeting with his Marshal Islands counterpart, the President also highlighted different socio-economic advancement of Bangladesh.
President Hamid hoped that the GCA summit would help highlight various problems of the climate change affects and the developed countries would come forward to resolve those.
Dr Hilda lauded the role of Bangladesh government on the climate change resilience issue.
She also highly appreciated the tremendous development of Bangladesh in socio-economic sector, especially in the woman empowerment.
Special Assistant to Marshall Islands President Carlsan Heine, Assistant Clerk of her cabinet Denise Reither, secretary concerned to the Bangabhaban and high officials of foreign ministry, among others, were present.