The expert argued that the climate finance will not follow the “polluter pays principle” if paid as commercial loan at a market rate
Instead of depending on global policies and decisions on fighting climate change impacts, the issues need to be identified and addressed locally, said a prominent Bangladeshi expert.
He emphasised on dealing the climate issues through local actions as it would be most effective.
Ainun Nishat made the remarks in an interview taken on November 14 during the ongoing COP29 at Baku, Azerbaijan.
“Discussions on what can be done regarding climate change across the world have started. It is said that decisions can be made globally, discussions can be held globally but actions must be at the local level,” the Bangladeshi water resource and climate change specialist.
“There are so many subjects to be discussed. How the emission of greenhouse gas can be decreased is one of those. Greenhouse gas is the main source of carbon dioxide, followed by methane, nitrous oxide and hydrofluorocarbons,” he added.
“We have discussed a little earlier how we can reduce methane, which is 16-18% responsible for this disaster the world has suffered as yet.”
He went on to say, “If we can manage municipal and domestic waste in a community-based manner, it can help us a lot. Discussions on adaptation are underway.
“In fact, 15-20 subjects are discussed. For adaptation, every country was told to submit a National Adaptation Plan or NAP, from where a global guideline can be set.”
Works, discussions and comments on this are underway, he said, arguing that it would take a few more years to benefit from these.
“We formulated our NAP in 2022. We’ll perhaps revise it in 2025-26 examining its progress.”
This particular COP should focus on finance because since 1992, it is being said that developed countries will fund the developing world, especially the non-developed nations, the expert said.
“The demand was strongly raised in the 2015 Paris Agreement. From that, it is being demanded that developed countries pay $100 billion in climate finance a year,” he said.
“In this year’s summit, we can see that developing nations are not happy with the annual funding and that they want the amount to expand further to $100 billion per annum.”
Developed nations, according to him, state that China and India being developing countries are the main emitters. “So, the role of the two countries needs to be taken into consideration.”
He said, “Discussions on exchanging technologies and enhancing skills are being held. Today perhaps is the fourth day of the summit. But things will be clearer seven to eight days later since the discussions are held in groups.
“There has been an issue. It is not clear what the role of the new US president will be. It will be clear after January 20 next year. So, the US delegation consisting of powerful discussants remained silent. But I think their stance will be clear in five to six days.”
He said that the summit involves 198 countries of the world and there is no voting. Every nation needs to express equal agreement.
“So, we reckon that the progress in tacking the climate issues is not taking place that fast. Still all countries are trying hard. The problems are tough, but the discussions and the process to take decisions are way tougher.”
The biggest problem with climate finance, he said, is that its definition is flawed.
“Whether or not it is the money from developed countries, and if it should be channeled through the private sector, are among many questions involving climate finance,” he added.
Nishat predicts that the issue with climate finance needs no fewer than three years to be addressed.
“What is being said this time around is that the actual amount of the $100 billion in global climate finance will be checked sometime soon. We’ll get to know what amount we’re getting precisely,” he said.
“As a nation like ours, we demand the amount to be paid as donations,” he said.
The expert argued that the compensation will not follow the “polluter pays principle” if paid as commercial loan at a market rate.
The “polluter pays principle” is the commonly accepted practice that those who produce pollution should bear the costs of managing it to prevent damage to human health or the environment.
He recalled that before 1965, the coastal Bangladeshi areas of Shymnagar, Satkhira, Khulna, Bagerhat and Barguna were deserted of people and there were some free space.
“When a flood embankment was build there, the areas became abuzz with people in five years because they were safe from floods. And this is adaptation,” he said.
Currently, the coastline of Bangladesh is at stake, he said, adding that four cyclones are serially approaching Japan.
“What if this happens to Bangladesh? It will be a massive catastrophe, killing hundreds of thousands of people.”
Nishat said he would oppose if someone say that coasts accommodating so many people following the construction of an embankment is a maladaptation.
“Where will the coastal people go?” he questioned.
When the British rule was over, there were 40 million people in this region, the expert said.
However, the number has seen more than four-fold rise over the years in Bangladesh, he added.
“Hence, I’ll have to adapt against each adverse reaction. I think mitigation is the best solution where we don’t have any responsibility.”
Suggesting that developed countries lower greenhouse gas emission, he backed Professor Muhammad Yunus’ call for reach “net zero” emissions.
“All of these must happen locally,” he insisted.
“As I said in the beginning, the world will make decisions, guidelines and policies, but the local government will have to implement those. And for this, we need a nationally-determined commitment for mitigation,” he said.
“Being an independent country, we can’t be ordered what to do. We’ll have to push ourselves as to what should be done and then, seek assistance from the outer world,” he said.
