Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been named one of the winners of the United Nations’ highest environmental accolade for taking steps to address climate change.
The premier will accept the prize, the Champions of the Earth Award in the Policy Leadership, at a ceremony in New York on September 27, the UNB reported.
The award recognises Bangladesh’s initiatives under Hasina’s government to prepare the country for the challenges it faces from climate change.
With a population of more than 160 million, Bangladesh is one of most vulnerable countries to the impacts of climate change in the world.
“Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has demonstrated leadership and vision in both making climate change an issue of national priority and advocating for an ambitious global response,” said UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner.
“As an early adopter and advocate of climate change adaptation policy, she continues to be an example to follow as world leaders seek to take action on climate change as part of the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris climate conference in December.”
The award cites the progressive Bangladesh Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan of 2009, which made Bangladesh the first developing country to frame such a coordinated action plan.
Bangladesh is also the first country to set up its own Climate Change Trust Fund supported by nearly US$300 million of domestic resources in 2009-2012.
“As one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world, Bangladesh understands the importance of addressing the impact of climate change. The country is already experiencing its detrimental effects, and it is often the poorest and marginalised who feel it the most,” said Robert Watkins, UN Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh.
“I congratulate the government of Bangladesh for being proactive in tackling climate change as a priority of the country. It is also a clarion call for the global community to take action today, and to realise that climate change is not a problem of the future, it is already happening in our lifetime.”