Bangladesh needs to formulate proper policies and act accordingly to combat the negative impacts of climate change as it is one of the most significant issues we need to address, said State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam yesterday.
He was speaking on the first day of the four-day Bangladesh International Model United Nations 2015 conference at Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel in the capital.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the United Nations Youth and Students Association of Bangladesh (UNYSAB) organised the conference with the theme of “Climate Change and Sustainable Future”.
The aim of the conference is to engage future leaders from both the country and abroad in a debate over the pros and cons of climate change. Environment and Forests Minister Anwar Hossain Manju said climate change is an international problem.
“According to the proposal of the developed countries, temperature will rise by 4% every year but Bangladesh has proposed to keep it below 1.5%.
“If they do not agree with the proposal, I am going to warn them that if we go under water because of climate change implications, they too will face the same fate someday,” he said.
Nahim Razzaq, member of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Youth and Sports Ministry, UN Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh Robert D Watkins, UNYSAB Trustee Board Chairman Dr Sayed Saikh Imtiaz and UNYSAB President Mohammad Mamun Mia were present at the inaugural session among others.
Students from India, Nepal, Afghanistan and Pakistan are participating both as delegates and executive board members along with students of Bangladesh.