It is now clear that following back-tracking by the US and Australia, there’s not too much left of the World Climate Accord which, despite its imperfections, was essentially a globally accepted treatise.
True the accord was based on economics, which was created to mitigate shortfalls by major polluters, with a climate fund to assist the most vulnerable countries -- of which Bangladesh is one. The world seems to be clutching on to the accord, in the hope that Donald Trump and his administration will reconsider the existence of what they term as a “non existent” issue.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, no stranger to rebuffs, continues to hold on to the belief that a below 2% increase in global warming is achievable, and Bangladesh has a role to play in this. This by itself is an ambitious target, given that in forestry alone, Bangladesh doesn’t feature in the top ten Asian countries with the minimum forest cover of 25%, despite the continuous years of observing tree-plantation fortnights and tree-fairs.
Those who live close to nature can see the difference on a day to day basis -- those living far have the occasional reminder through tragedy and events, and the world depends on the next ground-breaking study and the media to stir the scenes.
Time is running out, and the next published study has been made apparent, after the UN released its global reports based on over 6000 previous researches on the subject. The findings are dire, and the stark choices that we are faced with are neither acceptable or palatable -- they are inevitable.
At a 2% increase in global temperature, all the coral reefs of the world will disappear, and island nations will be submerged in water. That will naturally lead to the need for land to relocate the victims.
The cycle of life has its own protective mechanisms that has sadly been interfered with. Unplanned deforestation, especially of naturally occurring forests, diversion of rivers, and clearing nature for accommodation rather than building around it has contributed to an unnecessary scarcity of woodlands, and, in effect, subsequently, arable crop land.
Those arguing against genetically modified food crops and protein ignore the fact that fewer ponds and rivers, over-emphasis on cattle and fish, and lesser focus on proper rearing of naturally fed animals, are leaving us with fewer choices, more nutrition deficiency, and subsequently more ill-health, even though life expectancy is increasing.
The time has come for Bangladesh to clearly identify through scientific study how much more land should or can be used for housing, and make sure that significant agricultural land is left, and river-bodies encroachment should be stopped, if required, with severe punishment.
Economic zones can thrive just as well with planned woodland and water bodies, but the heart-breaking signs that proclaim the victory of capital investment in place of crop-land has to stop somewhere. Organically grown crops and protein sources are now an expensive luxury, whereas it should never have come to this.
Without poultry farms and hatcheries we would have been deficient in meeting protein requirements, but if garbage goes in, garbage comes out, suggesting that stronger control in poultry and fish-feed that don’t have longer term impact on health are required.
The tree plantation program is considered a joke. A simple study of all the trees planted over the years, and the ones surviving, will reveal facts that are both embarrassing and disappointing.
In our development journey, the word “sustainable” got lost somewhere. With the US stomping out of the World Climate Agreement, the fear is that a significant part of the world will also walk out, and the planet will certainly be worse for it.
Mahmudur Rahman is a writer, columnist, broadcaster, and communications specialist.