Last year was recorded as the hottest year in history. Climate change is now the most urgent threat to mankind’s existence and it is time to stop procrastinating. The severity of issues we now collectively face from climate change go beyond changing daily habits such as resisting the temptation to switch on the air-con as the hot season looms. It is time to encourage and support planners and policy-makers to take immediate large scale action on climate change before it is too late.
In climate change adaptation, Bangladesh is scribing the blueprint for the rest of the world to follow. However, in mitigation, there is room for improvement. Bangladesh’s respective global emissions contribution (0.35%) is minuscule in many developing nations, but Bangladesh as a nation must also show the willingness to develop in a sustainable manner.
The International Centre for Climate Change and Development (ICCCAD), together with Cardiff University, UK, are holding a series of student outreach workshops funded by the UK Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) to generate awareness of “The Bangladesh Energy, Emissions and Food Security Modelling Tool” (BD2050). BD2050 is an integrated model to explore low carbon development pathways for Bangladesh between now and 2050. The comprehensive model explores three main themes for long-term planning (with various additional sub-themes). The three main themes are: Energy (demand and supply), food production and land use, and overall emissions in Bangladesh.
Modelling calculators such as BD2050 will soon serve as a vital tool in Bangladesh’s climate change mitigation armoury. The objective of the student outreach workshops is to engage interested participants, generate discussion, and gain important feedback. The BD2050 project has been developed by a team of researchers at Cardiff University under the supervision of project leader Dr Monjur Mourshed, senior lecturer in sustainable engineering. The project now seeks to engage a small group of students based in Bangladesh who can help develop the project further. The next generation will have to live with the energy choices the country makes today, so their participation in the energy mix is key.
How to get involved
ICCCAD seeks to engage a small group of interested young professionals based in Bangladesh looking to gain experience in the field of climate change mitigation. Roles to choose from include getting involved with emission scenario modelling, web tool development, or presenting the project through workshops to the public, academics, and researchers and policy makers. Stay updated on future events, project development and past work by “liking” “The Bangladesh Energy, Emissions and Food Security Modelling Tool” (BD2050) Facebook page -- https://www.facebook.com/bd2050c. If interested, please do not hesitate to contact:
Yousuf Mahid, Coordinator: Climate Change Governance (CCG) at International Centre for Climate Change and Development (ICCCAD) mahid.buet06@gmail.com Saqib Huq, Visiting Researcher at International Centre for Climate Change and Development (ICCCAD) saqibhuq@hotmail.com Alex Trowell, Visiting Researcher at International Centre for Climate Change and Development (ICCCAD) alexander@trowell.com