Addressing Dhaka’s air quality issue is not only a matter of public health but also a crucial step in ensuring the city’s long-term sustainability and livability, US Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas has said.
The ambassador was speaking at an event for Climate Action Champions in Dhaka on Thursday.
The US embassy, in collaboration with GenLab, a youth-led social enterprise, successfully hosted youth climate activists from Tuesday to Thursday to discuss collaboration opportunities to tackle air quality.
The participants, 50 youth climate champions, hail from Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal and Sri Lanka.
Haas attended the closing ceremony on Thursday, inspiring the young delegates to continue their essential work in environmental conservation, the embassy said.
Dhaka has been grappling with severe air quality issues for a long time.
“The air quality here is often among the worst in the world. Don’t just take my word for it, you can access air quality data from our monitor at the US Embassy in Dhaka online 24/7,” the ambassador said.
"The US government is strongly committed to addressing climate change through a range of ambitious initiatives and policies which align with and support global efforts to mitigate the impacts of climate change and transition to a more sustainable and resilient future.
"The United States’ proactive approach to climate risk modelling and preparedness is an essential component of efforts to address the challenges posed by climate change.
"Through this, we engage experts and stakeholders in discussions of climate change impacts, which include more frequent and severe weather events, rising temperatures, increase in the sea level and changing precipitation patterns," the ambassador said.
"We support young climate champions making a significant and positive difference in the fight against climate change."
The Climate Action Champions Network (CACN) is a five-country regional US Department of State-funded initiative aimed at nurturing and empowering young leaders to drive climate action in the region.
Climate and environmental experts from Bangladesh and the region joined this gathering in Dhaka to mentor and equip the attendees with resources to tackle air pollution in the Indian subcontinent.
