ED: A global effort

While a worldwide pandemic is currently wreaking havoc across each and every economy, it would be a grave mistake to forget our commitments to tackling a problem that is even bigger in the long run -- climate change.

There is simply no denying the devastating impact of climate change any more, and it is and shall remain the single biggest global concern of the 21st century. Unfortunately, just as we have seen with the Covid-19 pandemic, there will be some countries and communities that will be more seriously affected, through no fault of their own.

Bangladesh is one such country, having ranked seventh among the Global Climate Risk Index 2020’s most at-risk countries, making it one of the worst affected victims of global emissions, despite having a negligible carbon footprint of its own. We lose 1% of our GDP every year due to climate change, while by 2050, rising sea levels will submerge about 17% of Bangladesh’s coastal lands and displace about 20 million people, given the current rate of emissions.

While Bangladesh is doing a remarkable job in its attempt to keep the environment in mind as it progresses, suffice to say, Bangladesh cannot fight climate change on its own, nor can it protect its own people through the measures it is taking.

Ultimately, it is the richer and more developed countries that must do their part and reduce their emissions, so that millions of hapless people across the world do not become a casualty as a result of their negligence and disregard. When it comes to tackling climate change, nothing but a global effort will do