The appointment of Saber Hossain Chowdhury as the PM's special envoy for climate change has been one of the government's more visible steps in its commitment towards fighting the rising tide of the global climate crisis.
However, appointment of key figures will mean little if relevant policies that not only put the climate at the centre but ensures that countries such as ours - those specifically vulnerable to the effects of climate change -- receive justice for the environmental sins of developed nations, are put in place.
As one of the most affected nations when it comes to climate change, Bangladesh has been leading the fight against climate change and ensuring that industrialized nations, which use the most resources and as such contribute the most to climate change, take responsibility for their role and aid lesser developed nations such as ours in mitigating the circumstances.
As Saber Hossain himself has said, Bangladesh has to become a leader in the fight against climate change not remain a victim.
To that end, the best place to start would be to hold developed nations with inordinately high carbon levels accountable for their polluting ways -- for too long these nations have let their unchecked industrialization put smaller developing economies in an untenable position in terms of their growth.
This needs to be addressed.
Climate change is, and continues to be, the biggest threat to humanity in the 21st century and it is about time richer economies -- and it must be reiterated that they continue to be the major culprits in terms of carbon emissions and causing climate change -- hold up their end of the bargain.
It is high time that Bangladesh rose up to the occasion and set an example for the rest of the world to follow.
