The world climate is changing at an alarming rate with the high emission of greenhouse gases. As a result, global warming has turned into a major problem for the world. It has been assessed that the usual rate of greenhouse gas discharge at present is 430 P.P.S which was 280 P.P.S at the time of industrial revolution. The amount of carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide in the air is increasing. These gases are creating a layer around the atmosphere of the earth. As a result, the infrared rays of the sun are being trapped within the earth surface. For that reason, the temperature of the world is rising day by day. In the last fifty years this process has been going on fast.
The main causes behind this condition are the excessive use of fossil fuel, desertification, huge population growth of the developing countries and the increase of industrialization and urbanization in the developed countries. It has been found that the industrially developed countries such as Spain, Belarus, Brazil, USA, UK, Canada, Netherlands and Sweden are responsible for the production of 80 per cent of world greenhouse gases. Recently the rate of discharge of greenhouse gases has increased in the big developing countries like India, China. Though the role of the poor developing countries in the global change is very low but they are becoming the ill preys of this catastrophe to a large extent.
The South Asian countries are the worst sufferers of this global problem in comparison to the other parts of the world. Among the most ten vulnerable countries of the world nine are in the Asia. Scientists opined that due to global warming the temperature of the northern Himalayas is increasing. As a result, the coastal tides and cyclones are also increasing.
The big cities like Dhaka, Mumbai and Calcutta will face great catastrophe in near future. The marine animals and plants will be destroyed due to the rise of sea level. The forests which are playing great roles to reduce carbon dioxide will be damaged. According to the environmentalists, if the height of the coastal area increases one meter, 70 per cent of the Sundarbans will be submerged. The environment will lose its balance. The biodiversity will be damaged.
According to the scientific research, if the sea level rises a further of 1.5 meters, about 16 per cent of the total area of Bangladesh will be damaged severely, especially Cox's Bazar, Chittagong, Noakhali, Bhola, Patuakhali, Satkhira, Khulna, Bagerhat, Barguna, Jalokhati, Barisal and Pirojpur may be submerged. Global warming will bring a great negative impact upon the agriculture of our country in near future. High temperature will reduce the normal production of the paddy like Aush, Aman and Boro. The production of wheat will be reduced. Due to humidity the agricultural harmful insects will increase.
The normal current of the rivers is necessary for irrigation and transportation. Due to the climate change the normal current of the rivers is being hampered. As a result, the normal flow of the rivers will be reduced and due to the short of flow of the rivers the saline water of the sea will enter into the inland water which creates the deficit of normal water for the agriculture. As a result, it will bring an unbearable catastrophe in the overall social-economic aspect of our country.
The world summit of 1992 was the first wide global initiative to tackle this problem and it is a matter of pride that from that time Bangladesh has taken this problem very seriously. She has signed the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) on 9th June, 1992 and ratified it on 15th April, 1994. She has accessed to the Kyoto Protocol on 21th August, 2001. She has assessed the risks of climate change and increase of greenhouse gas and its bad impact under the US Climate Change Country Study Program in 1994.
The Ministry of Environment and Forests has adopted a national policy and program me named Change Strategy and Action Plan: 2008. In every year a separate fund is being kept to take steps to combat the climate change. In order to tackle the global change the government has established a Multi Donor Multi Trust Fund with the help of the world donors in 2008.
Climate change cell of the Department of Environment in order to coordinate among the overall projects related to global warming has established a climate change cell. The main task of this cell is to take the process of adaptation to reduce climate change and increase the consciousness of the people to reduce risks during development initiatives. It is a matter of hope that the Providing Regional Climate Impact Studies (PRECIS) has been conducted by the Climate Change Cell in the SPARRSO, Department of Weather and BUET. The Cell has supplied a High powered computer and a PRECIS Model to each of these institutions and with this we will get more information about the climate change.
Climate Change Cell has established a climate change corner in the central library of the Department of Environment. Besides, it has made an E-database where all the information related to agriculture, water resources and climate change will be available.
Bangladesh has also played a significant role in the much talked Paris Agreement on climate change imparting her strong position in this issue while the powerful states are still in doubt. It is high time to be united and conscious to control the problems of climate change. It is not possible for the government to take this risk alone. The non-governmental ENGOs and organizations have to assist the government to make the world power full stake holders conscious about the serious consequences of the climate change which may be happened in the poor developing countries.
The writer is general member of Dhaka University Moot Court Society
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