COP25 served interests of polluters: Civil Society

Terming the outcome of the COP25 frustrating, members of the civil society has said it (COP25) served the interests of the polluters.

The civil society members came up with the observation at a press conference titled "Madrid Climate Conference and Civil Society Observations" in the city on Saturday, reports UNB.  Executive director of COAST Trust M Rezaul Karim C howdhury moderated the program.

The speakers said the negotiation at COP25 lost the trust of MVCs (Most Vulnerable Country) & LDCs (Least Developed Countries). They opined that the government needs to set its climate change strategies (especially Adaptation Strategies) with own capacity and resources.

Syed Aminul Hoque, deputy director of COAST Trust, in his key note presentation said the negotiation in COP25 in Madrid ended amid disappointment as most of the important issues remained unsettled. Major emitters failed to come up with any  plan to reduce Green House gasses by 2020 and broke their pledges over financing in Loss and Damage management as expected by MVCs and LDCs, he added.

Executive director of Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies (BCAS) Dr Atiq Rahaman said the politics and fossil-fuel interests are taking place above people and the planet. The United States, Japan, Australia and Brazil once again exposed their unwillingness to save the millions of vulnerable people, he added. 

Executive Director of Center for Participatory Research & Development (CPRD) Md Shamsuddoh urged the government, educationists, experts and civil society members to take effective preparations through discussion for COP26 to be held in December 2020.