Belgium 10 July 2024 Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Saber Hossain Chowdhury has said that climate justice is very important in dealing with the global climate crisis. He highlighted the importance of international cooperation and solidarity in addressing the complex issues of climate change-induced migration and environmental degradation. Minister Chowdhury emphasized that climate change is a litmus test for multilateralism.
The environment minister said these things in a panel discussion titled ‘Colonizing the Future: Climate Justice, Democracy and Migration Governance’ at the opening session of the second conference of the Environment and Climate Mobilities Network (ECMN) in Liège, Belgium on Tuesday evening.
The Environment Minister said that Bangladesh is one of the countries that contributes less than 0.5 percent of global carbon emissions, yet it is one of the most climate-vulnerable countries in the world. Highlighting the steps taken by Bangladesh under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to deal with the threat of climate change, the minister said that climate change is an existential threat to Bangladesh. Because by the end of this century, 17 percent of coastal areas could be submerged due to sea level rise, and 40 million people could be displaced by one meter of sea level rise.
Mohammed Nasheed, Secretary General of Climate Vulnerable Forum and former President of Maldives spoke as a panelist in the event. The panel was moderated by Belgian political scientist and researcher François Geyman, and historian and author David van Reybrouck presented the keynote address. Also among the panelists were Sandrine Dixon-Declave, Vice-President of the Club of Rome and Executive Director of Earth4All, and Katerina Sefalvayova, Director of the Institute for Central Europe. Bangladesh Ambassador to Belgium, Luxembourg and Head of Mission to EU Mahbub Hasan Saleh and other embassy officials were present on the occasion.
Panelists highlighted the North-South divide, the need for more meaningful action to address climate change, rebuilding trust and a fairer, more democratic and inclusive international governance. Bangladesh’s leading role in COP negotiations, especially on erosion, was appreciated by the panelists. Panelists will also address the need to reform global financial and governance mechanisms.
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