Economic Reporter :
Speakers at a programme said climate change, caused by global warming, may hamper sustainable economic development in the country.
Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) are Short Lived Climate Pollutants, which have global warming potential about 10,800 times higher than that of carbon-dioxide. The rate of increase of HFCs, the powerful greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, is estimated to be 10-15% annually. If left unabated, this will cancel out the climate benefits achieved by phasing out Ozone Depleting Substances, they said.
They made the remarks while addressing a programme titled ‘Stakeholders’ Orientation Workshop of Ratification of Kigali Amendment’ at Hotel Rigs Inn at Gulshan in the capital today (Monday).
Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies (BCAS) organized the event with the support of Christian Aid, UK.
In Bangladesh, HFCs emitted mainly through Air Conditioner (AC), freeze, car and refrigerator are increasing, they said, citing a recent study by UNDP that the increase in consumption will be around 100 metric tonne per year.
They called for implementing the Montreal Protocol and the Kigali Amendment, which are multilateral agreement for preventing excessive ultraviolet radiation from the sun by phasing out the production and consumption of ozone depleting substances.
It is estimated that gradual phase down of HFCs under the Amendment could avoid upto 0.5 degree Celsius global warming by the end of the century, they observed.
We should raise awareness among private sectors, including AC assemblers, importers and manufacturers of HFCs, AC equipment and chillers, they said, stressing on the urgent need of phasing out HFCs through endorsing the Kigali Amendment.
They called for finding out alternatives to HFCs, including possibilities for retrofitting of existing appliances in the country.
The UN Kigali HFC Climate Conference ended in Rwandan capital Kigali on October 14, 2016 when all the developed and developing countries agreed to reduce the HFCs to save the planet.
Qazi Sarwar Imtiaz Hashmi, additional director general of Department of Environment (DoE), attended as the chief guest at the programme.
Chaired by Dr. A Atiq Rahman, executive director of BCAS, Sanjib Biswas, acting country director of Christian Aid, UK, SK Purokaoshth, project manager of ODS Phase Out project, DoE, Mijanur Rahman Bijoy, policy and advocacy specialist of Network on Climate Change, Bangladesh (NCC,B) spoke on the occasion.
Dr. Moinul Islam Sharif, senior fellow of BCAS, Golam Rabbani, another fellow of BCAS, presented two keynote papers.
Speakers at a programme said climate change, caused by global warming, may hamper sustainable economic development in the country.
Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) are Short Lived Climate Pollutants, which have global warming potential about 10,800 times higher than that of carbon-dioxide. The rate of increase of HFCs, the powerful greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, is estimated to be 10-15% annually. If left unabated, this will cancel out the climate benefits achieved by phasing out Ozone Depleting Substances, they said.
They made the remarks while addressing a programme titled ‘Stakeholders’ Orientation Workshop of Ratification of Kigali Amendment’ at Hotel Rigs Inn at Gulshan in the capital today (Monday).
Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies (BCAS) organized the event with the support of Christian Aid, UK.
In Bangladesh, HFCs emitted mainly through Air Conditioner (AC), freeze, car and refrigerator are increasing, they said, citing a recent study by UNDP that the increase in consumption will be around 100 metric tonne per year.
They called for implementing the Montreal Protocol and the Kigali Amendment, which are multilateral agreement for preventing excessive ultraviolet radiation from the sun by phasing out the production and consumption of ozone depleting substances.
It is estimated that gradual phase down of HFCs under the Amendment could avoid upto 0.5 degree Celsius global warming by the end of the century, they observed.
We should raise awareness among private sectors, including AC assemblers, importers and manufacturers of HFCs, AC equipment and chillers, they said, stressing on the urgent need of phasing out HFCs through endorsing the Kigali Amendment.
They called for finding out alternatives to HFCs, including possibilities for retrofitting of existing appliances in the country.
The UN Kigali HFC Climate Conference ended in Rwandan capital Kigali on October 14, 2016 when all the developed and developing countries agreed to reduce the HFCs to save the planet.
Qazi Sarwar Imtiaz Hashmi, additional director general of Department of Environment (DoE), attended as the chief guest at the programme.
Chaired by Dr. A Atiq Rahman, executive director of BCAS, Sanjib Biswas, acting country director of Christian Aid, UK, SK Purokaoshth, project manager of ODS Phase Out project, DoE, Mijanur Rahman Bijoy, policy and advocacy specialist of Network on Climate Change, Bangladesh (NCC,B) spoke on the occasion.
Dr. Moinul Islam Sharif, senior fellow of BCAS, Golam Rabbani, another fellow of BCAS, presented two keynote papers.
