The Chief Justice, Surendra Kumar Sinha, said on Saturday that a new leadership is required to ensure an effective fight against climate threat.
At the same time, the judiciary should be placed in a very strategic position where judges can contribute fundamentally in formulating proper policies and agenda complimentary to other mainstreams actions focusing in preventing this catastrophe, he said.
The Chief Justice made these remarks in the closing ceremony of the two-day ‘South Asia Judicial Conference On Environment and Climate Change’, jointly organised by Supreme Court of Bangladesh and Asian Development Bank (ADB) at Radisson Blu Dhaka Water Garden Hotel in the capital.
Five Chief Justices — Justice Syed Yousuf Halim from Afghanistan, Justice Lyonpo Tshering Wangchuk from Bhutan, Justice Sushila Karki from Nepal, Justice Kanagasabapathy Sripavan from Sri Lanka and Justice Arifin Zakaria from Malaysia — participated in the conference.
Surendra Kumar Sinha said the role of the Courts in environmental justice is very significant for the South Asian countries. So far the Courts are proactive towards the protection of environment and ecology. He, however, said more sensitization is necessary among judges and policy makers to face this mammoth threat.
“Moreover, the role of courts throughout South Asian Region needed to be expanded and enhanced into a new horizon,” Surendra Kumar Sinha said.
“Moreover, training, workshops, seminars and symposiums for concerned government officials and judicial officers are necessary to enhance the awareness. Environmental impact should be incorporated in teaching curricular of schools and colleges. And as a whole there should be multiple initiatives to build public awareness which will help us to lead environmentally friendly lifestyle,” he said.
The Chief Justice said, “Scientists in the valedictory sessions of the two-day conference said human induced climate change has knocked on the earth. So, it is right time for the global leaders to come forward to limit the rise of temperature. If the super powers do not follow through on the deal, there may be an irreversible catastrophe which effect will be beyond our imagination.”
He said, “Justice, Equity, Rights and Values are fundamental notions that should guide our behavior and manner of living. We must take these values and combine them with what we have learned about the environment and economic development, to the defining challenges of this century such as managing climate change and surmounting poverty.
The risks of climate change look ever more severe as the evidence, already strong, gets still stronger. With increasingly severe and extreme events such as desertification, flooding and submergence, hundreds of millions are likely to be affected by scarcity of livelihood and loss of life; the stakes are immense.”
The Chief Justice expressed his humble gratitude to the President, Mr. Md. Abdul Hamid, for his gracious presence and inaugurating the conference and for his illuminating speech. He thanked specially to the programme co-host by Asian Development Bank for their valued co-operation and ardent support to make the conference a grand success.
He also expressed his deep sense of appreciation and gratitude to the Chief Justices, Justices, and experts on environment and climate change issues for their active and sincere participation in the conference.
Deborah Stokes, Vice-President for Administration and Corporate Management of ADB also gave the closing remark.
When asked Md Sabbir Faiz, Additional Registrar (Administration and Judicial) of the High Court (HC) Division of the Supreme Court, told this reporter that the two-day conference was formally closed following farewell dinner and a cultural soiree hosted by Chief Justice of Bangladesh at the Winter Garden of the Supreme Court.
Renowned Bangladeshi artists performed in the one hour long superb cultural show.
