Staff Reporter :
President Abdul Hamid on Friday emphasised the need for a concerted effort of the global community in mitigating the impacts of climate change mentioning it a dangerous threat to mankind.
“Climate change is a global phenomenon and its impacts pose a serious threat to mankind,” the president said this while addressing the inaugural ceremony of the “South Asia Judicial Conference on Environment and Climate Change’ chaired by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha.
The Supreme Court of Bangladesh and Asian Development Bank jointly organised the conference at Radisson Blu Dhaka Water Garden Hotel in the city.
“Threat arises from climate change impacts have become a burning issue. It, therefore, needs concerted and united efforts of the global community in mitigating the impacts,” the President said.
He added, “World leaders earlier promised to protect the environment and earth from the adverse impacts of climate change in line with the Kyoto Protocol and Paris Agreement. Now time has come to materialise the decisions and turn commitments into actions”.
Referring to the judiciary’s role in protecting environment, President Abdul Hamid said, “Bangladesh judiciary seems to well aware of the importance of the conservation of the environment and accordingly playing an important and
pro-active role in combating the activities detrimental to ecological balance and conservation of the environment.”
He said the exclusive environmental courts and the utilisation of constitutional remedies through the initiation of public interest environmental litigation in the apex court are playing a very important role in protecting the country’s environment. “South Asian judiciary is also playing a vital role in protecting the environment.”
The president also highlighted the initiatives taken by the Bangladesh government for addressing climate change. “Bangladesh is one of the first countries that signed and ratified the Paris Agreement and also the first country to set up Climate Change Fund of US$ 400 million from its own resources.”
He hoped that the suggestions and recommendations which will come from the conference will help take pragmatic steps to protect the environment.
Addressing at the inaugural session of the seminar, Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha blamed the lack of effective enforcement of relevant laws for the degradation of the environment in Bangladesh.
“The main cause for environment degradation is lack of effective enforcement of various laws relating to human rights, preservation and protection of forest, protection of rivers, canals, water reservoirs, haors (swamp) etc,” he said.
Chief Justice also emphasised the need for concerted efforts of every one, organisation and institution and by stringent enforcement of law to tackle the problem of environmental degradation in the country.
“We have to educate, spread awareness, involve and motivate every person in the country to conserve the local flora and fauna, soil and water resources and all other gifts of God which are national properties.” Justice SK Sinha said.
In his inaugural speech, Justice Md Abdul Wahhab Miah said, “We are sitting together here at Dhaka for augmentation of the cause of and preventing and controlling the dangerous impacts of climate change.
Here, the legal and conscious minds of a major part of the world will be exchanging their views in order to protect this mother-earth and the human civilization thereon from the harmful impacts of climate change caused due to human induced emissions of carbon and other activities”.
Justice Md Abdul Wahhab Miah is the Chairman of the preparatory committee of the two day’s (25-26 November) conference.
The conference aims to promote environmental adjudication, enforcement, and justice in South-Asia as well as discussion regarding the key environment concerns and climate change challenges and needed regulatory and judicial responses.
Law Minister Anisul Huq, Deputy Minister for Environment and Forest Abdullah Al Islam Jakob and General Counsel of ADB Christopher Stephens also addressed the inaugural session.
Justices and judges of different countries including Bangladesh, representatives of Asian Development Bank and different NGOs remained present at the inaugural session of the conference.
The conference will close today (Saturday).
President Abdul Hamid on Friday emphasised the need for a concerted effort of the global community in mitigating the impacts of climate change mentioning it a dangerous threat to mankind.
“Climate change is a global phenomenon and its impacts pose a serious threat to mankind,” the president said this while addressing the inaugural ceremony of the “South Asia Judicial Conference on Environment and Climate Change’ chaired by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha.
The Supreme Court of Bangladesh and Asian Development Bank jointly organised the conference at Radisson Blu Dhaka Water Garden Hotel in the city.
“Threat arises from climate change impacts have become a burning issue. It, therefore, needs concerted and united efforts of the global community in mitigating the impacts,” the President said.
He added, “World leaders earlier promised to protect the environment and earth from the adverse impacts of climate change in line with the Kyoto Protocol and Paris Agreement. Now time has come to materialise the decisions and turn commitments into actions”.
Referring to the judiciary’s role in protecting environment, President Abdul Hamid said, “Bangladesh judiciary seems to well aware of the importance of the conservation of the environment and accordingly playing an important and
pro-active role in combating the activities detrimental to ecological balance and conservation of the environment.”
He said the exclusive environmental courts and the utilisation of constitutional remedies through the initiation of public interest environmental litigation in the apex court are playing a very important role in protecting the country’s environment. “South Asian judiciary is also playing a vital role in protecting the environment.”
The president also highlighted the initiatives taken by the Bangladesh government for addressing climate change. “Bangladesh is one of the first countries that signed and ratified the Paris Agreement and also the first country to set up Climate Change Fund of US$ 400 million from its own resources.”
He hoped that the suggestions and recommendations which will come from the conference will help take pragmatic steps to protect the environment.
Addressing at the inaugural session of the seminar, Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha blamed the lack of effective enforcement of relevant laws for the degradation of the environment in Bangladesh.
“The main cause for environment degradation is lack of effective enforcement of various laws relating to human rights, preservation and protection of forest, protection of rivers, canals, water reservoirs, haors (swamp) etc,” he said.
Chief Justice also emphasised the need for concerted efforts of every one, organisation and institution and by stringent enforcement of law to tackle the problem of environmental degradation in the country.
“We have to educate, spread awareness, involve and motivate every person in the country to conserve the local flora and fauna, soil and water resources and all other gifts of God which are national properties.” Justice SK Sinha said.
In his inaugural speech, Justice Md Abdul Wahhab Miah said, “We are sitting together here at Dhaka for augmentation of the cause of and preventing and controlling the dangerous impacts of climate change.
Here, the legal and conscious minds of a major part of the world will be exchanging their views in order to protect this mother-earth and the human civilization thereon from the harmful impacts of climate change caused due to human induced emissions of carbon and other activities”.
Justice Md Abdul Wahhab Miah is the Chairman of the preparatory committee of the two day’s (25-26 November) conference.
The conference aims to promote environmental adjudication, enforcement, and justice in South-Asia as well as discussion regarding the key environment concerns and climate change challenges and needed regulatory and judicial responses.
Law Minister Anisul Huq, Deputy Minister for Environment and Forest Abdullah Al Islam Jakob and General Counsel of ADB Christopher Stephens also addressed the inaugural session.
Justices and judges of different countries including Bangladesh, representatives of Asian Development Bank and different NGOs remained present at the inaugural session of the conference.
The conference will close today (Saturday).
