Growth should be sustainable
According to a recent World Bank report, nearly the entire population of Bangladesh, or at least a good chunk of it, is vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Extreme weather events will increase and as a result, agricultural production and people’s livelihoods will be severely affected leading to the possible decline of people’s living standards. In such circumstances, we need enough mitigation plans that are effective, as well as adaptation plans. As a lower middle-income country, Bangladesh is striving to increase its economic growth and for better quality of life for its people. This is, in some ways, increasing our vulnerabilities as we are damaging our environment at a rapid pace. Power plants using fossil fuels and other development projects are being approved without considering the environmental impacts.
People should be made aware of the fact that the best way to move forward is to pursue economic growth in a way that is not harmful to the environment as that is the only way we can sustain our growth.
Use of renewable energy should be encouraged. Other steps that will ensure sustainable economic growth should also be pursued in a planned way.
Jahidul Islam Nahid
Dhaka University
