Speakers have called upon the developed countries to renounce their dual stances on climate change and reduce the emissions at sources to save vulnerable countries.
"Developed countries talk about adaptation and resilience and at the same time they are contributing more when it comes to carbon emission, said Saber Hossain Chowdhury, chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
Underscoring the need for reducing carbon footprints at individual levels, he said youths should be aware of their lifestyles to reduce emissions.
He said this at a roundtable discussion, titled "Saving Mother Nature, Saving Us – The Role of Youth in Leading Conservation and Climate Resilience", organised jointly by The Daily Star and USAID in the capital's Daily Star Centre.
"We [seniors] have created the climate change. Now we are passing our responsibilities to the youth to clean our mess. This cannot be the right approach," Chowdhury said.
Addressing youths, Syeda Rizwana Hasan, chief executive of Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (Bela), said, "We are leaving a world to you where there will be flyovers and major constructions but it will not be a good place to live."
People have no right to destroy the Sundarbans and Sal forests as they cannot create other forests like these by only planting trees, she said.
Pointing out that recycling also harms the climate, Rizwana suggested that youth give importance to the reduction of plastic usage over recycling.
Ainun Nishat, professor emeritus of Brac University and water resource and climate change specialist, said the youth have to simultaneously play the role of activists and advocates when it comes to climate change.
"Without activism, nothing would have been possible. The authority only listens to people when they raise their voices," he said.
Physician and media personality Abdun Nur Tushar said although the population explosion is responsible for the hazardous environment, not much importance is given when it comes to reducing the population.
"We have created an environment detrimental to the environment. Growth is an element that is largely responsible for climate change. We have to rethink eco-friendly and make necessary behavioural changes to reduce pollution," he said.
Muhammad N Khan, director of USAID's Economic Growth Office, pointed out its various initiatives in tackling the impact of climate change in Bangladesh.
Shamsuddoha, chief executive of Center for Participatory Research and Development; Golam Rabbani, head of Climate Bridge Fund Secretariat of Brac; Kamrul Islam Chowdhury, chairman of Forum of Environment Journalists of Bangladesh (FEJB); Mohsin Ul Hakim, special correspondent of Jamuna TV; Shakila Sattar Trina, co-founder, The Earth, spoke at the discussion among others.
Source: The Daily Star
