Prepare youths to face the challenges of climate change: Experts

Experts put emphasize on preparing youth to face the challenges of climate change in future.

Speakers expressed these views at a youth convention on Sunday at Brac Centre in the capital.

Dr Ainun Nishat, eminent environment expert and former vice-chancellor of Brac University as the chief guest, said, ''Average One degree Celsius temperature has already increased all over the world. If the temperature increased 2.5 degree Celsius more, the production of crops will decrease to half of the current production. Our future generation will face the main crisis due to the climate change. That's why, youths have to prepare to prevent the climate change.''

Brac Climate Change Programme (CCP) organized the event titled 'Youth Convention on Climate Change: my responsibility, my action'.

Mentioning the last flood in Bangladesh, Dr Ainun Nishat said, "Weather is becoming unpredictable gradually. The seasons of late autumn and spring are disappearing. We have experienced heavy rainfall in October this year that flooded Rajshahi region.

On the other hand, you did not get sufficient water for jute retting in Jashore and Khulna region in October." '

''We started destroying the environment with the start of industrial revolution in 1860 but we began counting the destruction only in 1990. Average. The less emission of greenhouse gases can prevent climate change'', he added.

Dr SM Munjurul Hannan Khan, additional secretary to the environment, forest and climate change ministry, and Syeda Rizwana Hasan, executive director, Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers' Association, were present as special guests.

Dr Md Liakath Ali, director, Brac Climate Change Programme, chaired the convention.

Dr SM Munjurul Hannan Khan said, "We have lost our cooperative mindset and sharing with each other. A single man is using a car; but if we share a car with more people, the emission of greenhouse gases would be less. We don't do it; but our youths have to be pioneer for such good practice".

''We have to save environment and nature through incorporating adaptation and mitigation measures. In this regard, the young generation has to be updated and well-informed,'' said Syeda Rizwana Hasan, executive director of Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers.

Speakers also said, "Youths will lead world in tackling the impacts of climate change. They will do it by spreading awareness about environment preservation and climate education, inspiring people about sustainable living and livelihoods, and adopting recyclable energy sources instead of those that increase greenhouse gases.''

''Bangladesh, which is in the worst risk of climate change impacts, is fortunate to have a large young age population who will lead the country's movement to take on the challenges of climate change'', they added.

Dr Md Golam Rabbani, fellow, Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies, presented the keynote report on the impacts of climate change on Bangladesh.

BRAC Climate Change Programme head Abu Sadat Moniruzzaman Khan presented introductory speech at the programme.

Students from eight public and private universities namely, Dhaka University, Jahangirnagar University, Bangladesh University of Professional, Brac University, North South University, United International University, Ahsanullah Science and Technology University and Independent University, Bangladesh attended the convention.

Only 10 per cent of these participants had attended any climate conference beforehand.