Gap between policymakers, civil society hurting climate negotiations: experts

Climate change and policy experts say there is no central authentic data on the losses and damages due to climate change in Bangladesh, with the government still unaware of the extent of the problems.

At a roundtable organised by the Center for Participatory Research and Development (CPRD) and several other non-government development organisations, experts also urged for refusing any more loan-based climate financing and demanding justice-based grants for it instead.

Presenting the keynote on the discussion, CPRD's Chief Executive Md Shamsuddoha said the developed countries are yet to implement any initiative to stave off climate change, highlighting the status quo of economic development and Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emission scenario around the globe.

Without a remarkable increase of GHG emission reduction targets and implementing those appropriately, climate change cannot be reined in, he said.

Member of Parliament Barrister Shamim Haider Patwary said Bangladesh's climate change negotiations were uncoordinated, urging the government to facilitate a vibrant coordination among the civil society organisations (CSO), policy makers, think tanks, and other stakeholders.

He demanded a separate fund for the highly affected countries, for which he proposed Bangladesh take the lead role.

Shamsuddoha said a scope of boosting the flow of climate financing has stemmed from the urgency of reducing the ever-increasing adaptation gap and devising a formal mechanism for compensating for climate induced losses and damages potentially affecting different regions and countries. In order to exploit the opportunities, Bangladesh should develop an integrated working-strategy to which the CSOs can contribute.

He stressed that $100 billion is by no means sufficient anymore, as the present reality of climate change and its impacts warrants a fund of no less than $1 trillion.

He also demanded that climate finances be solely grants-based, as loans are another injustice on the already tormented countries.

He also urged for presenting the ground evidence of climate change induced violation of human rights in the negotiation.

Deputy Director of PKSF Dr Fazle Rabbi Sadeque Ahmed said there is a noticeable gap between the civil society and policy makers; the government officials often seem unwilling to reach out to the civil society.

He demanded that the relevant parliamentary standing committee make the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) increase consultation and sharing with the CSOs.

Dr Golam Rabbani, head of the Climate Bridge Fund, pointed out that the fund requirement for addressing climate change is soaring. For instance, by 2030, the fund requirement for compensating loss and damages will stand at $580 billion.

He said we are still far away from establishing 50% of climate finances for adaptation. "70% of the finances at present are loans, imposing a heavy burden of debt on the already indebted countries, and we should raise voices to reverse this practice."

Member of Parliament Tanvir Shakil Joy also highlighted the exclusion of parliamentarians in the Bangladesh government's delegates to COP 27.

He said all the powers will not come into a consensus overnight, but there was no alternative to coordinated movement.

The core discussion, held at Azimur Rahman Conference Hall, The Daily Star Center, was contributed to by a number of legislators, climate change and policy experts, and CSO leaders.

The event was geared towards determining and solidifying CSOs position at the upcoming 27th session of the conference of the parties (COP 27) to be held at Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.