Youths urged to raise voice against big carbon emitters

Responsive role of the youths and the students in particular is vital to raise voice against the big carbon emitters to protect the region, particularly in its vast Barind tract, from the adverse impact of climate change.

Adverse impacts of climate change have triggered recurrence of natural calamities, including drought and uneven rainfall, in the region posing a serious threat to the ecosystem, biodiversity, farming and the living and livelihood conditions of farmers.

Experts and social watchdogs came up with the observations at a daylong training on Green Initiatives for Youth at Hotel Warisan in Rajshahi today (8 March).

Around 30 youths joined the training as active citizen youth leaders that was organized with the main thrust of fostering a supportive community of environmentally conscious youth besides paving the way for collective environmental action.

Rethink, a social enterprise organised the training financially supported by the British Council Connecting Climate Action activity and technically assisted by Ward No 5 Councillor office of Rajshahi City Corporation and the Center for Development Initiatives and Research.

Joint Director of Bangladesh Bank Mostafizur Rahman, Rethink Project Mentor Subrata Paul, Climate Analyst Jamil Akhtar and Program Head of CDIR Haimanti Paul conducted the training sessions as resource persons disseminating their expertise on the issue.

Journalists Dr Aynal Haque and Kazi Shahed and Project Team Leads Monirul Islam Sabuj, Mantaka Pritu and Zarina Zari also spoke. 

Subrata Paul opined that time-befitting measures need to be adopted urgently to boost agricultural productions for ensuring food security amid adverse impacts of climatic changes.

He said legitimate rights of the farmers and others concerned should be protected rightly for the sake of encouraging them towards boosting agricultural productions to meet up its gradually mounting demands.

Referring to the enormous contribution of farmers to the region's agricultural development, he said the farmers deserve the rights of getting all requisite privileges. There is no alternative to protect their interests as a whole.

In his remarks, Mostafizur Rahman mentioned that the ongoing climate change at alarming rates has severely affected conventional farming and its diversity creating a real threat to food production.

The developed countries should fulfill their commitment towards climate funding and ensure transparency in use of this fund.

Rahman pointed out that the existing agricultural system has started facing a serious threat because of climate change that also leads to various natural disasters.

Salient feature of the training was a comprehensive discussion focusing on environmental challenges and climate change coupled with highlighting the importance of green initiatives.

Climate change poses threat to livelihood in Rajshahi Barind.

The participating youths were given ideas and knowledge on emphasizing skills development, particularly in waste reduction, energy conservation and eco-friendly lifestyle choices.