Climate induced displaced deserve national and international policy

NGO News Report :: In a seminar on 21st Marc speakers opine that, the issue of climate induced displaced people deserve special policy options and support to ensure their relocation and rehabilitation. They were speaking in seminar titled `Rights of Climate Migrants: Pollicy Options at National and International Level’ held in the National Press Club, Dhaka.

The seminar presided over Dr. Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad, Chairman of the Palli Karma Shahyak Foundation (PKSF) was jointly organized by Bangladesh Poribesh Angolan (BAPA), Bangladesh Indigenous People Network for Climate Change and Bio Diversity (BIPNetCCBD), Bangladesh Climate Change Journalist Forum (BCJF), Coastal Development Partnership (CDP), Campaign for Sustainable Rural Livelihood (CSRL), Equity and Justice Working Group Bangladesh (EquityBD), Forum for Environmental Journalist in Bangladesh (FEJB), Participatory Research and Development Initiative (PRDI) and Oxfam. Rezaul Karim Chowdhury of EquityBD moderated the seminar while Sayed Aminul Haque of the same organization and Din M Shibley of Counter Photo presented the key notes.

Among others Ziaul Haque Mukta, Regional Policy Coordinator, Oxfam, Qumrul Islam Chowdhury of FEJB, Tanvir Ahmed of Oxfam, Anowar Islam babu of Jatiyo Krishak Jote, Dr. Ahsan Uddin of Centre for Global Changes.

In his key note presentation Sayed Aminul Haque mentioned that, Bangladesh has been experiencing climate induced mass displacements. It is predicted that, due to sea level rise 17.5% of total landmass will be inundated and about of 31.5 million people will be forced to be displaced.

It is also predicted that, due to river bank erosion displacement rate will be increased to 12.37% from 9.35 at present. The seasonal or temporary migrated population will be increased by from 10 % to 20%. Bangladesh itself hardly has sufficient ability to manage these climate induced displaced population, because of the high density of population already.

The density of population currently is 964 per sq Km which is feared to be 1300 per Sq Km within 2050. The key note presentations recommended, an internal displacement policy in this regard, which will help Bangladesh to pursue relocations and rehabilitations policy measures in international and UN level.

Qumrul Islam Chowdhury said that Bangladesh climate negotiation team has to be prepared from now that how they will be influencing the Warsaw International Frame Work on Loss and Damage which will be finalized in UNFCCC Conference of Parties to be held in Paris at the of 2015.

Ziaul Haque Mukta said, Bangladesh government has passed the Disaster Management Act which includes the issue of rehabilation on disaster related displacement, but there are hardly any details in rules. Prime Minister has been demanding separate international protocol on climate induced displaced but so far the foreign ministry is yet to submit any official submission on this regard in United Nations.

Dr. Ahsan Uddin Ahmed said, climate induced displacement has been recognized and proposed to work in the Cancun adaptation framework, but Bangladesh have been failed to take any advantages. We have the Bangladesh Climate Change Strategic Action Plan, but there are gaps on what specific adaptation plan related to regarding climate induced displacement in national level.

Dr. Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad said, we had been able to play vital roles in the climate change negotiations during the previous five years. But from the last year we are a bit lagged behind in this regard. Concerned ministries and authorities and all should take initiative to revamp it.

He mentioned that Bangladesh has succeded to include climate change as a goal and one indicator related to climate induced displacement in Post 2015 discourse and in Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). He said Nansen Initiative has given us an opportunity to pursue other states to on this agenda to place it UNFCCC Paris negotiations.