Make master plan to protect bio-diversity in coastal areas
<i>Satkhira workshop on global warming, climate change urges govt</i>
Speakers at a workshop yesterday urged the government to prepare a master plan to protect the bio-diversity in 39 coastal upazilas in south-western region and the Sundarabans from natural disasters caused by climate change due to global warming.
They also urged the government to demand compensation from industrialised countries in the West responsible for global warming.
Records show natural disasters like storm and tidal surge have increased manifold in last 30 years, affecting the costal areas of Bangladesh. This is due to global warming and rise in the sea level, they said at the workshop held at Shyamnagar.
It was organised jointly by the ministry of environment and a local NGOleaders.
Mirza Shawkat Ali, deputy director the Department of Environment was the chief guest at the discussion, presided over by Shyamnagar Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Dilip Kumar Banik.
The speakers included academics, journalists, Union Parishad leaders from different upazilas, officials and lawyers.
Gharami.
Leaders' Executive Director Mohon Kumar Mondal presented the keynote paper.
Salinity now affects more areas in the mainland than before due to rise in the sea level and if this trend continues, millions of people will be bereft of their means of livelihood in coastal regions and the Sundarbans, a World Heritage Site, will be lost to the sea, they said.
Croplands will turn barren, fisheries will be destroyed and forests will disappear, they said.
The speakers said about one third area of the coastal belt with about 710 km coastline in 39 upazilas in 13 coastal districts will be worst hit by sea level rise and other impacts of climate changes if precautionary steps are not taken now.
The ecology and livestock in the areas are already facing risks due to change in weather and climate.
As an immediate step, the government in cooperation with local NGOs and stake holders can launch a massive afforestation programme in coastal areas, build and reconstruct dams, train rivers and stop erosion. Cyclonic-resistant trees like coconut, palm and bamboos should be planted, they suggested.
The government will get spontaneous cooperation of all sections of people in the areas in any such programme, they said.
The speakers also called upon all local NGOs and socio-cultural organisations to launch a massive campaign to create public awareness in the coastal areas.
Though Bangladesh is committed to preserving the Sundarbans, it's bio-diversity is now at great risk due to climate change and rise of the sea level", Mondal said.
He said 10 to 17 per cent of the coastal land may be inundated in several years due to rise in the sea level, which will also increase salinity in the mainland. This will have a catastrophic effect, turning several million people into 'climate refugees', he said.
The government and environmentalists should launch a worldwide campaign to seek help to protect the Sundarbans and urge industrialised countries to compensate the environmental effects caused by global warming caused by them, Mondol said.
He said climate also causes drought in Bangladesh affecting agriculture.
Bangladesh has already started experiencing effects of global warming which will be a threat to its people within 15 to 20 years, he said.
Unless a comprehensive plan is launched now, the climate change and rise of the sea level will create havoc in coastal areas in the country, the speakers said.
They also urged environmentalists to help create awareness about the problems.
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