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Safma concerned at adverse impacts of climate change

27 April 2010, 18:00 PM

METROPOLITAN

Unb, Paro, Bhutan

Journalists from South Asia having met at the Saarc Journalists Summit-V here yesterday resolved to save the planet, mother South Asia and its natural resources and eco-systems from climatic and environmental degradation. South Asian Free Media Association (Safma), South Asian Women in Media (SAWM) and South Asia Media Commission (SAMC) organised the summit on April 26-27 April. Bhutanese Prime Minister Jigmi Thinley inaugurated the summit on Monday. In a declaration issued yesterday, the Safma expressed deep concern at the adverse impact of climate change on human and ecosystems and natural resources in the South Asian region and a lack of adequate action at national, regional and international levels to preserve our climate, natural resources and the planet. It also expressed concern about the Himalayan glaciers' retreat at an alarming rate for the past few decades, eroding one of the major sources of the existence, and the melting of the Siachen glacier due to an absurd conflict. The declaration noted that rising sea levels means that the Maldives may submerge and 20 percent of low-lying areas of Bangladesh may sink in the Bay of Bengal displacing 25 million people. It called for upholding principles of equity and human and ecological rights in all processes of decision-making and implementation of policies, laws and programmes on climate change. The declaration sought an effective management and conservation of natural resources that curb ostentatious consumption and promote eco-friendly sustainable development beneficial to humankind. It invited the international community, Saarc member countries and the people to establish the Saarc Green Climate Fund to support projects, scientific research, programmes, policies and other activities related to mitigation, adaptation, capacity-building, technology development and transfer of funding for adaptation by the most vulnerable countries and small islands; It called for lobbying to make advanced developing countries like India and China to meet mandatory mitigation targets as well. The declaration also called for raising a unified voice for adaptation funding that is adequate, predictable, additional and sustainable to ODA [Official Development Aid] and targeted to meet the adaptation needs of the most vulnerable groups and communities. Adaptation needs must be country-driven and the funds must be governed under the UN processes. It urged India and Pakistan to resolve their conflict over Siachen. Not only is this conflict adding to environmental degradation, sea level rise and changing climate pattern but it is also consuming one billion dollars every year, the declaration said. It said the two countries should follow the vision of environmental cooperation to establish a jointly managed conservation area or “peace park” there and preserve our glaciers.