Countries Vulnerable to Climate Change

Bangladesh pursues release of $30b fund

PM tells parliament

23 June 2010, 18:00 PM

UNB, Sangsad Bhaban

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said Bangladesh has been playing a strong role in releasing a fund of 30 billon US dollar for three years (2010-2012) to implement adaptation, mitigation and technology transfer programmes for the most vulnerable countries to climate change, including Bangladesh. “With its continuity, the fund will be raised to 100 billion US dollar by 2020,” she told the parliament replying to a question of BNP member Zainal Abedin. Hasina said Bangladesh has been carrying out coordinated efforts by holding regular meetings with G-77 and China, lDCs, small islands and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to protect interests of the vulnerable countries. She said Bangladesh has organised the Asia Conference of Global Climate Change Alliance on May 30-31 in Dhaka in cooperation with the European Union as well as Afghanistan, Bhutan, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, the Maldives and Nepal. A joint declaration was signed in the conference to provide financial assistance by the EU to Bangladesh, the Maldives and Cambodia and to adopt necessary programmes to enhance the technical skill of those countries, she said. The EU has already started the process of allocation as per the declaration, she added. Hasina said Bangladesh continues regular negotiation with the UNFCCC to protect the interests of the vulnerable countries and also requested UNFCCC's secretariat to take effective programmes in this regard. The prime minister said the developed countries have started giving commitments of 'Fast Start Fund' due to the request of Bangladesh and effective role of UNFCCC's Secretariat which was mentioned at the United Nations Climate Change Talks held in Bonn, Germany from May 31 to June 11 this year.