Climate Change
Climate talks agree on 1.5 C cap efforts with last-minute compromise
U.N. climate talks closed Saturday with an agreement on efforts to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 C above pre-industrial levels after a last-minute compromise on coal power.
Participants from nearly 200 countries also agreed that accelerated action is necessary this decade to address global greenhouse gas emissions, as they wrapped up the nearly two-week conference in Glasgow, which was extended by one day.
The agreement at the climate talks, known as COP26, was reached after India and other coal-reliant countries raised objections in last-minute negotiations, which watered down language to a commitment to the "phase-down" of coal power instead of "phase-out."
Alok Sharma, the president of COP26, said that confining temperature increase to 1.5 C above preindustrial levels is "a historic agreement" as it had been a major goal when Britain took on the role of the presidency-designate two years ago.
Read: Climate consensus appears near; India objects to coal plans
Still, "what this will be judged on is not just the fact that countries have signed up, but it will be judged on whether they meet and deliver on the commitments," he said.
Japanese Environment Minister Tsuyoshi Yamaguchi, who attended the talks, said his country will maintain its policy of using coal power, though it will continue to promote the development of technology to reduce carbon emissions and "prioritize renewable energy as the main power source."
Japan has become more reliant on coal power after suspending nuclear power plants following the Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011. It plans to generate 20 percent of total nationwide power through coal in fiscal 2030, in contrast to European countries' shift away from coal power.
Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, who has urged world leaders to take immediate and drastic actions, tweeted, "The #COP26 is over. Here's a brief summary: Blah, blah, blah," adding, "the real work continues outside these halls."
Read: Climate talks resume, cautious coal phaseout still on table
The 2015 Paris accord sets out a global framework to avoid the most dangerous impacts of climate change by limiting global warming to "well below" 2 C, preferably to 1.5 C, compared with levels before the Industrial Revolution.
One of the goals of the COP26, the 26th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, was to keep alive the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 C.
The participating countries must also review and strengthen their emissions-cut targets for 2030 by the end of 2022 under their agreement.
Closing time: Climate diplomats decide wording and the world
Thump, thump, thump. In the frantic last hours of U.N. climate talks in Scotland, a senior diplomat from Luxembourg came sprinting down a hallway inside the summit venue, his hair flying as he whooshed by clutching a sheaf of papers, only to vanish inside an office as abruptly as he appeared.
The final stretch of negotiations over what nearly 200 governments will do next about fossil fuels heating the Earth to disastrous levels was like that Friday: National delegations engaged in frenetic, often mysterious activity as they haggled to get as much of their position as possible into the final agreement from the talks in Glasgow.
U.S. diplomats mostly worked behind closed doors, with terse signs on the glass. The open doors of most other country's offices – South Korea, Ivory Coast, Austria, and others – showed rooms full of diplomats bent intently over their laptops, eyes fixed on screens and fingers flying over keyboards.
Chinese diplomats crowded into one of their offices stopped working, laughed and took photos when a wayward robin hopped in among them, lost in the warren of temporary tents and the event center.
In the office of India's delegation, there was muted excitement. Delegates sat cross legged on the floor, typing furiously on their laptops. A vase in the office held fresh pink lilies. Endless cups of chai flowed in preparation for what would be a long night.
Act right now to fund climate change adaptation: Info Minister urges developed nations
The developed countries should come forward right now in fulfilling their commitments to tackle the adverse effects of global climate change, Information and Broadcasting Minister Hassan Mahmud has said.
He made the remarks at a meeting with Scottish parliamentarians Foysol Choudhury and Sarah Boyack on Thursday afternoon at the parliament building in Glasgow, Scotland.
The minister is now in Glasgow to attend the 26th UN Conference of the Parties (COP26) on climate change.
At the meeting Hasan said, "Although some funds have been allocated from the World Climate Fund for tackling disasters caused by climate change, no funds are being allocated for long term adaptation yet."
"As a result, countries that are at risk of climate change including Bangladesh have to struggle now," the minister added.
He said that under the leadership and encouragement of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for climate adaptation, scientists and researchers of Bangladesh have produced varieties of crops tolerant to drought, flood, submergence and salinity with the help of local funding.
In an interview after the meeting, the minister said that he discussed with the two Scottish parliamentarians on how to form a friendship group between the two legislatures and work together on various issues of common interest.
Foysol Choudhury lauded the overall progress of Bangladesh and its leading role in fighting climate change.
Ashek-un-Nabi Chowdhury, Press Minister at Bangladesh High Commission, London was present at the meeting.
Developed countries must fulfill climate pledges: Info Mins
Information and Broadcasting Minister Hassan Mahmud has said that the procrastination of developed countries to provide funds to mitigate climate change damages is not acceptable.
Hasan Mahmud said that donors are not coming forward to help Bangladesh with funds to boost its capacity to tackle climate crisis.
Read: COP26: Time running out in Glasgow, as delegates wrangle over details
The minister made this remark at a COP26 side event titled ‘Transparency Mechanism under Paris Agreement: issues, concern and opportunity for effective implementation in Bangladesh’ organised by Center for Climate Change & Environmental Research (C3ER) BRAC University at Bangladesh Pavilion in the Scottish city of Glasgow on Wednesday evening.
‘Bangladesh has the capacity to deal with the damage caused by climate change and the government has shown its capability to take effective adaptation activities’, he added.
He said that Bangladesh is an innocent victim of climate damage caused mainly by developed countries. But they are not taking any reponsibilityfor this.
Yet Bangladesh did not surrender to the effects of climate change. On the contrary, it is working with its own funds at the directive or Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the minister added.
He said that various initiatives have been taken by the government to produce climate tolerant rice. Especially crops tolerant of drought, flood and salinity.
He also said the developed countries should provide necessary financial and technical assistance to the affected countries to address climate risk.
Tanvir Shakil Joy Member of Parliament, said adaptation is most important for Bangladesh. Climate projects should be developed based on indigenous and traditional knowledge through consultation and participation of local communities.
ICCAD Director Dr Saleemul Huq said the biggest failure of the COP is to meet 100 billion dollar climate fund pledge. The second failure is that there is very little funding for climate finance adaptation.
Read:Prepare road map to raise green energy use to 40% by 2041: Info Minister
Gerry Fox, Team Leader, PROKAS, British Council "stated that local adaption will be key to the future in combating climate change. In Bangladesh we are developing a climate finance ecosystem which brings together lead organizations working at local, national and global, creating a virtuous circle to strengthen adaption solutions that respond to community needs, and develop a system that provides the necessary MRV to encourage increased global funds.)
Climate experts Dr. Salimul Haque and Dr. Atik Rahman spokev at the event which was presided over by water and climate expert Dr. Ainun Nishat.
India raises finance concern as COP 26 enters second week
After the big-ticket announcements that gave it possibly the most productive start for any climate meeting, the Glasgow conference was staring back at familiar contentious issues on Monday as ministers re-assembled to resolve the key differences that are holding back progress.
Host country UK’s lead negotiator Archie Young said preparations were being made to facilitate “late-night working” throughout the week. COP (Conference of Parties, the official name of the climate meetings) President Alok Sharma said negotiators needed to “shift gears” to ensure an agreement on contentious issues by Friday evening when the meeting is supposed to come to an end, reports the Indian Express.
Read: India At COP26 Says Its Solar Energy Capacity Increased 17 Times In 7 Years
The first results of the ministerial consultations, in the form of draft texts on some of the issues, are expected to be out late by Monday evening.
The issue most talked about is the one related to finance. The failure of the developed countries to put together US$ 100 billion in climate finance every year from 2020 onwards, in accordance with a promise made over a decade ago, has been the biggest disappointment. But that is not the only money that is not coming in.
Money is required for action in a lot of different areas, including adaptation, loss and damage, halting deforestation, capacity building in developing countries, and technology transfer. There isn’t adequate money flowing in anywhere. While the requirements are estimated to be in trillions of dollars every year, developed countries, which are primarily responsible for delivering climate finance, have been unable to put together even a basic sum of US$ 100 billion every year.
Lack of finance is not something new at this COP. It has persisted ever since the climate negotiations began. But the postponement of the 2020 deadline the start of the US$ 100 billion commitment by at least three years has been a big setback to the process.
India, while making a statement on behalf of the BASIC countries (Brazil, South Africa, India and China) at one of the meetings on Monday, spoke for the entire developing world when it said that the non-seriousness of the developed countries over finance was especially frustrating when several other nations had been enhancing the ambition of their climate actions.
“We would not like to see the enhanced mitigation ambitions (new targets announced by several countries, including India) reach the same fate as the pre-2020 climate finance ambition. It has been over a decade since the annual US$ 100 billion pledge and the world is still waiting for its mobilization and delivery. Trust in multilaterism and credibility of the process is at stake,” said Richa Sharma, additional secretary in the Environment Ministry and India’s lead negotiator.
“Post 2020 mitigation ambition and net zero pledges require significantly enhanced climate finance. The exact magnitude of the new finance goal can be determined through a structured process with clear timelines and milestones so that we have a new finance goal well before 2025. This is a simple ask from many developing country parties. Yet what we are getting is more workshops and in-session seminars to discuss the new goal,” Sharma said.
Read: India moves to patent the over century-old logos of Darjeeling’s ‘Toy Train’
“BASIC would like to warn that lack of a serious approach to climate finance will jeopardise the enhanced mitigation and adaptation ambition as well as net zero pledges of parties,” she said.
On Sunday, the COP presidency had said the final outcome from Glasgow, called decision text, must contain a provision expressing “deep concern” over the failure of the developed countries to meet the US$ 100 billion goal. It said another provision should acknowledge the urgent need to scale up finance flows to “levels needed to support developing countries”.
Among other issues requiring attention of the ministers is the particularly difficult provisions of a new carbon market being set up under the Paris Agreement. This is one of the key things holding back the finalization of the rules and procedures that will govern the implementation of the Paris Agreement.
Developed and developing countries have major differences on how to deal with accumulated unsold carbon credits with some developing countries. These carbon credits were earned in the previous market mechanism that operated under the Kyoto Protocol. But Kyoto Protocol came to an end last year, and with that ended its market mechanisms. Nations that are left with unsold carbon credits — developing countries like Brazil, India or China — want these to be transitioned to the new market mechanism being established under the Paris Agreement. Several developed countries are opposing this.
There are several issues related to carbon markets that have remained unresolved for over three years now. A resolution of these would be a major step forward.
Elsewhere, countries also have to agree on how frequently should they be updating their NDCs (or nationally determined contributions, an official reference to the climate action plans of every country) – in five year cycles, or ten-year cycles, or somewhere in between. As of now, some countries have submitted five-year action plans, while others have given ten-year plans. Standardisation of this cycle is considered necessary for proper assessment of what the world together is doing over a fixed time period, and whether it was adequate to meet the global goals to keep the temperature rise in check.
The final decision text from Glasgow could ask for the preparation of “synthesis report” every year on the action countries are taking to assess whether enough was being done to keep the global temperatures from rising beyond 1.5 degree Celsius from pre-industrial times.
COP26: Time running out in Glasgow, as delegates wrangle over details
The 26th UN Conference Of the Parties (COP26) on climate change, now in its second week and final week of negotiations, has failed so far to reach a decision on 'loss and damage', and it is now clear that there will be no decision made on this important issue at this year's conference.
Speaking to members of the Bangladesh delegation and environmental experts at the Scottish Exhibition Centre, UNB was able to learn that they are already looking forward to the next such conference, which would be COP27, for a decision on this issue.
Loss and damage from climate change refers to the complete and irrecoverable loss of some things and the repairable damage of other things due to the impacts of human-induced climate change.
Mirza Shawkat Ali, a member of the Bangladesh government delegation, told UNB that the 'breakthrough recognition' of loss and damage in the Paris Agreement was the result of years of effort on the part of countries that are most affected by climate change, including Bangladesh.
Although the developed countries are not very willing to discuss the matter voluntarily, Bangladesh has a strong role to play in this regard as it is the current chair of the Climate Vulnerable Forum.
Read: COP26: Bangladesh delegation senses ‘positive vibe’ as Week 1 ends
Shawkat Ali said discussions on preparing guidelines for loss and damage, fundings and considering 'Loss and damage' under COP and CMA - the group of countries who have signed and ratified the Paris Agreement -are going on at this time.
Keeping loss and damage as a separate agenda in each COP going forward is also being discussed.
The Paris Agreement reaffirmed the Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage as the main vehicle under the UNFCCC process to avert, minimize and address loss and damage associated with climate change impacts, including extreme weather events and slow onset events.
Shawkat Ali added that discussions on Article 6, which relates to carbon markets, were going on at the technical level on Sunday. Adaptation is being discussed in various forums. However, talks on the $100-billion finance that industrialised countries pledged in 2009, but never followed through on, have ended. How to start long term finance will be finalised, Shawkat Ali said.
Regarding the climate conference, Dr Atiqur Rahman, another member of the Bangladesh delegation and a world-renowned scientist and expert on climate change, said that the rate of reducing carbon emissions by developing countries is generally lower than in developed countries, who are mostly responsible for huge carbon emissions historically that developing countries are suffering from most.
He said that due to climate change, cyclones, floods, cyclones, steep slopes, river and mountain erosion have increased in Bangladesh. Keeping the temperature rise below 1.5 degrees Celsius from pre-industrial levels can prevent the catastrophic effects of climate change.
He said that salinity is increasing rapidly in the south region of Bangladesh. Salinity has been detected in Gopalganj too. Studies have shown that 1-2 types of crops have been damaged because of salinity. Besides, sea level has also risen.
He added that displacement and migration has become a major problem in Bangladesh due to climate change. In this regard, migration and displacement issues are being discussed at the table of various platforms / negotiations.
Read: COP26: Bangladesh announces 37bn-dollar budget to tackle climate change damages
Meanwhile, Ziaul Haque, a member of the Bangladeshi delegation and co-ordinator of the LDC group, told UNB that although many issues were positive, discussions on loss and damage were long overdue.
He said the developed world was supposed to give $100 billion to developing countries including Bangladesh by 2020, according to the promise made in 2009. However, in order to give 100 billion by 2021 is being discussed at the tactical level.
In the meantime, about 80 billion are ready to be disbursed mentioned in the discussion. These 100 billion dollars will be disbursed till 2025.
He said the countries that emit more carbon did not object to this in principle. However, the world leaders of many countries do not agree to pay for the damage caused by climate change. After so many days of discussion, this time it has been added to the agenda. Various conditions are also being attached for the money that is being promised.
Saher Hossain Chowdhury, chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Environment and Forest Climate Change, told UNB that the talks were going positively. Hopefully this time there will be progress. Once again, there was talk of securing the bill of 100 billion in funding for the affected countries. But now time is running out for all the talk to give shape to an agreement, in the form of a text that almost 200 countries need to agree on.
'Funds hardly reach climate-vulnerable people'
Money allocated for the climate-vulnerable people hardly ends up reaching them due to the absence of capable institutions and proper distribution, speakers said at an event hosted by Brac at the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) Saturday.
Three big failures are seriously undermining the efforts to tackle the negative impacts of climate change, said Dr Professor Saleemul Huq, director of the International Centre for Climate Change and Development in Dhaka, and one of the world's foremost experts on the climate crisis.
The first failure is on the part of the developed countries in releasing the $100 billion they promised in 2009, to channel to vulnerable countries.
The second failure, according to Dr Huq, is that they are giving 20 percent of the money for adaptation and 50 percent for mitigation, when the ratio should be 50/50.
The third and final failure is that the funds reach only 2 percent of the vulnerable people.
Saleemul was addressing the panel discussion "Climate Bridge Fund: An innovative CSO-led financing to build the resilience of climate migrants in Bangladesh" held at the Bangladesh Pavilion at the COP26 in Glasgow, UK.
"We are yet to get the $100 billion a year promised to less wealthy nations by 2020 to help them adapt to climate change and mitigate further rises in temperature. The issue has not been resolved up to now. We want the developed countries to start disbursing these funds, and they should start right now," said Md Mostafa Kamal, secretary at the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, while addressing the discussion as chief guest.
Brac, the world's largest NGO that fights poverty across the global South from its Bangladeshi base, established the Climate Bridge Fund (CBF) as a trust fund in November 2019, with the support of the German government through KfW, the country's state-owned investment and development bank.
The aim of the fund is to support adaptation and risk-reduction measures of people who are displaced or at the risk of being displaced due to the impacts of climate change in Bangladesh.
Legally it operates as an endowment fund. CBF invested about €10 million (Euros) in treasury bonds. Proceeds are being used to support local organisations to implement adaptation projects.
Barbara Schnell, director of KfW, said: "Bangladesh's climate migrants have a very uncertain future. We think the CBF initiatives have four success factors, including capacity building. It has bridged the gaps for vulnerable people."
Asif Saleh, executive director of Brac, said: "The CBF model of Brac-KfW can be a unique model to address problems of climate migrants and vulnerable people in the urban areas."
"We do not have any master plan to address the climate change issue in the cities. CBF wants to promote locally-led adaptation to avoid climatic risks not only in Bangladesh, but also the other countries in the world."
COP26: Bangladesh announces 37bn-dollar budget to tackle climate change damages
Bangladesh has adopted a 37bn-dollar programme for mitigation of climate change damages along the country’s coastal areas, State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Dr Enamur Rahman has said here.
He said this at a COP26 side event organized by the ministry in Glasgow on Thursday afternoon.
Climate change-related incidents displace about 50,000 people every year in Bangladesh, the minister added.
In his speech at the event Enamur said Bangladesh is widely considered as one of the most vulnerable countries to global climate change.
He said inIn 2020 alone 30.7 million people were displaced due to natural disasters.
In 2017 Bangladesh was the 6th most stricken country among 135 countries that experienced displacement due to floods, he said.
Read: Dhaka optimistic about climate cash flow
The World Bank’s Groundswell report also estimated that by 2050 19 million people of Bangladesh will be migrating internally due to slow onset climate change processes such as water scarcity, declining crop productivity and sea level rise.
The Government of Bangladesh (GoB) recognizes that displacement has grave implications for the rights and entitlements of the individuals and communities.
Bangladesh has framed its National Strategy on Internal Displacement Management in January 2021.
“I am confident that COP 26 will be able to develop a mechanism for institutionalizing loss and damage,” he said.
Read: Effective climate plans not possible without funds: Hasina
“I am also hopeful that this year's COP will be able to introduce concessional instruments in case of climate finance,” he added.
Natural disasters are increasing in Bangladesh due to climate change, Secretary of the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief Mohammad Mohsin separately told the UNB correspondent covering the event.
He said Bangladesh highlighted the need for international funds to deal with the damages and loss caused by climate change.
Dhaka optimistic about climate cash flow
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Friday expressed optimism about adequate flow of funds to address climate change- related challenges, noting that Bangladesh has taken a very strong leadership role in COP26.
"We've got a lot of good assurance from the private sector and the governments. We're hopeful," Dr Momen told reporters at a virtual briefing joining from London.
Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen and Bangladesh High Commissioner to the UK Saida Muna Tasneem were present.
The COP26 summit, hosted by the UK in Glasgow, has brought parties together to accelerate action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.
The Foreign Minister said Bangladesh needs to work a lot, especially in preparing good proposals, which he sees as a challenge but achievable.
"We've a long way to go. We've a challenge but we can manage to get plenty of funds," he said, adding that there is willingness to provide funds.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been identified as one of the five influential dealmakers at COP26 being held at Glasgow, according to a BBC report that described Hasina as “voice of the vulnerable”.
Read: Effective climate plans not possible without funds: Hasina
“Mujib Climate Prosperity Plan” to be implemented in 2030: Saima
‘Mujib Climate Prosperity Plan’ which has been presented at the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) will be implemented in 2030 and it needs local and foreign funds.
Saima Wazed Hossain Putul, Chairperson of the National Advisory Committee on Autism and Neuro Developmental Disorders and World Health Organization’s (WHO) Goodwill Ambassador for Southeast Asia, took part in a discussion on the sidelines of Glasgow Climate Conference on Wednesday (November 3).
She briefed the representatives of different countries on the Mujib Climate Action Plan.
Read: Australia interested to help Bangladesh build climate resilience
Saima Wazed said the ‘Mujib Climate Prosperity Plan’ under the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF) will pave the way for tackling climate change and Bangladesh is working to that end.
"If we can implement the plan properly, we will be able to solve the problems related to climate," Saima Wazed Putul told reporters.
“We gave much effort while formulating this plan. If other countries follow this, we believe, they will be able to protect themselves from climate change issues. Bangladesh has already been able to successfully demonstrate the action that needs to be taken in tackling climate change.”
She added that the ‘Mujib Prospective Climate Plan’ has already been appreciated by world leaders. “Once it is implemented, Bangladesh will go a long way in implementing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).”
Replying to a question regarding goals of ‘Mujib Climate Prosperity Plan’, Saima said this plan has been formed focusing the next decade. “Through this we will be able to tackle the effects of climate change. With this plan, we will be able to deal with climate change and the impacts of Covid-19 pandemic.”