Monday, March 11, 2013

Sustainable Development: A Premier for Bridging the Ambition Gap


At the commencing of human evaluation, development has taken place in a multidimensional way for the well being of human life. Initially, indigenous knowledge has got priority for changing their living standards which didn't hamper the environment and the existing resources. After the era of industrial revolution, the development is dominated by technology which led threats for surrounding environment but to foster global economic wheel. By taking into account, the global leaders assembled together recently in Rio de Janeiro for ensuring sustainable development.

The two key themes of the Rio+20 gathering were the green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication, and the institutional framework for sustainable development. Renewing political commitment is assured of the document.  At this eve of turn we need a common but differentiated responsibilities and technology transfer in the aspect of public and political nexus. Some of the so-called developing countries now have more economic power than some so-called developed countries due to the power of global politics and commitments. Billions of people living on less than 2 dollars a day – in Bangladesh the poverty situation is exacerbating hence a trusty and committed harmonic voice is needed from the mother countries to overcome the situation of the LDCs.

MDGs are fully endorsed in the Rio+ outcome. The MDGs have to fulfill the eight goals within 2015 and after that a sustainable era will start its journey on the way to create a green globe. Since 1992, the global economy has become more accumulative and centralised, which goes against the principles of sustainable development goals. Perhaps Sustainable Development Goal (SDG), similar and supportive of the MDGs is the ahead thinking that may focus the development for the next five years. Hence also there is a lacking in the recognition of the role of local governments in SD (para 42), as well as the strong call for a central role of the UN, including cooperation with international financial institutions and multilateral development banks (para 54).

Para 61 in Rio+20 outcome document recognizes unsustainable consumption and production patterns, para 62 calls upon the UN to monitor the impact of the implementation of the green economy, para 66 specifies new tasks for the UN and para 73 is clear on technology transfer as agreed in the Johannesburg plan of implementation in 2002. If the developed and developing country nexus or compensation manner will not work properly then all these paragraphs will be drawn like the giant ship “Titanic”.

The government of Bangladesh, like those of India and Nepal, has established climate change plans. These now need to be implemented at a local level, turning theory into practice. Training, education and financial support are all needed to achieve this. From the country perspective, we have already drawn out the “Bangladesh Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan 2009” and a law titled “Climate Change Trust Act 2010” has already been enacted. Beside these, another fund “Bangladesh Climate Change Resilience Fund” has been created with an amount of USD 113.5 million with financial support from development partners.

The ultimate nature of the universe is mental. Good judgment always comes from experience but experience comes from bad judgment. Bangladesh people have already faced a lot bitter experience to cope with climate change so far. First we have to ensure peoples’ basic needs for life, which include adequate food and nutrition, safe water, electricity, adequate energy, hygienic living, education and social security. Only exotic technology transfer will not always be feasible to cope with climate change and thus we don’t always need to implement.

Policy is the collection of key principles. It’s like an elephant when we see it, we recognized it but we can’t easily define it. Rio+20 did not need to adopt new environmental conventions. We have already enough of them, over 150, what we need to do is to implement them. In our follow-up to Rio, we need to reflect on how it will assist the UN system and the countries to transform the outcome document into institutional and structural mechanisms that indeed make a change, that lead to the transformation of economies and societies with addressing the issue climate change.

Unless poor countries get adequate funds from the major polluter (nations), it won’t be possible for them to green their economy. Civil society organizations working on climate change have estimated that by 2020 at least $200 billion per year will be needed for adaptation and mitigation. In Bangladesh by 2050, the total additional investment to cope with a changing climate will be total about US$2.4 billion, with an annual recurrent cost of more than US$50 million.

So what issues need decisions in Doha for COP18? Firstly, set of commitments of climate finance from 2013 to 2020, or at the very least for the mid-term period from 2013-2015. Regarding Fast-start Financing there must be at least a doubling levels from 2013. Furthermore, rigid commitments are needed to the Green Climate Fund of at least US$10-15 billion over the period of 2013-2015. Measurement, Reporting and Verification (MRV) are needed for financial support along with outstanding institutional issues. Finally, significant progress to adopt of a second commitment amendment to the Kyoto Protocol and successful completion of the unresolved issues in the Bali Action Plan, including ramped-up support for enhanced action by developing countries.  So, the development goals must affirm social and economic equality, and environmental protection. The green economy cannot solve the problem until the current architecture and ethics are changed. Country like Bangladesh, we have to open our view wide and trace out the debris of politics. 

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