Changing the narrative on Bangladesh and climate change

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BY now Bangladesh has become known as being one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change. This refrain is now repeated endlessly by our leaders and representatives when talking about Bangladesh and climate change. It is also the way the international media sees Bangladesh.  For example, a recent series of documentaries on climate change impacts around the world hosted by celebrities in the United States of America, called “Year of Living Dangerously” and shown on the cable channel ShowTime, included one on Bangladesh hosted by actor M.C. Hall that also highlighted the vulnerability of Bangladesh to the adverse impacts of climate change.

While this story is undoubtedly true, it is no longer the only story about climate change and Bangladesh. I would argue that it is by now an out of date story and that a new narrative of Bangladesh being at the forefront of tackling the adverse impacts of climate change is indeed the more important narrative for us to propagate from now on.

In scientific and development discourse the vulnerability of countries, communities and systems to the adverse impacts of climate change are often used as the obverse of resilience to those adverse impacts. In other words, countries and communities that have high vulnerability are generally deemed to also have low resilience while building up resilience is seen as reducing vulnerability. So vulnerability and resilience are seen like a see-saw where high vulnerability equals low resilience and low vulnerability equals high resilience.

I would argue that while this may be true in many cases, Bangladesh is the exception to this rule. In other words, Bangladesh is both highly vulnerable to the physical impacts of climate change but at the same time the people are highly resilient to facing all kinds of adversity, including climatic ones. Indeed, one could argue that Bangladeshis are more resilient than even many developed countries.

Changing the narrative from victim to leader:
Thus, while Bangladesh remains highly vulnerable to the current and future impacts of climate change it has not been sitting idle waiting for catastrophe to happen. Rather, it has invested in building its own resilience through the Bangladesh Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan (BCCSAP) and the creation of two separate Climate Change Funds with a combined value of nearly half a billion US Dollars, and is now implementing the forty plus actions under the six pillars of the BCCSAP.

At the same time, Bangladesh has hosted the international community of practice on Community Based Adaptation (CBA) by holding the seventh international conference on CBA in Bangladesh last year. The eighth CBA conference (CBA8 ) was held in Nepal in April this year and CBA9 will be held in Kenya in April 2015, after which CBA10 will be held in Bangladesh again in 2016. When it comes to CBA Bangladesh is already widely acknowledged as the “Adaptation capital of the world.”

South-South and South-North knowledge sharing:
The government, NGOs, researchers and people of Bangladesh are taking actions to tackle the adverse impacts of climate change around the country and across a range of ecosystems and vulnerability types.  In the process, all these stakeholders are going up a learning curve very rapidly and are becoming knowledgeable about how best to tackle the impacts of climate change. They are even developing knowledge about mitigation actions, even though Bangladesh is not a major emitter of greenhouse gases.

In the process, the country is developing knowledge on how to tackle climate change that can be shared with other countries, especially other Least Developed Countries (LDC) who share many of the same problems, and even some developed countries as well. Thus, there is great opportunity for both South-South sharing of knowledge as well as South-North sharing.

Climate Change Summit in New York:
A good place to put forward this new narrative is the Climate Change Summit to be held in New York on September 23, where the United Nations Secretary General Mr. Ban ki Moon has invited all heads of state to come and present their actions to tackle climate change. The Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina could use this summit to put forward the new narrative of Bangladesh as no longer just a victim of climate change but now an emerging leader in tackling the adverse impacts of climate change, and offer to share our knowledge with the rest of the world.

Conclusions:
It is now high time for the leaders, experts and public in Bangladesh to change the narrative of Bangladesh and climate change from depicting the country as merely a victim to one that depicts the country as learning very fast how to tackle climate change and wishing to share that knowledge with other countries around the world.

The writer is Director, International Centre for Climate Change and Development (www.icccad.org) at the Independent University, Bangladesh.

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We should think carefully about how we may adjust with the changed climate and environment.

[mshahadat]

Combating climate change impact  Taking inspiration from small island developing states


Global warming is a major challenge for Small Island Developing States  (SIDS), it is causing ocean levels to rise. Due to their small size and isolation, SIDS are more vulnerable to natural and environmental disasters, climate change and sea-level rise. However, these islands have also been successful in overcoming their environmental problems. From Palau to Puerto Rico, the stories of resilience and innovation abound.

From Trinidad & Tobago to Tonga, Samoa to Suriname, the problems that these small islands face – climate change and extreme natural disasters, waste management, unsustainable consumption, degradation of natural resources, in the midst of overpopulation and continuing industrialization – are the problems that challenge us all.

World Environment Day is an annual event that is aimed at being the biggest and most widely celebrated global day for positive environmental action. In fact environment activities take place all year round and climax on 5 June every year, involving everyone from everywhere. The observance of World Environment Day began in 1972 and has grown to become one of the main vehicles through which the United Nations encourages positive action for the environment.

Through WED, UNEP enables everyone to realize not only the responsibility to care for the Earth, but also reminds one and all of their individual power to become agents of change. Every action counts, and when multiplied by a global chorus, becomes exponential in its impact.

WED is a big celebration, engaging millions across the globe through events on the ground in over 100 countries. Every year, participants, young and old, organize clean up campaigns, art exhibitions, tree planting drives, concerts, dance recitals, recycling drives, social media campaigns and different contests themed around caring for the planet.

United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) celebrates the World Environment Day 2014 at the cutting edge of the fight against climate change by Barbados, a Caribbean island. This island is the host for this year's WED celebrations.

The focus for this year's celebrations is Small Island Developing States (SIDS) with the slogan 'Raise Your Voice: No Sea Level'.  Barbados, a 430-square kilometer nation with a population of 270,000, is considered to be highly vulnerable to the effects of climate change - from agricultural impacts to the destruction of its coastal ecosystems.

However, this small nation has taken big steps to reduce its climate impact and to provide clean, renewable energy - as well as opportunities for green economic growth - to its people. Among other things, Barbados has pledged to increase the share of renewable energy across the island to 29 percent of all electricity consumption by 2029. This would cut total electricity costs by an estimated USD 283.5 million and reduce CO2 emissions by 4.5 million tonnes, according to the government. It is estimated that Barbados' tourism sector, which contributes about 15 per cent of the island's Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and its sugar industry, which contributes about 2 per cent, could both be severely affected by changing weather patterns. In response to such threats, Barbados has made "Building a Green Economy: Strengthening the Physical Infrastructure and Preserving the Environment" one of six concrete goals built into its National Strategic Plan (2006-2025).

"Small Island Developing States the world over are facing a host of risks related to climate change, from temperature increases that negatively affect agriculture to sea level rise that threatens the very existence of some nations," said UN Under-Secretary-General and UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner.

"Barbados has put conservation and the transition to an inclusive green economy at the heart of its national strategy. Through this framework, it has enacted a number of proactive, concrete measures to combat climate change, including incentives that support one of the island's fastest growing sectors - solar power.

"As the host of WED, Barbados will have the opportunity to showcase these initiatives and to act as an example for countless Small Island Developing States facing similar challenges. The country has shown tremendous leadership and political will, proving that the transition to a green economy is possible - even in countries facing the greatest threats - when robust environmental policy is translated into action on the ground," he added.

Solar water heaters are now a widely used renewable energy technology in Barbados, with installations in nearly half of the island's dwelling units. In 2002 alone, Barbados saved 15,000 metric tons of carbon emission and over USD 100 million in energy savings from the 35,000 solar hot water systems that had been installed at the time. The solar water heater use is one of the highest in the world.
More recently, the Barbadian government has implemented several plans to further stimulate the use of solar electric systems. For example, from the US$5,000 allotted per year under the 2008 modified Income Tax Allowance for Home Improvement, up to US$ 1,000 can be used for energy audits.

The import duties on renewable energy electricity systems and VAT have been reduced to zero and companies involved in the development, installation or manufacturing are eligible for a 10-year tax free holiday.

Financial incentives for manufacturers, such as the provision of low-interest loans, may further serve to assist the diversification and growth of the solar water heater industry.

In 2012, Barbados and UNEP launched the Green Economy Scoping Study - Barbados Synthesis Report, which was designed to identify challenges and opportunities in the island's transition to a Green Economy, and to accelerate that transition.

Projects and events in Barbados to celebrate WED will take place over five days. They will focus on climate adaptation technologies, business, sustainable resource management, protected areas, schools and Barbadian local culture, as well as spotlighting challenges and opportunities facing Small Island Developing States around the globe.

The United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in his message on the occasion of world environment day 2014 said, “ Small island nations share a common understanding that we need to set our planet on a sustainable path.  This demands the engagement of all sectors of society in all countries.  On World Environment Day, millions of individuals, community groups and businesses from around the world take part in local projects –from clean up campaigns to art exhibits to tree-planting drives.  This year, I urge everyone to think about the plight of Small Island Developing States and to take inspiration from their efforts to address climate change, strengthen resilience and work for a sustainable future.  Raise your voice, not the sea level.  Planet Earth is our shared island.  Let us join forces to protect it”.

The writer, Deputy Managing Director of Modhumoti Bank Limited, is an Associate Member of Institute of Cost & Management Accountants of Bangladesh and Certified Sustainability Reporting Specialist

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