DHAKA: Observers of citizens’ groups on climate affairs have called upon the persons concerned to bring forward the news of negative impacts globally due to climatic change.

On Wednesday (December 24), the organizers made the plea at a press conference held at the National Press Club on the occasion of the declaration on ‘in the aid of increasing the global warming’ (Lima).

The press meet was jointly organized by Bangladesh Environment Movement, Equity BD, Bangladesh Climate Journalist Forum, CCDF, Coastal Development Partnership, Bangladesh Environment Journalist Forum and PRDI.

The speakers told that authorities concerned should not wait for the donations from the donors for drafting national climate strategy and planning. It should be done by own financing. The country has source of 22 billion dollars revenue and 15 billion dollars remittance. There is no logic to sit idle for 1.2 billion dollars aid or soft loans.

The national planning on climate should be such designed so that the country does not need to be dependent on foreign help. If we increase our revenue, reduce the administrative expenditure justifiably and eliminate the corruption the climate plan will reduce hundred percent, they added.

The speakers further told that emphasis should be given on the hilly region and its people to face the climatic change. Accordingly the program shall have to be implemented.  There should be long term climate program in coordination with national development plan.

In that case ‘national climate commission’ can be formed for resource mobiliztion, implementation and monitoring, they suggested.

Equity BD’s Secretary Syed Aminul Haque was the key speaker of the press meet.

Equity BD’s chief coordinator Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, president of Bangladesh Environment Journalist Forum Kamrul Islam Chowdhury, Executive Director of Coastal Development Partnership Jahangir Hossain Masum and Executive Director of PRDI Shamsuddoha were also spoke.

BDST: 1616 HRS, DEC 24, 2014