Bangladesh PM Hasina hits out at developed nations for 'empty pledges' on climate change

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has launched a scathing attack on developed countries for making "empty pledges" on climate change in past decades. She also urged the world leaders to "put their words into action."  Writing a column for the Financial Times, Bangladesh PM remarked that there is still time to make COP26 a success, if western leaders listen, engage, and act decisively on what science demands of them, reported Xinhua news agency. "While action on climate change has never been more important or attainable, governments of developed countries have failed to reduce emissions at a rate fast enough to keep developing countries like Bangladesh safe," she wrote in her piece titled, "Bangladesh PM: We need a global 'climate prosperity plan' not empty pledges."

She slammed the western world ahead of the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, commonly known as COP26, which will be held in Glasgow, Scotland from October 31 to November 12. She claims that developed countries are not paying attention to the needs of the countries most affected by climate change.  Millions of people in Bangladesh's northern part rely on freshwater stored in the Himalayan ice fields each year, which is now being destabilised due to warm air. Besides, coastal flooding is becoming more dangerous in the southern part as sea levels rise. Another negative change the world can expect is lower crop yields, she wrote in the article as reported by Xinhua. 

'Bangladesh devises world's first national 'climate prosperity plan'

Hasina announced earlier this year that her administration had scrapped plans for ten coal-fired power plants, but this was a minor move. "With COP26 in mind, we devised the world's first national 'climate prosperity plan,' a vision in which we would improve resilience, build our economy, generate jobs, and extend opportunities for our population, all while addressing climate change," she stated. Under the plan, they will get 30% of their energy from renewables by the end of the decade, she remarked. The plan is intended to save up to 6.8% of the economic damage that would otherwise result from both climate change and increasingly unprofitable fossil fuel infrastructure. 

Although new net-zero pledges from the European Union, the United States, and others are encouraging, she stated that the financing pledge of $100 billion per year still remains unfulfilled which was made 12 years ago. The Bangladesh PM further wrote that the agreement to assist the poor nations in dealing with the losses and damages caused by climate change is still a long way off from being implemented. "If rich countries want to help, they must first solve this issue. Cutting the cost of capital will hasten decarbonisation across the global south, resulting in worldwide benefits," she wrote in the article as reported by Xinhua. 

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