Iceland President favours a Himalayan Council: Climate change calls for global response: CA

Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed yesterday called upon the world community for taking immediate comprehensive and integrated steps and turning words into deeds to combat the adverse effects of global warming on food security.

"The phenomenon of climate change is not a myth but a hard scientific reality," said the chief adviser while addressing the closing session of the six-day `International Symposium on Climate Change and Food Security in South Asia' at Sonargaon Hotel in the city.

He put forward a 12-point recommendation, including deeper cuts to greenhouse gas emissions by developed countries and adequate additional resources support by enveloped countries, to tackle the problems caused by climate change.

Calling climate change a global issue, the Chief Adviser called for cooperative measures among neighbouring countries to reduce the impact of natural disasters and help adapt to foreseeable changes.

"We must take comprehensive and integrated steps to combat the adverse effects of global warming on food security."

Iceland's visiting president Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, as guest speaker, also highlighted the global perspective, calling for international dialogue on the security implications of climate change.

Around 250 participants from 17 countries attended the weeklong international symposium jointly organised by Ohio State University, World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and Pacific (UNESCAP), University of Dhaka and the government of Bangladesh.

The Chief Adviser said, "Bangladesh is particularly vulnerable to climate change given its geography. As a low lying mega-delta with three large river systems accompanied by heavy rainfall, floods have become an annual calamity."

Bangladesh had recently witnessed two successive devastating floods, which damage crops, infrastructure and property, he said and added that the rise in the frequency and intensity of cyclones are clean manifestations of climate shifts.

Laying emphasis on reducing green house gas emission to cope with the global climate change, he said every nation specially the developed one which is responsible for major portion of the gas emission to out the emission level at a significant level.

The Chief Adviser called upon the scientists, farmers, fishermen, civil society, media and policy makers to raise awareness of climate change in the community to help identify options and improve implementations.

He said the nations of South Asia must work together and in one clear voice call for equitable solutions to climate change in international forums.

Education Adviser Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman, Chief Adviser's Special Assistant for Environment and Forest Raja Debashish Roy, chairman International Oraganising Committee Prof Rattan Lal, FAO representative in Bangladesh Ad Spijkers, WMO representative Dr MVK Sivakumar and Prof AHM Mustafizur Rahman, chief coordinator of the organising committee, also spoke at the session.

Vice Chancellor of Dhaka University and president of the Symposium Prof SMA Faiz presided over the closing function.

Iceland's visiting president Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson said that every state should be a constructive partner in a global dialogue on the security implications of climate change.

President Grimsson also suggested the formation of a Himalayan Council like the Arctic Council, established in the 90s by eight countries including the United States and Russia.

He said Himalayan Council could initially serve as a forum for the promotion of the necessary research and consequently play a role in developing a constructive dialogue on how to address these challenges. The Arctic Council could serve as a model for a new

Himalayan Council, he added.

He said: "The challenge of climate change brings countries and regions together in ways we've never known before. The fate of our nations the future of all, rich and poor, in Europe, in Asia and in every corner of the world have become absolutely intertwined."

Grimsson pointed out: "If four pillars of modern society - scientific communities, governments, business sectors and civic associations can unite and combine their resources we can build the foundations for enormous success."

"We therefore need a similar call to action, a visionary collaboration between brilliant minds accompanied by an invitation to all concerned citizens to become involved, to be heard and counted," he said.

The key recommendations of the Dhaka Symposium Declaration include: establishing a Climate Change and Food Security Network in South Asia, strengthening existing regional and policy instruments and identifying multi-disciplinary approaches and innovative financial measures to effect adaptation options.

The recommendations- Exchange of information and forecasts, define the impact of climate change on key aspects of the food production system and identify the rural population most at risk and research for developing high yielding and drought, flood and salinity tolerant varieties of crops are also the main ones.