Tuesday, October 8, 2013

BD climate funds need single focal point

Speakers at a seminar on Monday urged the government to consider a transparent and inclusive national designated authority to attract international climate finance.
The seminar titled "Green Climate Fund, Country Ownership, International Climate Finance: Is Bangladesh Ready?" held in the city. It was organised by BAPA, BIPNetCCBD, CCDF, CSRL and EquityBD with the sponsorship of Oxfam and European Union.
Rezaul Karim Chowdhury of EquityBD moderated it while Sayed Aminul Haque of presented the keynote speech.
Speakers said, the present climate finance is
little coordinated and the climate change strategic action plan is a neglected document, as the present focal point at the Ministry of Forest and Environment  has little authority over other ministries.
They said the country ownership should not be mere a government or bureaucratic ownership; it should be open for all affected community, media and other groups. They cited examples that Indonesia and Philippines have already created supra coordination body like separate climate change commission and council, we must do it.
Dr Quazi Kholiquzzaman in his concluding remarks said that the country in fact should not be expecting much from foreign assistance in respect of climate finance although the country is continuously raising voice in international level. He said that there should be a national designated authority as a single supra coordination body in respect of climate planning, which is also a requirement of Green Climate Fund.


The Independent