G-8 leaders urged: Take steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
South Asian civil society leaders yesterday called for G-8 leaders to
enter into legally binding targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by
at least 80 percent or risk wiping out any developments in meeting the
Millennium Development Goals.
Bangladesh Primary and Mass Education Adviser Rasheda K Choudhury
said developed country leaders have not taken adequate action to
mitigate the far-reaching effects of global warming.
They were speaking at the concluding ceremony of the two-day South
Asian Civil Society Consultation on "Climate Change: Bali to Hokkaido
what next?" in the city, where civil society experts and activists from
Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Sri Lanka brainstormed about possible
courses of action.
They called for climate change to top the agenda of the G-8 meeting
in Hokkaido, a gathering of leaders of the eight most powerful countries
in the world.
In a joint communique the regional civil society groups said,
"Climate change is an emergency and if this crisis is not tackled
urgently, all other development efforts in coming decades risk being
wiped out."
In their recommendation, the groups called for the UN climate change
process to a "Legally binding target of a minimum of 80% reduction in
carbon emissions by 2050."
They also called for greater attention to climate change concerns of
the poor, equitable targets, eco-friendly policies from national
governments and multilateral agencies, and for rich countries to pay for
climate-change adaptation in least developed countries (LDCs).
The joint communique also urged the World Bank to raise investments
in renewable energy and find ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
It was undersigned by Indian group Don't Break the Promise, Enough is
Enough from Pakistan, People's forum on MDGs from Bangladesh, Citizen's
Campaign for Democracy, Social Transformation from Nepal, Sri Lanka's UN
Friendship Organisation and Sanayee Development Organisation in
Afghanistan. Daily Star, Bangladesh |
