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minMUN position Paper

Climate Change Impacts in Bangladesh

Student Name

Affiliated University

MINIMUN POSITION PAPER

BANGLADESH, GENERAL ASSEMBLY, POSITION PAPER 2017

THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE TO BANGLADESH

Background / History of the Issue

The people’s republic of Bangladesh is gratitude for the opportunity given and wishes to positively contribute to this debate and cooperate with other delegates in order to come up with fruitful solutions. One of the largest deltas in the world is Bangladesh. Bangladesh’s geographical location, flat and low-lying landscape, poverty population density and increased illiteracy among other factors have made it to be vulnerable to natural disasters. This is to mean that Bangladesh’s physical, social and economic factors form the characteristics of any typical country which is vulnerable to natural disasters in the world. As a country we understand that the UN has taken some initiative measures to ensure that there are some adaptations and disaster risk reductions. The country acknowledges the efforts put by the UN in addressing this issue. For instance the 2014 Climate Summit came up with the initiative to adapt the climate change initiative. The initiative was women -centered and was meant to address weather conditions extremes which are especially caused by the cyclones and flooding. This was in line with the increased salinity conditions consequences which affected Bangladesh’s agriculture. On behalf of Bangladesh, I represented the resolutions to the UN General Assembly this year, on October. Resolution number was A/RES/54/180. The resolution was adopted and the implementation plan was put in place. Bangladesh appreciates the Assembly’s adoption procedure, but feels that climate change related problems are bound to all and it is the responsibility of every individual and stakeholders. It is the wish of Bangladesh that not only women should be initiated in the program but also all those that feel they have the ability and will to contribute to the reduction of the climate change impacts. The tentative dates for the implementation of the initiative were set to takeoff January 2018. The key implementers as per the General Assembly’s conclusion will be the Climate Change ActionAid Bangladesh directed by the UN General Assembly appointed officials. The vulnerable groups to benefit from this initiative include the women due to the gender inequalities and children.

Current Activities

It is not surprising that 80% of Bangladesh’s total land area (147,570 square feet) falls on the part of Floodplains and the remaining part has been left to flooding during heavy rainfall seasons. The country is highly populated with an approximate population of 150 million as per 2011 census. Its life expectancy at birth is approximately 63 years with adult illiteracy rate standing at 48%. According to the Human Development Report, Bangladesh has been ranked number 149 out of 177 nations. Its annual population growth rate annually is 2% with a population density of 960 people per square meter. The major part of the population constituting a 4.2 %, lives in the rural area. Due to the global warming, Bangladesh is affected by different types of natural disasters in every year. For instance, 80% of the total land is prone to flooding. Cyclones affect the south and south- eastern, for example, in 2014, the tropical cyclone hit this area leaving people homeless apart from killing some of the inhabitants. Losing any citizen has both economic social impacts and as a government, we feel obligated to have at least done something. The fact is that Bangladesh’s economy is dependent on agriculture. Two thirds of its population engage themselves in agricultural activities despite the efforts put by the government to move towards industrialization. With the climate change impacts, the goal of industrialization cannot be realized. The agricultural sector has been devastated by the widespread of the climate change. This is in form of extreme temperatures, salinity intrusion among other climatic factors. Bangladesh’s view is that if the vulnerable groups and the affected could be assisted, then it can achieve its major goals. To counter the posed dangers of climate change, Bangladesh has always offered support to the victims by providing food, shelter and clothing and by nationally calling for contributions to raise money in countering the disasters. Through weather prediction Bangladesh has always offered to help the areas there is a likelihood of dangers. This has been successful to some extent but not perfect. Through the Climate Change ActionAid, Bangladesh acknowledges their effort and the help they have always given.

Solutions

Bangladesh is calling the global community to realize how the rising sea-levels due to global warming is causing our coastal line, markets, schools, homesteads and villages are sinking. The increased homelessness has led to the emergence of unhygienic slums and squatters. It is Bangladesh’s proposal that the Global community could awaken and realize what we are doing to our once beautiful environment. As we plan to reduce the impacts of climate change in Bangladesh, we need to prevention is better than cure. How many countries shall we be assisting in reducing these impacts? Are we in a position to be calling for help from global communities to remedy our already damaged climates? The country’s strategies to assist in reducing the impacts of the climate in Bangladesh have always borne fruits but these were short-lived. For instance, donating and collecting money in preparation for unforeseeable disaster has always worked. Some of the proposals of Bangladesh has made is the provision of recent improved cooking stoves with the ability to reduce the emission of carbon to the atmosphere for about 45% in comparison to the traditional ones to over a 3000 homesteads. In reference to the reduction of the salinity prevalence, it has proposed construction of 1500 dams especially in the eastern side of Bangladesh. Bangladesh has approached some NGOs who have offered to assist in constructing 700 dams and provide cooking stoves to 1400 homesteads. Bangladesh therefore requests UN organization to fund the 1600 homesteads with cooking stoves and the construction of 800 dams. It is my hope that we shall cooperate and make this initiative a success. Thank you.