Turn decisions into actions: Hasina

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina stressed the need for creating a “global fund” to support research, innovation and technology transfer to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) on water.

Addressing the United Nations Climate Change Conference 2016 in Marrakech early Wednesday, the prime minister said this is the time to turn decisions taken in Paris into actions.

She also called for global efforts to address the issue of climate-induced migrants to make the objectives of SDGs successful.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina started to deliver her speech just after Tuesday midnight (Bangladesh time) at the high level segment-2 of COP-22 at Bab Ighli in the Moroccan city of Marrakech.

She said Marrakech climate conference bears a special significance as the historic agreement signed last year in Paris “creating a solid ground for a meaningful cooperation in combating climate change impacts”, is expected to be enforced this year.

“Now, this is the time to move forward to implement decisions into actions,” she said, adding that the Paris Agreement successfully created a solid ground for a meaningful cooperation in combating climate change.

Pointing out that Bangladesh is one of the first countries that signed and ratified the Paris Agreement, the prime minister said lives and livelihoods of millions of people would continue to be at risk unless “we deliver to our commitments on climate change issues.”

“We must be prepared to share equitable burden to fulfill our promises of making the world a safer and better place for our future generation,” she said.

Mentioning that Bangladesh is also the first country to set up “Climate Change Trust Fund” of US $ 400 million from its own resources, she said: “Bangladesh also achieved success in disaster management despite its coastal areas are highly vulnerable to climate-related calamities, such as floods and cyclones.”

Called for global efforts to ensure safe drinking water and sanitation for all through effective water governance to help achieve the SDGs on water, she said: “We must ensure safe drinking water and sanitation for all through effective water governance.”

Laying importance on water security, Sheikh Hasina, also a member of the UN High Level Panel on Water, reiterated her government`s commitments to the action plan endorsed by the Panel in New York in September.

Calling for global efforts to address the issue of climate-induced migrants to make the objectives of SDGs successful, she cautioned that unless the challenge of climate-induced migrant issue is appropriately addressed, “We will never be able to attain the objectives of SDGs.”

She urged all to join hands to consolidate the global partnership to fight perilous threats of climate change.

The prime minister also highlighted Bangladesh`s disaster management programmes, including early warning system, construction of cyclone shelters and river weeds cultivation, saying these measures have significantly reduced loss of lives and properties during disasters. – agencies