Bangladesh's Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Sabar Hussain Chaudhary has issued a grave warning about the potential impacts of climate change on his country's future stability.
Speaking at the "Mountains, Humans and Climate Change: An International Dialogue of Experts" conference in Chandragiri, Nepal on Wednesday, Chaudhary expressed deep concern that accelerated glacial melting in the Himalayan mountains could lead to devastating floods in low-lying Bangladesh.
"If we are not aware in time to reduce the effects of climate change, the stability of the lower coastal areas will be lost due to the melting of the snow in the mountains," Chaudhary cautioned the over 200 experts and representatives from 25 countries in attendance.
Bangladesh is a densely populated delta nation crisscrossed by mighty rivers that flow down from the Himalayas. Sea level rise caused by global warming already poses an existential threat, and now the prospect of increased glacial meltwater pulses has raised new alarms.
Chaudhary called on developed nations, which account for 81% of global carbon emissions, to uphold their commitments under international climate agreements to support adaptation efforts in vulnerable countries like Bangladesh.
"Developed countries are not able to implement the commitments made in various international climate conferences. Now they have to hesitate," he admonished.
The minister stressed that combating climate change will require a multi-pronged approach focusing on both adapting to unavoidable impacts and reducing ongoing emissions. Political will and mobilizing necessary funding were cited as critical needs.
The four-day Chandragiri dialogue aims to strengthen coordination and priority-setting for climate resilience programs tailored to mountain regions and low-lying coastal areas. Experts will discuss the unique challenges posed by warming impacts on mountain ecosystems worldwide.
