US damaged $4tn in 23 yrs thru carbon emissions
30 November 2015 BSS, Dhaka
Rights organizations yesterday renewed their call to the rich nations to pay compensation to the affected countries for climate change as they said only the United States has incurred a damage of debt of $4 trillion during the period 1990-2013.
At a human chain titled "Rich Countries, You don't have Any Right to Put Future of Bangladesh in Bracket", held on the premises of the Jatiya Press Club here, they said the countries like Bangladesh are suffering due to the climate change without being responsible for this.
It has been found that each ton of carbon emissions causes a damage of US Dollar 40. Only the US has incurred a damage of debt of $4 trillion during the period 1990-2013 and every citizen of the US and Australia owes $12,000 in carbon debt, they said. Aminur Rasul Babul of Unnayan Dhara, Subal Sarkar of Bangladesh Bhumihin Samity, Engineer Foyez Hosain of Bangladesh Sromik Federation, Zayed Iqbal Khan of Bangladesh Krishak Federation, Abul Hossain and Arif Chowdhury of Jatiya Hawkers Federation spoke on the occasion, while Mustafa Kamal Akanda of equityBD moderated it.
The speakers urged the Bangladesh Prime Minister to lead the country to the Paris Climate Conference and demand the climate compensation from the countries mainly responsible for the climate change.
This compensation must go to the countries suffering most due to climate change even though they are not responsible for this, they said.
Subal Sarkar said the expected Paris Protocol on Climate Change must not be mitigation-based only; it should include adaptation issues too. The strategies and types of support of the rich countries to the poor countries must be placed clearly in the protocol, he said. Aminur Rasul Babul said: "We have unacceptable experiences of Kyoto Protocol, which was signed to reduce the carbon emissions but signatory countries have failed to realize their commitment."
"We don't want another such protocol or treaty. We demand a legally- binding agreement, which will be mandatory for all. There should have a provision to punish the countries which will breach the treaty," Babul said. The organizers placed some specific demands, such as: Paris treaty should clearly mention the scientific target of carbon cut, there should be a peak level of carbon emissions, GCF should get 100 billion dollars annually up to 2020, 50 percent of the fund should be used for adaptation, no loan for loss and damages, no intellectual property rights in technology transfer.
