Climate change is no longer a distant perspective for “our children and grandchildren;” it is an urgent challenge for us, here and now. Every day, somewhere in the world, violent cyclones devastate coastlines, destroying homes and schools; droughts ravage crops and cause water shortages; sea-level rise endangers coastal areas all around the world; heavy floods displace thousands and damage valuable farm land. These are not mere “changes”: they are disruptions. Disruptions of our development efforts, disruptions of democracy, stability, and security.
2015 is a crucial year for the global efforts to keep climate disruption within manageable proportions. In December, under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), world leaders will come together in Paris to agree on a new climate treaty. It is the best chance we’ve had so far to make significant progress towards limiting the rise in average global temperatures below 2 degrees Celsius -- the objective agreed upon by the international community. We must reach a pragmatic, yet ambitious and comprehensive legal agreement. And we’ll need the active participation of all countries to get there.
Please read the complete statement on Dhaka Tribune.
