Bangladesh PM Hasina pitches for global fund to achieve SDG on water

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has proposed creating a global fund to help achieve the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) on water.

Reazul Bashar from Marrakesh, Moroccobdnews24.com
Published : 15 Nov 2016, 11:13 PM
Updated : 16 Nov 2016, 04:48 PM

She made the proposal at the COP22 United Nations Climate Change Conference 2016 at Bab Ighli in Moroccan city of Marrakesh on Tuesday.

Heads of government and state of 80 countries have taken part in the 22nd Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP22).

"We must ensure safe drinking water and sanitation for all through effective water governance," Hasina said at the conference.

She stressed the need for floating the global fund on water SDG to support research, innovation and technology transfer.

Of the 17 SDGs taken up in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the sixth one is clean water and sanitation.

It sets out to 'ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all'.

SDG 6 expands the Millennium Development Goal focus on drinking water and basic sanitation to now-cover the entire water cycle, including the management of water, wastewater and ecosystem resources.

At the conference, Hasina also reminded the development countries of their pledge to help the vulnerable ones to tackle the effects of climate change.

"Lives and livelihoods of millions of people would continue to be at risk unless we deliver to our commitments on climate change issues," Hasina said.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon also urged the world leaders to pay more attention to tackle climate change effects in order to protect the planet, safeguard the most vulnerable, and drive shared prosperity.

"Now we have to translate words into effective policies and actions,” he said, referring to the Paris Agreement on climate change, enforced earlier this month.

Hasina, too, drew the participants' attention to the agreement.

"Last year in Paris, we have been successful to create a solid ground for a meaningful cooperation in combating climate change impacts. Now, this is the time to move forward to implement decisions into actions," she said.

The prime minister also put emphasis on tackling the climate-induced migrant issue.

"Unless, we address this challenge appropriately, we would never be able to attain the objectives of Sustainable Development Goals," she said.

Speaking about her government's efforts to tackle the effects of climate change as one of the countries most vulnerable to those effects, she mentioned raising a 'Climate Change Trust Fund’ of $400 million from its own resources.

She said Bangladesh achieved success in disaster management despite its coastal areas being highly vulnerable to climate related calamities, such as floods and cyclones.

"We have put in place measures like early warning system, cyclone shelters and river weeds cultivation that have significantly reduced loss of lives and properties in Bangladesh," she said.

Hasina concluded her speech by urging all to be "prepared to share equitable burden to fulfil our promises of making the world a safer and better place for our future generation".