Saima Wazed calls for climate change action at high-level London dialogue
Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF)'s Thematic Ambassador for Vulnerability Saima Wazed Hossain called for CVF-COP26 resilience action plan to address climate change and mental health challenges at a high-level dialogue titled 'CVF-COP 26 Dialogue: Meeting the Survival Deadline towards Maximal Resilience', organised by Bangladesh High Commission in London on November 30.
"For helping the most vulnerable and the marginalised individuals and communities, including persons with disability, health conditions and diverse cultural and religious belief, cope with the trauma of extreme climate events and natural disasters, we must learn from the best practices of the climate-resilient population," said Saima Wazed.
Chaired by the Bangladesh High Commissioner to the UK Saida Muna Tasneem as part of the newly formed CVF High Commissioners and Ambassadors Forum in London, Lord Zac Goldsmith, Minister for Pacific, the Environment and COP26 at the UK FCDO; Md Shahriar Alam, State Minister for Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh; Professor Dr Saleemul Huq, Chair of CVF Expert Advisory Group and Director of the International Centre for Climate Change and Development; and Prof Dr Patrick Verkooijen, Chief Executive Officer, Global Center on Adaptation, spoke at the high-level segment of the dialogue.
Abul Kalam Azad, Special Envoy, Bangladesh Presidency of the Climate Vulnerable Forum, presented the keynote paper at the dialogue which was participated, among others, by High Commissioners and Ambassadors and diplomats of 40 CVF member countries based in London.
CVF High Commissioners/Ambassadors representing South Asia, Africa, the Pacific, the Caribbean and Central and South America also made their country statements on Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), adaptation and resilient strategies, climate financing, transition to low-carbon economies and loss and damage issues.
In his speech, as the Guest of Honour, Lord Goldsmith reiterated the UK's call to the governments for stepping up on finance for nature-based solutions (NBS), which provides around a third of the most cost-effective climate change mitigation. He emphasised UK's ambitious climate action plans as President-elect of COP26 as well as its long-term strategies towards a net-zero by 2050.
Speaking as the Chief Guest State Minister Md Shahriar Alam said Bangladesh remains one of the worst affected victims of global emissions, despite having a negligible carbon footprint. But the country has made remarkable progress in both adaptation and mitigation measures with strong political commitment and prudent leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the resilience and strength of its people.
Referring to the recently established Bangladesh-UK Climate Partnership Forum, the State Minister said as the CVF Presidency Bangladesh also looks forward to working closely with the UK as the President-elect of the COP26 towards a more resilient and prosperous future for the 1.2 billion climatically most vulnerable peoples of the CVF member countries.
The CVF High Commissioners and Ambassadors who spoke at the dialogue were from Marshall Islands, Bhutan, Ethiopia, Barbados, Costa Rica, Fiji, Morocco, Rwanda, Tunisia, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Madagascar, Ghana, COP26 Regional Ambassador for Asia/Pacific and South Asia at the UK FCDO-Cabinet Office amongst others.
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