Expressing concern over proposed 19 coal-based power plants in the country, Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) on Thursday said the plants will pose high risk for the ecology and livelihoods of 15 million people in the coastal region.
The organsiation put high emphasis on renewable energy instead of coal-based power plants which could cause death of 30,000 people in Chattogram and Cox's Bazar alone in next 30 years for the eight coal-based power plants in the districts.
The statement came at a virtual press conference organised by the TIB on the eve of the upcoming UN COP-26 Climate Summit scheduled to start in Glasgow, Britain in November.
TIB placed a 14-point demand that includes stopping new coal-based power projects and their finances after 2021 to achieve the renewable energy target through avoiding use of coal-based energy.
The Climate Fund, including the Global Climate Fund (GCF), should be formed by the developed countries mostly responsible for the climatic change in the world and disbursement of the fund should be as grant not loan or insurance, the organisation demanded.
Md Mahfuzul Haque, programme manager, Climate Finance Policy Integrity Project of TIB, presented the keynote.
TIB executive director Dr Iftekharuzzaman and Adviser (Executive Management) Professor Sumaiya Khair spoke while the conference was moderated by Sheikh Manzur-e-Alam, director, Outreach and Communication Department.
According to the keynote, this year's COP conference will focus on achieving the goal of Net-Zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, completely stopping the use of coal, providing the promised climate financing, enhanced transparency framework and finalising the Paris Rulebook.
TIB also said Bangladesh has to play a strong role at the upcoming COP-26 under the leadership of the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF) in collecting grants for underdeveloped countries as promised.
Parallel to it, it is necessary to raise integrated and effective demands to end the dawdling to approve GCF projects and releasing funds by ensuring transparency and accountability in global climate finance, said TIB.
Dr Iftekharuzzaman said, "We believe that as a country most vulnerable to climate change, Bangladesh will have to commit nationally and internationally not to approve or finance any new coal-based projects after 2021."
tonmoy.wardad@gmail.com