Bangladesh Environment Network (BEN) greets all on the occasion of the approaching new year of 2022. It wishes all good health, success, and happiness in the new year.
The year of 2021 continued to be a difficult one due to the persistence of COVID-19, in particular the emergence of its new variants. People continue to be infected and many of them die. BEN hopes that in 2022 the world community will end this pandemic through universal and effective vaccination and other measures as necessary.
An important event of 2021 was COP-26, held in Glasgow, in which some progress was made regarding climate change. However, the actual and intended emission reductions still do not match the Paris Agreement’s goal of limiting the temperature increase to 1.5 degree centigrade. Meanwhile, the impacts of climate change are becoming more pronounced with each day. Also, the developed countries continue to fall short of keeping their commitment of providing developing countries $100 billion annually in support of their climate efforts. One of the important tasks of 2022 will, therefore, be to continue the fight for stopping climate change. An important development at COP-26 was the pledge by 141 countries to halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation by 2030. Though this pledge was motivated by climate change, fulfilling it is also necessary to prevent death and illness from recurrence of zoonotic pandemic and epidemics such as COVID-19. For a good summary of the COP-26 outcome, you may visit https://www.wri.org/insights/cop26-key-outcomes-un-climate-talks-glasgow.
In Bangladesh, damage to the environment continues to widen and deepen. In particular, misdirected water projects, inspired by the Cordon approach, are aggravating waterlogging and river erosion and pushing the coastal areas below the sea level. Changing the water policies of the country will therefore be an important priority in 2022, as will also be protection of forests and hills. An important role in the protection of the environment belongs to energy policies. BAPA and BEN have therefore decided to focus the annual conference of 2022 on “Energy, Climate Change, and Sustainable Environment,” to be held in hybrid mode on February 11-12. We hope that all will do their best to make this conference a success.
All in all, BEN hopes that as we celebrate the advent of a new year, we will also renew our vow to work more energetically for the protection of the environment and the well-being of the people of the country.
Happy New Year!
