Reach binding climate deal: Hasina

Dhaka, Sep 24 (bdnews24.com)—Prime minister Sheikh Hasina has called upon the world once again to reach a binding agreement on climate change.

"Climate change is upon us and we cannot afford to waste time," Hasina told the United Nations General Assembly on Saturday in New York.

"In COP 17 in Durban this year, we must have a binding agreement on cuts of greenhouse gas emissions, burden sharing, relocation of climate migrants, free transfer of technologies, and real contribution to the internationally agreed Climate Fund," she said.

The 17th United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 17) will be held in Durban in South Africa.

"Bangladesh is under extra strain from climate change. A meter rise of the sea due to global warming would inundate a fifth of our landmass displacing over 30 million people," Hasina said, and pointed out that this would be the largest humanitarian crisis in history.

She then outlined the measures Bangladesh had undertaken to mitigate climate change impacts.

"We have prepared a 134-point adaptation and mitigation plan that includes river dredging, afforesting 20 percent of land and increasing food production with crop varieties attuned to climate change.

"We have also established a Climate Change Trust Fund with $ 300 million of our own funds, and a Bangladesh Climate Change Resilience Fund with $ 110 million from the donors," she added.