Efforts a must to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius: Experts

Climate change experts, at a webinar, emphasised limiting temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius to combat global warming and prioritise research efforts to minimise pollution.  

They made the observation at an analytical webinar on the synthesis of the sixth report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) to highlight what can be expected from it and its significance globally.

By reviewing the last five Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports in conjunction with the new sixth report, Bangladesh needs to act now to tackle climate change for a better world for future generations, the experts added.  

The Society of Experts on Environment Development (SEED) recently organised the event, presided over by Md Abul Kalam Azad, chairman of SEED, and also special envoy of the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF) of the Bangladesh Presidency. 

As the chief guest, Saber Hossain Chowdhury, president of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, said the Sixth Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is very important in formulating new policies to deal with environmental damage by integrating various long-term plans including our National Adaptation Plan, Mujib Climate Prosperity Plan, Delta Plan, and the Energy and Power Sector Integrated Plan. 

The implementation of this plan can bring about the prevention of climate change by ensuring the least impact on the environment through the maximum use of our scarce resources, he added. 

Farhina Ahmed, secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, said countries vulnerable to disasters, like ours, should prioritise research efforts to minimise pollution. Recognising the far-reaching consequences of disasters on various sectors such as agriculture, industry, and commerce, it is crucial for individuals at all levels to prioritise disaster mitigation measures.

PKSF Chairman Quazi Kholiquzzaman, also the chief advisor of SEED, said, "Addressing climate change necessitates collective effort from everyone, yet regrettably, the resolve to take action seems lacking. Without concerted efforts from all, we risk failing to achieve the desired goals by the end of this century. Hence, it is imperative for us to urgently identify critical environmental issues and align them with our plans in a coordinated manner." 

Md Abul Kalam Azad, chairman of SEED, said the detrimental impact of pollution and waste heat resulting from the use of weapons in the fourth industrial revolution and global conflicts are pushing global warming further away from the 1.5-degree target. It is crucial to raise awareness through widespread publicity, outreach, and education to prevent further temperature rise. 

AKM Saiful Islam, professor of Water and Flood Management Institution at the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, presented the keynote. Saleemul Huq, the director of the International Centre for Climate Change and Development, and M Asaduzzaman, the research director of Bangladesh Development Research Centre, also spoke.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is an intergovernmental organisation of the United Nations that discusses anthropogenic climate change through scientific knowledge.