Time to strengthen climate governance in Bangladesh

There was a time when we could get away with denying that climate change is irreversible and that global warming is coming after us soon. Some people even believed that global warming did not exist, while others saw it as a political agenda. 

However, now that the time has arrived, we can see how the seasonal characteristics have changed day by day. Due to major environmental changes, we are seeing hotter summers, irregular monsoons, and sudden heavy rains that cause water logging and landslides in a short period of time. 

According to reports, the year 2020 has been 1.2 degrees Celsius hotter than an average year in the nineteenth century, and Europe has had its hottest year ever. 

The article also mentioned that CO2 levels in the atmosphere had reached record highs in the previous year, peaking at 417 parts per million in May, whereas the last time CO2 levels exceeded 400 parts per million was around four million years ago. These figures show the type of adversity we may face in the future.

Climate change has been a major concern on the global stage since the beginning of the twenty-first century. Climate change is arguably the most discussed international topic in the world. As a result, climate governance has emerged as a necessary discipline for raising awareness about the consequences of climate change and initiating policy proposals. 

Climate governance can be defined as a tool used by states to address the current and potential challenges of unanticipated environmental adversities posed by excessive global warming through collective mechanisms and responsive measures. 

Politicians, academics, public and non-profit organisations from across the country have recognised the importance of such governance issues as they relate to the international climate agenda.

Raising public awareness and changing public perceptions of climate change should be the first and foremost priority. Illustration: TBS

Bangladesh has been identified as being extremely vulnerable to the effects of climate change. In the Global Climate Risk Index 2021, the country is ranked seventh among the countries most affected by extreme weather events in the 20 years since 1998. 

According to a 2011 report by Oxfam International, the organisation has encountered around 200 climate-related disasters in the last 30 years. Thousands of people have been killed, homes and livelihoods have been destroyed, and damages totalling around $16 billion have been incurred as a result of such events. 

Furthermore, it has significant social consequences for the local population, such as food insecurity, livelihood insecurity, migration, water insecurity, loss of cultural identity, and so on. In these circumstances, as the country is experiencing gradual climate stress, the government's role will be critical.

Bangladesh's climate governance framework is made up of a variety of formal and informal institutions. The current climate policy, known as the Bangladesh Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan (BCCSAP), was drafted in 2009 with the goal of reducing GHG emissions from all sources without jeopardising food security or the nation's development. 

The government recently adopted "Delta Plan 2100," a long-term and holistic plan aimed at ensuring water and food security, economic progress, and a sustainable climate.

The government's efforts and actions, however, may not be sufficient as the policies are not being implemented properly due to a lack of appropriate institutions, decision-making, and planned structure. 

Lack of resource-based planning and ineffective resource mobilisation result from a highly centralised administration that ignores the existing decentralisation process. Local governments, particularly local government members and citizens, are absent from the policy implementation process, while senior bureaucrats influence decisions made at the national level. 

Furthermore, political pressures can cause government agencies to work against the law. As a result, irregularities in project site selection, a lack of transparency, and a lack of project monitoring result in ineffective and erroneous application of existing policies.

Bangladesh, as a heavily reliant country on agriculture for its livelihood, needs to wake up as soon as possible. Bangladesh is in a precarious position due to its geographical location, which may expose the country to some of the most deadly and disastrous effects of global warming. 

The country is expected to experience annual temperature increases of between 0.5 and 2.8 degrees Celsius, changes in annual rainfall averages ranging from a decrease of around 14% to an increase of around 24%, and significant sea level rise by 2060, according to a report published by USAID.

Bangladesh's good governance situation has been jeopardised for a long time due to various challenges in various sectors. However, Bangladesh's climate governance system needs to be completely overhauled. 

Prior to enacting new policies, existing policies must be enforced properly.

A good governance system allows for a participatory management approach in which policy formulation is prioritised for both central and local government, the private sector, and people with relevant backgrounds.

As a result, the government must intend to collaborate with such entities. On that note, public representatives from coastal areas should be included in the decision-making process when new environmental policies are enacted. 

More importantly, relevant stakeholders, particularly local institutions, local government personnel, and rural residents, deserve greater attention and flexibility in policy implementation.

Tackling a vast issue like climate change through establishing a well driven governance system requires innovation, inclusiveness and goal-oriented policies and plans. All the government offices should install eco-friendly renovations. 

Removing air conditioning from public offices can be an option which is the byproduct of gas emissions and the uses of renewable energy in public offices should be maximised. All types of vehicles used by government personnel should be converted into natural gas from fossil fuel.  

According to the Yale Project on Climate Change's analysis of public opinion polls, only 26% of Americans are "alarmed" about climate change. Taking these lessons into account, raising public awareness and changing public perceptions of climate change should be the first and foremost priority. 

We cannot expect people to be motivated immediately unless and until government officials and public officials take the first step and try to lead by example themselves. Furthermore, rule of law is one of the most important aspects of good governance, and Bangladesh as a country is in desperate need of it. 

We have no choice but to strengthen our climate governance system if we truly want to address the problems of climate change. And this will be impossible without a participatory governance system that encourages innovation and exclusivity, promotes openness, and ensures that everyone is treated equally under the law.

Mahtab Uddin Chowdhury, currently working as a Research Assistant at Centre for Governance Studies

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and views of The Business Standard.