Budget 2013-14 Undermine Integration of Climate Planning

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index_photoDhaka, 12th June 2013. Today nine rights based civil society networks in a press conference at national press club has criticize government for little integration of climate change adaptation planning in national budget 2013-14. They urged appropriate integration of climate adaptation is necessary for the survival of the country, which could be done through a formation of national climate commission.
The press conference title “Budget 2013-14 does not comply with climate adaptation” was jointly organized by Bangladesh Poribesh Andolan (BAPA), Climate Change Development Forum (CCDF), Campaign for Sustainable Rural Livelihood (CSRL), Coastal Development Partnership (CDF), Equity and Justice Working Group Bangladesh (EquityBD), and Network on Climate Change Bangladesh (NCCB), VOICE, PRAN and HumanityWatch. The press conference was moderated by Rezaul Karim Chowdhury of EquityBD. Other speakers are, Mostafa Kamal Akanda and Syed Aminul Haque of EquityBD, Farzana Akhter of VOICE, Mizanur Rahman Bijoy of NCCB, and Atiqur Rahman Tipu of CDP.
On behalf of the group a written statement has been read out by Sayed Aminul Haque of EquityBD. He mentioned that the two most trust sector in climate adaptation, is agriculture and health, where budget has been reduced compare to last year, e.g., in agriculture it is 20 % less from last year and in respect of health it is 4.2 of total budget, which was 5 % in last year. He termed the government’s BCCSAP (Bangladesh Climate Change Strategic Action Plan) is mere a stand alone document, which hardly have any integration to national 6th five year planning. As a responsible ministry the Ministry of Forest and Environment hardly have any influence on other ministries. He cited a UNDP study that 88.6 % in last three years government allocation which has been termed as allocation toward climate planning, in fact either has insignificance relevance or very ambiguous relevance.
Farzana Akther of VOICE has mentioned, women will be the worse victim of climate change impact, where health aspects is the fundamental, so allocation in health sector taking priority on women issue should have priority. Mizanur Rahman Bijoy of NCCB, demand review of BCCTF (Bangldesh Climate Change Trust Fund) act, as there are allegation of corruption and mis coordination on the fund management. Atiqur Rahman Tipu of CDP mentioned that a single ministry can not act to pursue or coordination among other ministries, so in fact BCCSAP and BCTF hardly been effective, he cited example and urged that the nation need a supra body in this regard, i.e., a national climate commission as like as which has happened in Philippines.

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