Ensure people's representation, says meeting in Dhaka

Daily Star (Bangladesh): Speakers at a seminar yesterday said representation of the people, who are vulnerable to climate change fallout in the country, should be ensured in the management of climate change fund and development of climate change strategy paper. They also condemned the inclusion of World Bank (WB) in the management of Multi Donor Trust Fund which was formed after the climate change conference on Bangladesh held on September 10 in London and demanded its exclusion from the fund management.

The seminar was organised by Equity and Justice Working Group (EJWG) to create public opinion against the inclusion of WB in multi-donor fund management at the National Press Club in the city. Presenting a keynote paper, Shamsuddoha of EquityBD said the WB had been maintaining double standard at the same time by telling about its concern over climate change and investing on various development projects that are not environment-friendly. He called on the government not to take any fund given by the WB imposing tough conditions and regulations.

Though the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) decided to establish an Adaptation Fund Board with the representation of the developing and least developed countries to manage the adaptation fund, he said, adding but the developed countries are including the WB in fund management to secure their interest….