By Samantha Semoso – EMTV Online
Bangladesh’s Prime Minister, Sheik Hasina, has been announced as one of the winners of the United Nations Champions of the Earth award, in recognition of her country’s initiatives to address climate change.
“Bangladesh, being one of the world’s least-developed countries, has proven that investing in climate change is conducive to achieving social and economic development,” said the announcement issued by the UN Environment Program (UNEP), which confers the awards.
With it being one of the world’s most populated countries, with over 159 million people, it is also one of the most vulnerable to the impact of climate change. Cyclone, floods and droughts have long been part of the country’s history, but they have intensified in recent years.
“Through a number of forward-looking policy initiatives and investments, Bangladesh has placed the challenge of climate change at the core of its development,” said UNEP Executive Director, Achim Steiner.
“These initiatives, from climate change adaptation measures to ecosystem preservation legislation, mean that current and future generations of Bangladeshis are better prepared to address climate change risks and reverse the impacts of environmental degradation.”
He added that Sheikh Hasina has demonstrated “leadership and vision” in both making climate change an issue of national priority and advocating for an ambitious global response.
“As an early adopter and advocate of climate change adaptation policy, she continues to be an example to follow as world leaders seek to take action on climate change as part of the sustainable development goals and the Paris climate conference in December.”
He noted that by 2050 it is estimated that one in every seven people in Bangladesh is likely to be displaced by climate change, and they are also likely to move to urban centres already burdened with meeting the needs of a dense population.
“I congratulate the government of Bangladesh for being proactive in tackling climate change as a priority of the country. It is also a clarion call for the global community to take action today, and to realise that climate change is not a problem of the future, it is already happening in our lifetime.”
The awards will be handed out at a special ceremony on September 27 in New York at the close of the Sustainable Development Summit. In addition to Sheikh Hasina, the other winners announced so far are the National Geographic Society (Science and Innovation); Brazilian cosmetics firm Natura (Entrepreneurial Vision); and South Africa’s Black Mamba Anti-Poaching Unit (Inspiration and Action).
