Seven civic groups on Saturday called for need-based
utilisation and effectiveness of the Green Climate Fund.
The demand was made in a press conference jointly organised by Bangladesh Paribesh Andolan, Campaign for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods, Climate Finance Governance Network, Coastal Livelihood Ecology and Adaptation Network, Equity and Justice Working Group, HumanityWatch and Network on Climate Change-Bangladesh at the National Press Club in the capital.
Reading out a written speech, chief executive of HumanityWatch Hasan Mehedi said the climate fund was ineffective even three years after its formation in 2010 and the vulnerable countries were not drawing any benefit from it.
He blamed negligence of the developed countries that were responsible for climate change for this stalemate.
They had pledged $30 billion for the 2010-12 period, but had provided only $5.7 million.
It is agreed that all climate finances will be ‘new and additional’ but now the countries are trying to add their Official Development Assistances and other bilateral funds in the GCF, he alleged.
He demanded cancellation of World Bank as trustee of the GCF because it spent more than 24.5 per cent of the fund just for their office expenses while the money was only for the poor and affected people of the vulnerable countries.
Besides, he alleged that the World Bank was misusing the climate fund for expanding its loan business.
He said the World Bank was also trying to involve the Asian Development Bank and African Development Bank with this fund, which was totally illegitimate.
Mehedi, referring to official reports on climate change, said Bangladesh was one of the worst-affected countries but they made Bangladesh and alternative member of Zambia in the steering committee of green climate fund.
He alleged that it was the diplomatic failure of the Bangladesh government and if Bangladesh failed to establish professionalism, transparency and accountability in international level and to end corruption and it would be hard for Bangladesh to take lead in this sector in future.
The HumanityWatch chief executive also demanded effective initiatives to activate the GCF in the upcoming meeting to be held in Korea from June 26 to June 28.
Mostafa Kamal Akand of EquityBD, Nuzhat Imam of CSRL, Mohua Rouf of CFGN and Sharifuzzaman Sharif of Nagarik Sanghati also spoke.
-With New Age input
