Editorial
Threat to Maldives' survival
What a poignant call attention initiative!
ALMOST the whole top order of the government of the Maldives was under the sea conducting a cabinet meeting on Saturday. What an exceptional way to highlight to the world the grave threat of global warming that the Maldives face due to the effects of climate change.
Ask any Maldivian as to what is the gravest danger to his survival and without hesitation the reply will be the fear of being submerged due to rise in sea level caused by global warming. The fact is that if the world did not do anything immediately to progressively reduce global warming and offset the impact, it might come to such a pass that many island or low-lying countries would be submerged. Even American and North European cities mightn't be spared the catastrophic impact of climate change.
The show staged by the Maldives' cabinet was an imaginative way to convey a poignant message, which must not be lost on the advanced countries to agree to emission cuts that would keep the temperature from rising above two degrees Celsius.
In view of the forthcoming Copenhagen conference on climate change the need for the affluent countries to atone for the damage to the atmosphere caused by their unbridled consumerist culture must be concretised through substantive commitment to least developed countries that are at the receiving end of the damaging effects of global warming.
We cannot empathise more with the Maldives in their concern for survival. Bangladesh is not much better placed than our island neighbour. We run the risk of having a third of our territory submerged should the increase in the rise in global temperature at the current rate continue at the same scale.
There are two issues that we would like to highlight in this regard. First, we can ill-afford not to suitably replace the Kyoto Protocol and formulate an instrument that would significantly reduce carbon emissions which is primarily responsible for climate change. But equally important is the need to arrive at an agreed level of differentiated emission cuts.
Secondly, those countries that run the greatest risk of suffering the most must be compensated in terms of technology transfer and funding in order that they can not only protect themselves and survive but can also exercise their right to development.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments