The New Nation - Internet Edition

Rafiqul Islam Azad

The actual sea level rise is likely to be faster than predictions made by scientists as the rate of warming has been increasing.

An 86cm sea level rise by 2050 which was predicted earlier may actually happen by 2030, said Dr Atiq Rahman, a leading climate researcher who received UNEP's "Champion of the Earth Award" this year.

In an exclusive interview with The New Nation, he said due to acceleration in global warming polar ice caps are melting at a faster rate and contributing to acceleration in sea level rising.

Dr Atiq Rahman, Executive Director of Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies (BCAS) underscored the need for rapid measures to offset the impacts of sea level rise.

"Recurrence of natural disaster such as two floods in the same crop calendar year is unprecedented. Reappearance of two mega cyclones-- Sidr and Nargis in the region in such a sort time also support the prediction of enhanced frequency of climate induce disasters," he said.

Dr Atiq, who also received Noble Peace Prize as a lead author of IPCC in 2007 and Bangladesh Environment Award-2008, said industrial countries, which are held responsible for global warming, should offer their geographical areas for the shelter for the displaced people of the affected countries such as Bangladesh.

"Every 10,000 tonnes of carbon emitter country or its agencies have to take a Bangladeshi family displaced due to climate change impacts and the government should have to ensure proper training and skilled development of these families so that they could contribute to the country they migrate to," he observed.

He said Bangladesh has been identified as one of the most vulnerable and potentially one of the most severely impacted countries by climate change including extreme weather events.

Dr Atiq Rahman, who hails from Pirojpur district, said the current century is expected to see global warming due to many anthropogenic activities quicker than at any time in the past 10,000 years, he observed.

Climate change will have adverse impacts on human, social and natural systems and sub-systems in different ways and magnitudes, he said.

He mentioned that the super cyclone Sidr and Nargis, and the frequent and prolonged floods of 2007 are the obvious recent examples of such extreme events.

Dr Atiq said the possible sea level rise will affect the country by inundating coastal areas of Bangladesh. A 30-45cm sea level will affect the coastal ecosystems, water and agriculture and food production. This will also dislocate about 35 million people from coastal districts by the year 2050.

For a 30cm sea level rise, it anticipated that next 30 year's development investment would be wiped out in Bangladesh, he said, adding these may create severe problems in rural livelihood, local, regional and sectoral development as well as in sharing scarce resources.

He said climate change impacts may jeopardize all the poverty alleviation and sectoral development efforts taken by the government and NGOs and affect achieving of the MDGs in developing countries like Bangladesh.

Bangladesh's future depends on reducing the risks of climate change for that it must demonstrate leadership in the global negotiating process, he said.

"Every 10,000 tonnes of carbon emitter country or its agencies have to take a Bangladeshi family displaced due to climate change impacts and the government should have to ensure proper training and skilled development of these families so that they could contribute to the country they migrate to," he observed.

He said Bangladesh has been identified as one of the most vulnerable and potentially one of the most severely impacted countries by climate change including extreme weather events.

Dr Atiq Rahman, who hails from Pirojpur district, said the current century is expected to see global warming due to many anthropogenic activities quicker than at any time in the past 10,000 years, he observed.

Climate change will have adverse impacts on human, social and natural systems and sub-systems in different ways and magnitudes, he said.

He mentioned that the super cyclone Sidr and Nargis, and the frequent and prolonged floods of 2007 are the obvious recent examples of such extreme events.

Dr Atiq said the possible sea level rise will affect the country by inundating coastal areas of Bangladesh. A 30-45cm sea level will affect the coastal ecosystems, water and agriculture and food production. This will also dislocate about 35 million people from coastal districts by the year 2050.

For a 30cm sea level rise, it anticipated that next 30 year's development investment would be wiped out in Bangladesh, he said, adding these may create severe problems in rural livelihood, local, regional and sectoral development as well as in sharing scarce resources.

He said climate change impacts may jeopardize all the poverty alleviation and sectoral development efforts taken by the government and NGOs and affect achieving of the MDGs in developing countries like Bangladesh.

Bangladesh's future depends on reducing the risks of climate change for that it must demonstrate leadership in the global negotiating process, he said.