The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, New Delhi

"Climate change negotiations should put people first and common but differentiated responsibility should be the starting point of negotiations," the Climate Change Conference organised by the NGOs in South Asia said in its recommendations.

The four-day conference styled " The Climate Crisis-People's Potential and Needs for Adaptation and Mitigation" ended here on Friday at the India International Centre with representatives from South Asia countries attending.

The Bangladesh side was represented, among others, by Whip of Parliament ASM Feroz and Dr. Anwar Shelley. Caritas Bangladesh presented a paper at the conference.

The conference in its 15-point recommendation observed that Climate Change and global warming will affect agriculture and fisheries production and thereby threaten food security because of reduction in productivity, and loss of land under agriculture.

"This in turn leads to loss of livelihoods, especially for small and marginal farmers. Food produced by small-scale farmers should not be seen as a problem that enhances climate change," it said, adding "rather, sustainable small- scale farming, providing livelihood for the majority of the people in South Asia , provides food security for a large group of people, ensures biodiversity and maintains the rural environment."

The conference opined that although agriculture and livestock rearing contribute to greenhouse gas emissions, they are essential for food security.

Hence, mitigation should take place across sectors such as transport, land use and land use change, industrialized agriculture and livestock, and industry.

It suggested that developed countries should provide technology and resources to the developing countries, as required. Developing countries have a right to have their adaptation and mitigation needs from climate change met.

"All developed countries need to agree to continue Kyoto- protocol with appropriate changes reflecting clear, stringent targets aimed at reducing emissions. These are to be met in specified periods on the standards defined and agreed," it said.

The recommendations further noted that the UNFCCC should impose a limit to which CDM projects in developing countries can offset emissions by developed countries, as CDM is not the real solution to the climate crisis.

The UNFCCC should register projects that largely benefit the marginalized communities with priority.

" Current CDM projects do not necessarily guarantee sustainable development. In fact, several studies indicate that not only are measures for sustainable development being violated, but also that several such projects negatively affect the survival and livelihood needs of grassroots communities."