The New Nation - Internet Edition

Rafiqul Islam Azad

Bangladesh is far behind in taking Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects under the Kyoto Protocol to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emission.

Statistics show that out of 1,800 CDM projects approved by the CDM Executive Board of the United Nations, only two projects of Bangladesh have got the approval. On the other hand, China is leading with 580 approved CDM projects followed by India with 480 and Bazil with 130 projects.

Bangladesh is also behind in view of the projects in pipeline. Record shows that Bangladesh has only six pipeline projects while China has 1100 and India 420.

Under the CDM projects, developed countries, side by side reducing GHG emission, would be able to achieve "Certified Emission Reduction" (CER) by investing in sustainable projects in developing countries. A high official of the Ministry of Environment and Forests regretted that of the two approved Bangladesh projects, one is functional and another is non-functional.

He explained that Bangladesh so far sent eight project proposals to the CDM Executive Board of the United Nations for approval of these two were so far approved.

Both of the two approved projects were piloted by the Waste Concern, a leading NGO of the country.

Under a project, the Waste Concern generates compost fertilizer from around 200 tonnes of waste in the capital city of Dhaka. Five lakh tonnes of Certified Emission Reduction would be counted through the programme in eight years.

When contacted State Minister for Environment and Forests Dr. Hasan Mahmud admitted that Bangladesh falls behind in taking the CDM projects, what he said, due to lack of awareness.

The State Minister, however, said that the government is implementing a project to train people in different sectors for taking CDM projects. He hoped a number of projects would be taken by the end of the year and it would stand at 100 by the next year.

Fazle Rabbi Sadeque Ahmed, Director (Planning) of Department of Environment yesterday said there is huge potential of CDM projects in Bangladesh particularly in transport, waste management, energy and industry and manufacturing sectors.

He however said that few individuals or institutions are involved with the CDM project activities in developing countries. Besides, very limited numbers of public organisations are aware of the CDM process, he added.

He termed lack of awareness and capacity to develop baseline, methodology and develop PIN/PDD etc as barriers to implement CDM projects.