South Asian countries should enhance regional cooperation and sharing of environmental data to tackle climate change.
Speakers said this yesterday on the last day of a three-day conference on climate change held at Brac Centre Inn in the capital. Shelly Feldman, professor of Cornell University and president of American Institute of Bangladesh Studies, moderated the session.
South Asian region has so far failed to abide by the international environmental provisions and to use the common rivers basin-wise though people of the region are the worst victim of climate change, speakers observed.
Asif Nazrul, professor of law, Dhaka University, yesterday presented his paper on "Climate change issue: inadequacy of watercourse agreements in South Asia".
He said the South Asian practice of sharing river waters is not similar to what the other regions do. The South Asian agreements are bilateral, often project specific or restricted to a particular part of a watercourse.
The region provides no scope for basin-wise management of the rivers for adaptive measures, he added.
The political leaders of South Asia, more particularly the politicians and the civil society of smaller and lower riparian countries like Bangladesh, failed to raise their voice to ensure their rights, said Asif.
On the failure of the bilateral treaty between India and Bangladesh, Asif said it failed as it did not address the issue of water diversion by India in the upstream areas.
In her concluding remark, Shelly Feldman said such regional conferences are necessary as this can be a platform to reach a bigger audience.
Referring to very little information available for the government, civil society members and experts of Bangladesh about Tipaimukh dam, Prof Amena Mohosin of international relations department of Dhaka University said sharing environmental data among the bordering countries is very necessary as this is a question of life and death for the people.
Source : The Daily Star