Around 80 per cent of the country’s demand for electricity could be addressed by using renewable energy, including solar and wind power systems, according to an expert.
‘Germany and the Latin American countries, including Cuba, are planning to generate 80 per cent of their power by setting up renewable energy systems and we should consider the methods to tackle our power crisis,’ said Sajed Kamal, a scientist and teacher at Brandeis University, Massachusetts in the US.
He was speaking at a seminar, titled ‘Solar Energy Resource: Bangladesh’s Unutilised Energy Storehouse’, at Dhaka Reporters Unity on Friday.
Bangladesh Poribesh Andolan organised the seminar, which was chaired by former
adviser to the caretaker government and BAPA vice-president Sultana Kamal.
Professors Saiful Haque and MM Akash of Dhaka University, and Dr Khursedul Islam also spoke at the seminar.
Addressing the seminar as keynote speaker, Sajed Kamal in a power point presentation displayed the technology used by the western countries for generating power from renewable sources.
He said the entire
world was now giving attention to generate power from renewable sources.
‘It is high time for us to make immediate plans to generate power from renewable sources.’
He said, ‘Bangladesh has a great potential. We’ve huge solar and wind energy, but we never consider using these sources of energy to address our power demand.’
About the reason for global warming, Kamal said the global temperature had been rising gradually due to the use fossil fuel all over the world.
He suggested using renewable energy, including solar and wind
power to permanently address the country’s power crisis and also contribute to reducing global warming.
The expatriate scientist urged the government
to take a long-term
plan to set up renewable energy system in the country.
Saiful Haque said people thought that solar system was very costly, but they would be able to meet their power demand permanently by using solar panel.
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Nagotiation Capacity can Helf win Climate talks battle
Speakers at a workshop in Dhaka on Friday stressed the need for building up the negotiation capacity of the developing countries in global climate talks to win the ongoing battle of climate change talks.
Delegates of developing countries need to better understand the legal aspects of climate politics and strengthen country’s position at global level to enhance their legal and political capacity, they said.
Ministry of environment and forests and Oxfam- Bangladesh arranged the two-day workshop on ‘Legal briefing on UNFCCC negotiation’ for Bangladesh negotiation team taking part in the UNFCCC climate talks.
About 25 participants including government officials, NGO members and media people are taking part in the workshop arranged aimed at strengthening capacity to be aware of international laws with regards to global talks on climate change.
While inaugurating the workshop, the secretary of the MoEF, Mihir Kanti Majumder, said negotiations under the UNFCC and the Kyoto Protocol had become more complex, both the issues under discussion and the process of addressing them.
So, he said, the delegates need to augment resources as well as skills and knowledge to negotiate with larger delegations.
Noted economist and a co-author of Intergovernm-ental Panel on Climate Change Fourth Assessment Report Professor Qazi Kholiquzzaman said climate change was not now a geo- political issue. It is now very related to social and cultural aspects as it posed threat to existence of mankind.
He said developing countries like Bangladesh had to strengthen their negotiation capacity as signing of a fair, ambitious and legally binding climate agreement was not possible without their active participation.
Country director of Oxfam-Bangladesh Gareth Price Jones said in the negotiation process the developed countries always intended to dominate the developing states especially the least developing countries.
‘But we have to keep our efforts up till a FAB climate deal is achieved,’ he said.
Two lawyers from Oxfam’s Legal Response Initiative Raj Bavishi and Ilona Millar introduced the international climate laws, compliance mechanism of the laws as well as legal basis of the Copenhagen Accord.
Director general of DoE Monwar Hossain and Oxfam policy and advocacy manager Ziaul Haque Mukta also spoke on the occasion.
Delegates of developing countries need to better understand the legal aspects of climate politics and strengthen country’s position at global level to enhance their legal and political capacity, they said.
Ministry of environment and forests and Oxfam- Bangladesh arranged the two-day workshop on ‘Legal briefing on UNFCCC negotiation’ for Bangladesh negotiation team taking part in the UNFCCC climate talks.
About 25 participants including government officials, NGO members and media people are taking part in the workshop arranged aimed at strengthening capacity to be aware of international laws with regards to global talks on climate change.
While inaugurating the workshop, the secretary of the MoEF, Mihir Kanti Majumder, said negotiations under the UNFCC and the Kyoto Protocol had become more complex, both the issues under discussion and the process of addressing them.
So, he said, the delegates need to augment resources as well as skills and knowledge to negotiate with larger delegations.
Noted economist and a co-author of Intergovernm-ental Panel on Climate Change Fourth Assessment Report Professor Qazi Kholiquzzaman said climate change was not now a geo- political issue. It is now very related to social and cultural aspects as it posed threat to existence of mankind.
He said developing countries like Bangladesh had to strengthen their negotiation capacity as signing of a fair, ambitious and legally binding climate agreement was not possible without their active participation.
Country director of Oxfam-Bangladesh Gareth Price Jones said in the negotiation process the developed countries always intended to dominate the developing states especially the least developing countries.
‘But we have to keep our efforts up till a FAB climate deal is achieved,’ he said.
Two lawyers from Oxfam’s Legal Response Initiative Raj Bavishi and Ilona Millar introduced the international climate laws, compliance mechanism of the laws as well as legal basis of the Copenhagen Accord.
Director general of DoE Monwar Hossain and Oxfam policy and advocacy manager Ziaul Haque Mukta also spoke on the occasion.
Call For July 3 as National Mental Health Day
People with disabilities on Friday demanded of the government to declare July 23 as ‘national mental health day’ to commemorate the anniversary of death of Mohsin Siddique alias Lulu, a pioneer of mental health movement.
They raised the demand from an hour-long human chain they formed before the National Press Club with support from the Welfare Society for Mental Health and Rehabilitation, affiliated to the National Forum of Organisations Working with the Disabled.
Popularly known as ‘Lulu pagla’, he was himself a mental patient.
Mental health is highly neglected by the government and the national health care system, said Badrul Mannan, general secretary of the WSMHR. But, he said, no country could be made productive neglecting mental health.
Other speakers urged the government to give importance to mental health care.
They also called for involving the people to ensure transparency in making mental health law.
They called for proper treatment and mainstreaming of mental patients, instead of leaving them out.
They raised the demand from an hour-long human chain they formed before the National Press Club with support from the Welfare Society for Mental Health and Rehabilitation, affiliated to the National Forum of Organisations Working with the Disabled.
Popularly known as ‘Lulu pagla’, he was himself a mental patient.
Mental health is highly neglected by the government and the national health care system, said Badrul Mannan, general secretary of the WSMHR. But, he said, no country could be made productive neglecting mental health.
Other speakers urged the government to give importance to mental health care.
They also called for involving the people to ensure transparency in making mental health law.
They called for proper treatment and mainstreaming of mental patients, instead of leaving them out.