Dhaka, 27th July 2009: In a panel discussion held in the National Press Club Dhaka a group of country's right activists demanded reparation of Ecological Debt that the Countries in the North historically owe to the countries in the South. The speakers in the panel discussion on “Ecological Debt: We are the Creditors” said that the countries in the south are the creditors of ecological debt to the countries in the North. The panel discussion was jointly organized by EquityBD, Jubilee South APMDD, MFTD, SUPRO, Unnayan Onneshan and VOICE. The group mentioned that there are global programs in this regard and they will organize country wide awareness and mobilization towards CoP 15 of the UNFCCC to be held in Copenhagen in December 2009. The panel discussion was moderated by Mohiuddin Ahmed, while Dr.Sarba Raj Khadka of LDC Watch, Lidy Nacpil of JS-APMDD and Dr Pias Karim spoke on the historical aspects and contemporary movements on ecological debt in different countries, especially in the South American countries. Sayed Aminul Hoque of EquityBd presented the key-note paper and provoked thought on ecological debt from historical context. Rezaul Karim Chowdhuy cited example from Amrayta Sen research that during 1940 famine highest amount of revenue transferred from Bengal to British. Details

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Dhaka, 21st July 2009: In a press conference at National Press Club, Dhaka EquityBD demanded full public disclosure of the recently revised country’s Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan (CCSAP) which substituted the earlier version. The speakers said that the revised CCSAP has been considering a ‘very secret’ document and no initiative has been taken so far to disclose this to the public. Government of Bangladesh, as a counter signatory to the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change), is required to ensure people’s participation in the process of developing any country strategy. UNFCCC clearly stipulates information disclosure principles as well as access to information, public participation in the development and implementation of the country strategies and programmes on adaptation actions. Article 4.1(i) and Article 6 of the Convention addresses the issues of education, training and public awareness on the country strategies and programme. The speakers in the press conference mentioned that the UNFCCC guideline on the preparation of country adaptation strategy clearly mentioned following of participatory process, involving, in particular, local communities. The organizer, therefore, demanded full disclosure of revised CCSAP to the public. Details

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