The Young Leaders Event of the launching of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) was held on the 8th August, 2014 at the Nabab Nawab Ali Senate Bhaban, Dhaka University. (Please see below for detailed news)
The event was organized in collaboration of IPCC, CDKN, LEAD with NACOM. The Young Leaders Event was participated by notable researchers, scientists and scientific communities of Bangladesh who are working on climate change.
The welcome speech was given by Prof. Dr. A. R. Mollah, Chairman, NACOM , with Mr. Ali Tauqeer Sheikh, Director, CDKN Asia, the welcome speech and brief introduction to the IPCC AR5. Dr. John Church, Coordinating Lead Author, presented his paper on IPCC Working Group I: The Physical Scientific Aspects of the Climate System and Climate Change: Sea Level Change while Mr. Dipal Chandra Barua, Lead Author, presented ‘IPCC AR5 Cross-cutting Investment and Finance Issues’.
Special Gust Mr. Abdullah Al Mohsin Chowdhury, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Forest pointed out that rice production may decrease at a range of 2.6 percent to 13.5 percent due to increase of 2° C creating a tremendous pressure on food security and that Sundarbans is highly vulnerable to climate change and it will be completely lost if the sea level rises up to 1meter and be a great loss of heritage, biodiversity, and fisheries resources. He urged the researchers, scientific community to use this valuable document to further enhance our understanding and develop our capabilities in battling climate change.
Chief Guest Prof. Dr. A A M S Arefin Siddique, Vice Chancellor, University of Dhaka called out for urgent action in climate change impacts, rather than taking long time as the costs would increase. He infused the importance of further research focus on sea level rise.
The chair of the session Dr. Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad, Chairman, Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF) elaborated on the summary and Closing Remarks. The session was concluded with vote of Thanks from Dr. SM Munjurul Hannan Khan, Country Engagement Leader, CDKN.