Shirin Sharmin seeks effective commonwealth voice on climate issue

Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) executive committee chair and Jatiya Sangsad speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury today sought effective commonwealth role in addressing the climate change issue as member states including Bangladesh were exposed to its wrath.

Dr Shirin came up with the remarks while addressing the opening session of the 36th Small Branches Conference of the 63rd Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CPC) -2017 at Hotel Radisson Blu here.

She said Bangladesh is one of the most vulnerable countries in terms of adverse impact of climate change.

Terming climate change as the a global concern, Dr Shirin said small countries are more vulnerable to adverse impact of climate change than devolved countries.

Global attention as well as collaborative efforts must be made to deal with the challenges, she said, adding this is an urgent need of the earth.

Over corruption, the CPA chairperson said the role of parliament in combating corruption is not confined to small branches, but it is a fact of global phenomenon.

The network of small branches can facilitate sharing of experiences and develop strategies to strengthen their legislatures for making them more participatory, responsive and accountable, she added.

As many as 82 delegates, including five parliamentarian speakers, joined the event, according to the CPC liaison office.

The office said 562 CPA delegates from commonwealth member states registered for attending the conference.

Earlier, CPA Small Branches chairperson Angelo Farrugia, also speaker of the parliament of Malta, while addressing a press conference said the small branches made a draft strategic plan for discussion in the 36th conference of the small branches.

"The plan includes climate change, youth participation in politics, good governance and gender equality," he added.

Farrugia said the major problem facing the small branches is a major problem of the world and the small branches cannot address it alone.

Citing an example, he said still there is a big debate whether the Paris Agreement on Climate change is going to be enforced in its totality or not.

Source: BSS