Invironment

Bangladesh, South Korea to sign MoU for protection of forest, environment ,
Bangladesh and South Korea would sign MoU for cooperation in various areas including environment protection and forest conservation. The MOU is likely to sign during visit of the prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, to South Korea in May this year, said the state minister for Environment and Forest, Dr Hasan Mahmud, after a meeting with his Korean counterpart Dr Byung Wook in Indonesian tourist city Bali on Friday. The two leaders are in Bali now to attend the Governing Council meeting of the United Nations Environment Programme. Official sources in Dhaka said the two leaders discussed various issues including possible visit of the prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, to Korea in May this year. The South Korean minister said Korea intends to sign a MOU on cooperation in the areas of environment during the prime minister’s visit. He also said that his country is willing to provide training on environmental protection and forest conservation to the officials of Bangladesh. The minister expressed his country’s desire to bring some plant/tree species from Bangladesh to Korea. Dr Wook sought support of Bangladesh in the bid to organise the Eighteenth Conference of Parties of UN Framework on Climate Change in Korea. Dr Hasan sought Korea’s help for development and promotion of solar energy in Bangladesh. Earlier, Dr Hasan also held a meeting with UNEP Executive Secretary Achim Steiner. Steiner praised Bangladesh’s initiatives to tackle climate change and for environmental protection. He also appreciated the role of Bangladesh played in Copenhagen climate conference. Dr Hasan sought UNEP’s support to establish an International adaptation center in Bangladesh. As Dr Hasan requested UNEP to appoint a ‘Goodwill Ambassador of UNEP from Bangladesh during the next world cup cricket, the UNEP Executive Secretary said he would actively consider of it. Dr Hasan also participated in the panel discussion on bio-diversity and ecosystem, where UK secretary of state for environment Hilary Benn, Nobel prize winner Wangari Maathai, the Australian minister for environment Piter Garrett, Japan’s minister for environment Sakihito Ozawa, Maxico’s minister for environment Juan Rafael Elvira, German Federal minister for environment and nature conservation and nuclear safety Norbert Rottgen spoke. Dr Hasan in his deliberation said that climate change is not solely responsible for the loss of biodiversity. Over the last few decades more than 70 percent of the globe’s land area has been altered mainly due to human activity, he added. He said because of the expansion of the cities, infrastructural buildup, increased agricultural activities and for making shelter for increased number of population we are loosing biodiversity.