Mohammed Abdul Baten
The Daily Star- 07-11-2009
Climate negotiators from around the world gathered in Bangkok recently (28 September to 9 October, 2009) to advance talks towards a treaty for post-Kyoto regime -- 2012 under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The Bangkok talk was a part of a series of five major negotiating sessions leading up to the UN Climate Conference in Copenhagen in December, which will be further encrypted with pre-Copenhagen session in Barcelona (2-6 November 2009).
The Bangkok meeting was scheduled to organise the first part of the ninth session of the Ad Hoc Working Group on Further Commitments for Annex I parties under the Kyoto Protocol (AWG-KP) and the first part of the seventh session of the Ad Hoc Working Group on Long-term Cooperative Action under the Convention (AWG-LCA) aiming at reducing the huge negotiating text into a consolidated and effective format. However, many more were issues raised in the meeting, of which divergent views on some important issues between developed (Annex- 1 countries) and developing countries (G-77 and China, LDCs) have created tension for future climate talks, particularly on reaching an agreement in Copenhagen.
The disagreement started following the US's proposal for discussion on mitigation elements under a separate sub-group, while G -77 and China group expressed their compunction by arguing that the proposal was irrelevant and would potentially obstruct the negotiation. The US, subsequently supported by the EU, Australia, Canada, Russia, Norway, Japan, Costa Rica and Colombia, wanted to include a proposal for all parties to “implement their respective nationally appropriate mitigation actions reflected in Appendix 1” ; “to formulate and submit low-carbon strategies that articulate an emissions pathway to 2050” under the heading “mitigation elements common to all parties”. However, developing countries (G-77 and China group) strongly opposed the idea. Their argument is that the proposal is contradictory to the Convention and Bali Action Plan (BAP). The Convention and BAP clearly differentiated the mitigation commitments of developed countries and developing countries.
At the opening of the first session of the Ad-hoc Working Group on Long-term Cooperative Action in Bangkok, developing countries showed their dissatisfaction on developed countries' willingness to make progress on the constructive proposal by developing countries on climate change such as financial mechanisms, technology transfer and capacity building as directed in BNP. African group stressed on need for 5% of the GDP of developed countries to tackle climate change associated impacts in developing countries.
Bangladesh, a member of the LDCs, presented information on newly set up national fund for climate change and Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan. Along with many other developing countries, Bangladesh gave its consent in favour of G77 and China group's proposal on financial mechanisms, where they call for establishment of a number of funds for climate change mitigation and adaptation by developing countries. In case of funding sources, Bangladesh argued that it would be at least 1.5% of GDP from public sources of Annex-1 countries.
Meanwhile, the European Union has announced an euro 100 billion fund for poor countries. It is heartening, but the members contributions and modus operandi are yet to be fixed. We wish nothing disheartening occurs and this shows the path for other developed counties.
Regrettably, the promises of world leaders during the UN summit in New York to tackle climate change have not really translated into climate talk in Bangkok. Consequently, developing countries are worried about future climate negotiations. Even though developing countries are in favour of sustaining Kyoto Protocol after 2012 (Most people misunderstand that Kyoto protocol would be invalid after 2012. However, the reality is that the first commitment period will be finished in 2012 and there is option for second commitment period without terminating the protocol), but EU, Japan and other developed countries want to terminate the protocol and go for a new one.
Undoubtedly, emissions reduction by developed countries below 1990 levels are central to the climate change negotiation. But, problem lies in how much (US and Australia were not agreed to the conventional climate treaties to reduce their carbon emission, notably they did not ratified Kyoto protocol) would be reduced. UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) proposed emissions cuts of 25 to 40 percent for developed countries by 2020 compared to 1990 levels. However, developing countries demand an aggregate cut of 40 percent at least, as many of the developing countries already experiencing huge climate change impacts such as increased intensity of tropical cyclones, torrential rain and consequently flood, drought etc.
Recent data shows that China exceeds US by carbon (source: Wikipedia, 2009) emissions and India is progressively increasing its industrial development, and consequently carbon emissions. Such emerging carbon emitters are imposing new challenges to climate negotiations. Developed countries (US and their supporters), therefore, sought for a unified regulation for all countries, which is now matter of deep concern in climate change regime. Their argument is that if there is no binding limit for emerging economies (China, India) then total carbon emission reduction target will not be fulfilled.
The United States and the European Union are advocating for global emissions cut of 50% by 2050 based on 1990 levels. To achieve the target they are calling for an 80% emission reduction by the US and 80-95% by the EU. However, developing courtiers are claiming that this proposal eventually target developing countries. To them, 80% cut by developed countries would mean that developing countries would have to reduce their own emissions in absolute terms by 20% by 2050, and on a per capita basis, this would mean a 60% cut in emissions reduction (Third World Network, 2009)
Although developing countries' per capita carbon emission is lower than developed countries, but if the current trend continued then soon developing countries' total carbon emission will exceed developed countries' due to high population growth and associated per capita carbon emission. Therefore, per capita carbon emission wouldn't be an instrument for climate negotiation, developed countries apprehend. They are looking for an international mitigation commitment instead of national mitigation commitment for developing countries.
Nevertheless, developing countries claim that international mitigation commitment that is common for all will potentially affect their growth. Their concern was best expressed in Venezuela's comment, “It was simply unfair, unreasonable and unhelpful for developed countries to hide their conflicting economic interests behind efforts to re-enact olden days' landgrabs with modern days' sky-grabs”.
Debate is mounting on newly proposed concepts of 'carbon neutral development' or 'low-carbon societies' following a bill that has been passed recently by the US house of representatives, which gives the US president authority to impose financial charges (or taxes) on some imports coming from developing countries by arguing that they are not taking enough action to curb their Greenhouse Gas emissions. Developing countries are dissatisfied with such attempts of the US and even with the negotiating text regarding 'carbon neutral development'. Their concern is that by such strategy 'climate change' will be an income source of the developed countries.
The US House of Representatives also agreed to harden the rules of intellectual property rights. Therefore, technology transfer, one of the building blocks of BAP, will be a matter of dispute in near future, developing countries dread. Martin Khor of South centre warns that this protectionism in the name of climate change is poisoning the North-South relations in the two negotiating arenas on climate change and trade.
Tallberg Foundation of Sweden in a recent report (Grasping the climate crisis, 2008) blamed developed countries for their delaying efforts to strengthen the international climate regime. They warned “even if best possible agreement signed in Copenhagen is likely to fail or be ineffective because of the lack of political will to prioritise environment over short-term economic and geopolitical strategic interests”.
However, in spite of uncertainty, we are optimistic for an effective deal in Copenhagen. We hope for surviving the Anthropocene (the recent era is termed), the world leaders will reach an agreement in Copenhagen. Indeed, we are waiting to see a new morning after COP 15 when the global community will be united to pursue a common goal for saving our planet from peril.
The writer is a research associate at Unnayan Onneshan, an independent think-tank based in Dhaka.
বুধবার, ২৫ নভেম্বর, ২০০৯
সোমবার, ২৩ মার্চ, ২০০৯
Gender aspects of climate change
Published On: 2008-11-29 in The Daily Star (Environment)
Mohammed Abdul Baten and Niaz Ahmed Khan
Until recently, most people treated climate change as a matter of scientific discourse, or at best a technical issue discussed and debated in highbrow academic seminars and 'expert consultations'. Of late, however, the pervasive effects of climate change hovering over economic to social to political sectors that bind people of every stage in the society-- regardless of race, caste, ethnicity, sex, and level of income -- have forced this traditional “far-off” perception of climate to change into one of the hard realities of everyday life.
Case studies from across the globe allude to the uncomfortable fact that climate change impacts are more heavily felt by poor nations and communities due to their weaker resistance capacity. This predicament is also indicative of the existing inequalities. Gender discrimination -- one of most striking dimension and manifestation of such inequalities -- has often remained typically overlooked in climate change-related discussions and interventions.
Apparently, women are more vulnerable to climate disasters than men through their socially constructed roles and responsibilities, and their relatively poorer and more economically vulnerable position especially in the developing world. Gender inequalities with respect to enjoyment of human rights, political and economic status, land ownership, housing conditions, exposure to violence, education and health (in particular reproductive and sexual health) -- make women more vulnerable before, during and after climate change-induced disasters.
In academia, gender refers to the social roles and relations between women and men which include different responsibilities of women and men in a given culture and location. Gender analysis, however, is closely related to power analysis, and recognised as an important conceptual tool in addressing differential vulnerabilities, and predicaments of women (vis-à-vis men) -- arising out of social norms, customs or even, state policies.
Women, generally, are responsible for reproductive tasks such as food collection and energy supply for the household as well as many care-giving tasks, such as caring for the children, sick and elderly and the home and assets. In many societies, socio-cultural norms and care giving responsibilities prevent women from migrating to look for shelter and work when a disaster hits. Water, sanitation and health challenges put an extra burden on women in case of any disaster. Moreover, women are often seen to embrace risk to rescue others during disaster situations in a characteristically self-sacrificing attitude.
A recent study conducted jointly by the London School of Economics, the University of Essex and the Max-Planck Institute of Economics, analyzing natural disasters between 1981 and 2002 of 141 countries reveals evidences of socially constructed gender specific vulnerability of women built into everyday socio-economic patterns that leads to the relatively higher female disaster mortality rates compared to those of men. For example, the 1991 cyclone in Bangladesh killed 138,000 people, many of whom were women and older than 40 years.
During and immediately after disasters, deaths, diseases and injuries occur from such incidences as waterborne diseases, snake bites, drowning, fall of large trees and collapse of physical structures. In all such cases of danger, women are particularly susceptible. Furthermore, lack of medical facilities, malnutrition, disrupted supply of pure drinking water and lack of proper sanitation facilities make women's life increasingly vulnerable.
During cyclones and floods, women and adolescent girls suffer as sanitation systems are destroyed. Pregnant women, lactating mothers and differently-abled (disabled) women suffer the most -- as they find it difficult to quickly move to safety before and after any disaster hit.
In developing countries like Bangladesh, women are more calorie-deficient than men (the male members in a family have the "right" to consume the best portions of the food, and the female members have to content themselves with the left-overs) and have more problems during disasters to cope with. Moreover, an increase in the number of female-headed households (because of male out-migration to cities or overseas destinations) also amplifies women's responsibilities and vulnerabilities during natural disasters. Therefore, in case of disasters, often women are also seen to struggle to cope with their household tasks or to find a safe shelter.
In the societies where dogmatic religious customs and rituals prevail, most often disaster relief efforts pay little or no attention to women's reproductive and sexual health guided by superstitions, and as a result, women's health suffers disproportionately. There are incidents often reported in the media where women have been abused sexually by the male relief seekers in congestion during the distribution of relief goods and services. This has put off many deserving women from participation in relief programmes despite their great need and demand.
During natural disasters, more women die (compared to men) because they are not adequately warned, cannot swim well or cannot leave the house alone (UNFCCC COP-11, 2005). Moreover, lower levels of education reduce the ability of women and girls to access information including early warning, and resources, or to make their voices heard.
Various natural calamities such as drought, deforestation and erratic rainfall cause women to work harder to secure (natural) resources and livelihood. In such situations, women have less time to earn income, get an education or training, or to participate in institutional fora (e.g. governing bodies). Despite governmental support, poor girls regularly drop out of school to help their mothers to gather wood and water in the changed harsher climatic condition.
Bangladesh happens to be the most vulnerable country to the impacts of climate change as Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC-the global watchdog on climate change impacts) warned in their latest report, because of its regional connectivity through geo-physical and hydrological features and its livelihood reliance on trade.
In Bangladesh, women in low-income households are heavily involved in economic activities, mostly around homestead-based production, which contributes up to 16% of the household income (CPD 2004). Independent livelihoods managed by women-headed households are also an important aspect of the rural economy of South Asia, and contribute upto 15% of the rural households income in Bangladesh (CPD 2000). When poor women lose their livelihoods, they slip deeper into poverty; the gender-induced inequality and marginalization they suffer from also correspondingly increase. Climate change thus poses a very specific threat to their security.
Unfortunately, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has failed to recognize the gender aspects of climate change until recently, and omitted the issues of gender equality and women's participation entirely in climate policies. Eventually, in a compensatory effort, the COP-13 (2007) in Bali, the gendercc - Women for Climate Justice network of women's organizations and individuals, as well as the Global Gender and Climate Change Alliance of UN organizations, IUCN (International Union for Nature Conservation) and WEDO (Women's Environment and Development Organization) along with other international organizations have been established.
It is intriguing that regardless of UNFCCC's failure to incorporate gender equality as a cross-cutting issue, gender equality is a guiding principle in NAPA design and it was advised to include gender expertise in NAPA teams. Many of the national reports submitted by signatory nations to the UNFCCC Secretariat emphasize the vulnerability of women and the importance of gender equality, though in different formats.
In fact, incorporation of gender perspective in global and national climate change policies, documents, programmes and budgets is imperative for any meaningful effort against the negative externalities of climate change. Moreover, gender-sensitive indicators for use by governments in national reports to UNFCCC and related policies and mechanisms should be developed.
Furthermore, enhancement of institutional capacity to mainstream gender in global and national climate change and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) policies and operations through the development of gender policies, gender awareness, internal and external gender capacity and expertise, and the development and application of relevant mechanisms and tools should be prioritized.
As women constitute half of total population of Bangladesh, climate change adaptation and mitigation policies must address the gender issues. In this respect, for concrete and integrated actions against climate change, women's participation in climate change decisions should be assured.
Women are often portrayed as unworthy and incapable of engaging themselves in environmental and climate change related negotiations and strategic planning. This historical neglect and associated invisibility of women's role ought to be reversed. It is high time to incorporate gender issues in environmental and climate change policies and actions from a 'human rights' point of view.
Mohammed Abdul Baten [baten_123@yahoo.com] is pursuing higher studies at University of Stockholm, Sweden; currently working in Mangrove project, Indonesia.
Dr. Niaz Ahmed Khan [niaz.khan@yahoo.com] is Professor of Development Studies, University of Dhaka; currently working for the Oxford University's Queen Elizabeth House as Visiting Commonwealth Fellow.
Impacts of climate change: Global to local
Published On: 2008-02-15 in The Daily Star (Environment)
Ronju Ahammad and Mohammed Abdul Baten
The UN climate advisory body Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has warned that global environmental change will entail increasing climate variability and increased occurrence of extreme weather events. Since 1750s onwards overall accelerated human-societal development led to activities like burning of fossil fuel, land use change and extensive agricultural practices which have ensued irreversible loss to the bio-capacity of present earth. Best estimation shows about sixty percent of the ecosystems are being degraded or exploited unsustainably across the globe; and these sorts of pressures increase the risk of trade-offs in ecosystem functions. Climate change is occurring continuously over the time, but it has become an international issue when scientists agreed on 'global warming' and started drawing future scenario impacts with their research experiences. Now, the atmospheric concentration of greenhouse gases (GHGs), especially carbon dioxide, has exceeded its previous rate in last 650,000 years and caused the rise of global temperature by 0.740 C over the past 100 years (1905-2006); and if it so continued, it is obvious that present climate will change its trajectories negatively in 21st century. Generally speaking, climate change is characterised by increased temperature, alteration in rainfall and seasonal distribution across the globe. Though, it is easier to predict climate change at global level, but difficult at regional or local level. It is to believe that global average temperature will rise between 0.50 C and 1.70 C by the 2050s, but the magnitude of prediction may vary from region to region. Though, precipitation is thought to increase but its distribution would be uneven from regional to continental scale. Between 1900 and 2005, data shows increased precipitation in eastern parts of North and South America, Northern Europe and Northern and Central Asia and drying in the Sahel, the Mediterranean, South Africa and parts of South Asia. Climate change has negative impacts on pro-poor growth, and exacerbates inequalities in economic growth between developing and developed countries. With increased extreme climate events such as floods, droughts and cyclones, some important basic necessities such as food security, access to water and natural resources, better housing and infrastructure are now at stake. Warming of 20C will cause risk of hunger, malaria, flooding and water shortage everywhere, but these threats are most severe in developing countries, in particular for the poor people within the countries. Due to living conditions and dependency on natural resources, poor people and their livelihood assets are more vulnerable to climate shocks. Most of the poor people of African countries are increasingly becoming vulnerable to climate variability because of combined multiple stresses like HIV, declining yield potential, power conflict, drought and low adaptive capacity. Moreover, between 75 million and 250 million people are expected to be exposed to increased water stress because of climate change by 2020.Climate change is supposed to impede sustainable development in Asia because of human induced pressures on natural resources for rapid urbanisation, industrialisation and economic development. It is apprehended that crop yields continue to decrease by up to 30 percent in Central and South Asia by the mid 21st century coupled with rapid population growth, and the possible risks of hunger will remain very high in several developing countries. In the next two or three decades, glacier melting in The Himalayas is projected to increase flooding and rock avalanching that would affect water resources. Due to climate change which, along with population growth and demands from higher standards of living, create decreasing trend in freshwater availability in Central, South, East and South-East Asia, particularly in large river basins. Due to increased temperature and associated floods, droughts, and people's poor nutrition level, diarrhoea is already most endemic in East, South and South-East Asian regions. Besides, there is an increased risk of malarial outbreak in South Asia as a result of dramatic climate change, faulty urbanisation, agriculture practices and deforestation.Climate change not only considered as the burden of developing countries, it also affects the developed parts. Most of the European countries are thought to be negatively affected by future impacts of climate change such as heat waves, risk of inland flash floods, frequent coastal flooding and erosion due to storminess and sea level rise, and the kinds of changes will pose great challenge to economic sector and regional equity. Water security may be intense due to reduced precipitation and increased evaporation in Southern and Eastern Australia and New Zealand by 2030. Moreover, significant loss of biodiversity is projected to occur by 2020 in some ecologically rich sites including the Great Barrier Reef and Queensland Wet Tropics. Besides, in the Polar regions, the main projected biophysical effects are reductions in thickness and extent of glaciers and ice sheets, and changes in natural ecosystems with detrimental effects on many organisms including migratory birds, mammals and higher predators. Almost every year, due to various natural hazards, Bangladesh is subject to colossal loss of life and of property. New study confirms that an 1m rise in sea level would displace 13 million people, damage 16 percent of national rice production in Bangladesh as well as cause extinction of valuable flora and fauna of the mangrove forest 'Sundarbans'. If sea surface temperature is increased by 10C in the Bay of Bengal then tropical cyclone intensity would be increased by 10 percent in the adjacent areas. Recent experience of tropical cyclone 'Sidr' that hit Bangladesh in 2007 is that it affected the livelihoods of millions of people, caused death of more than 4000 people and loss of nearly 1.6 million acres of standing crops, poultry, fishery, livestock, horticulture and valuable flora and fauna of Sundarbans.Now-a-days, flood is becoming recurrent event every year, and its prolongation has a negative impact on socio-economic growth, and worsens the adaptability of poor people to shocks critically. A natural disaster survey group recorded 137 cyclones and 64 floods in Bangladesh between 1907 and 2004, and the estimated loss was worth approximately US Dollar 30 billion which is equivalent to 4 years national budget of the country. As temperature is projected to increase due to human induced emissions of greenhouse gases, and degradation of ecosystem services could become worse over the next 50 years, therefore, climate change is likely to be severe in coming decades. Climate change and resultant regional or local environmental shocks are eroding individual's adaptive capacity and increasing socio-ecological vulnerability. Moreover, people's traditional coping strategies are inadequate and have been weakened to deal with climate change. Though, it is difficult, yet not impossible to mitigate climate crises. In this regard, experts and concerned international bodies demand the necessity of significant changes in policy that will integrate future climate risks, and strengthen the perception of humanity and environment as interdependent and interacting. That is to say, more socio-ecological learning, change in consumption behaviour to common property resources ( pristine or nobody's property ), horizontal and vertical collaboration at multi-level stakeholders within the countries or regions, and trust building between developing and developed countries about climate issue in an equitable way, may contribute to face the upcoming climate threats.
Ronju Ahammad and Mohammed Abdul Baten are studying ecosystems, governance and globalisation at Stockholm University, Sweden.
Climate Change and Trade: time to think about feedbacks
Published on 03-05-2008 in The Daily Bangladesh Today
Mohammed Abdul Baten
Trade and environment are most often recognized in competing interests. A larger portion of existing global environmental policy is, in fact, based on creating, regulating and managing markets.
The issue of climate change and trade are now more intertwined and each is becoming increasingly dependant on the other. Climate change is fundamentally altering the competitive landscapes for trade. It exposes companies to physical risk of such as increased intensity and frequency of weather events, droughts, floods, storms, and sea level rise; and regulatory and competitive risk associated with mitigation strategies such as exposure to increasing costs of carbon. Meanwhile, raw materials constraints are starting to bite, affecting production of industries. On the contrary, trade itself exert pressures on the environment. The very fact of increased trade, in and itself, will lead directly to more global greenhouses gases (GHGs) emissions from increased transport of goods. Moreover, increases in international grain prices may increase the profitability of agriculture, and result in the expansion of farming forested land that increases soil erosion and eventually causes land degradation. Likewise, wildlife trade is contributing to the rapid decline of ecologically important species such as Saiga Antelope. Besides, International trade also exacerbate environment problems indirectly. For example, production subsidies in fishing sector can promote over fishing. Whereas, local trade often affect environment adversely more than international trade. In developing countries, for instance, subsidies in fertilizer and pesticides to grow more food are mostly contributing to water pollution.Trade and environment are most often recognized in competing interests. A larger portion of existing global environmental policy is, in fact, based on creating, regulating and managing markets. The most obvious examples are direct trade- related instruments like the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) or the Basel Convention on Trade in Hazardous Waste. But even less obvious instruments such as the Climate Convention, specially through its emission trading provisions or the Biodiversity Convention (Through, for example, the Cartagena Protocol on Living Modified Organisms) operate within created or existing market places and markets are a central element of their design and implementation. In line to the global reduction of Carbon dioxide (CO2) treaty (Kyoto protocol), not ratified by USA, many industrialised countries are worried about potential impact that mandatory carbon reduction targets would have on their economies. On the other hand, increased trade resulted from trade liberalization, which increases standards of living by achieving more luxurious production of goods and services that have negative impacts on climate change; the more goods and services produced, the more GHGs emitted. Moreover, trade liberalization policies formulised by different international organisations such as World Trade Organization (WTO), World Bank etc. - impede carbon emission strategies in many ways. Among these is the one that any plan that exempts developing countries from emissions limits would be ineffective because carbon-intensive industries of developed countries would simply shift their operations to one of the exempt countries. Therefore, it will undercut environmental benefits of the Kyoto protocol or successor agreement. Furthermore, uneven trade flows result in more economically polarised world, some parts are becoming poorer and people have less access to costly environment friendly instruments that further exacerbate environmental degradation.Besides the contested position, some argue that trade and environment regimes can be complementary and even mutually reinforcing. For example, trade policies and investment agreements in particular, may bring new techniques of production that are more environment friendly and energy efficient, and therefore emit fewer GHGs per unit output, such as initiation of solar, wind and bio-fuel technologies. This may be due to foreign investors bringing new technologies, or domestic firms having to increase efficiencies in face of foreign competition.Trade and climate policies may not seem naturally allies. But, inclusion of climate concern on the trade agenda is now obvious. More clearly, trade's ability to foster growth and increased well being depends ultimately on a healthy environment. The Stern Report (2006) supports it by calculating that the costs of action on climate change are in fact less than the costs of inaction, and noting that failing to address the problem creates the equivalent of a 20% loss of GDP globally. In such a context, fundamental goals of multilateral trading systems are impossible to achieve. Therefore, there is increasing international interest in designing the rules and mechanisms of international trade regimes and investment policies that fit with climate policies. And following its lead, the Doha round of WTO negotiations has acknowledged this intrinsic connection by placing environment squarely on the trade negotiation agenda. (Mohammed Abdul Baten; Master's in Ecosystems, Governance and Globalisation, Stockholm Resilience Centre, Stockholm University, Sweden.)
Mohammed Abdul Baten
Trade and environment are most often recognized in competing interests. A larger portion of existing global environmental policy is, in fact, based on creating, regulating and managing markets.
The issue of climate change and trade are now more intertwined and each is becoming increasingly dependant on the other. Climate change is fundamentally altering the competitive landscapes for trade. It exposes companies to physical risk of such as increased intensity and frequency of weather events, droughts, floods, storms, and sea level rise; and regulatory and competitive risk associated with mitigation strategies such as exposure to increasing costs of carbon. Meanwhile, raw materials constraints are starting to bite, affecting production of industries. On the contrary, trade itself exert pressures on the environment. The very fact of increased trade, in and itself, will lead directly to more global greenhouses gases (GHGs) emissions from increased transport of goods. Moreover, increases in international grain prices may increase the profitability of agriculture, and result in the expansion of farming forested land that increases soil erosion and eventually causes land degradation. Likewise, wildlife trade is contributing to the rapid decline of ecologically important species such as Saiga Antelope. Besides, International trade also exacerbate environment problems indirectly. For example, production subsidies in fishing sector can promote over fishing. Whereas, local trade often affect environment adversely more than international trade. In developing countries, for instance, subsidies in fertilizer and pesticides to grow more food are mostly contributing to water pollution.Trade and environment are most often recognized in competing interests. A larger portion of existing global environmental policy is, in fact, based on creating, regulating and managing markets. The most obvious examples are direct trade- related instruments like the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) or the Basel Convention on Trade in Hazardous Waste. But even less obvious instruments such as the Climate Convention, specially through its emission trading provisions or the Biodiversity Convention (Through, for example, the Cartagena Protocol on Living Modified Organisms) operate within created or existing market places and markets are a central element of their design and implementation. In line to the global reduction of Carbon dioxide (CO2) treaty (Kyoto protocol), not ratified by USA, many industrialised countries are worried about potential impact that mandatory carbon reduction targets would have on their economies. On the other hand, increased trade resulted from trade liberalization, which increases standards of living by achieving more luxurious production of goods and services that have negative impacts on climate change; the more goods and services produced, the more GHGs emitted. Moreover, trade liberalization policies formulised by different international organisations such as World Trade Organization (WTO), World Bank etc. - impede carbon emission strategies in many ways. Among these is the one that any plan that exempts developing countries from emissions limits would be ineffective because carbon-intensive industries of developed countries would simply shift their operations to one of the exempt countries. Therefore, it will undercut environmental benefits of the Kyoto protocol or successor agreement. Furthermore, uneven trade flows result in more economically polarised world, some parts are becoming poorer and people have less access to costly environment friendly instruments that further exacerbate environmental degradation.Besides the contested position, some argue that trade and environment regimes can be complementary and even mutually reinforcing. For example, trade policies and investment agreements in particular, may bring new techniques of production that are more environment friendly and energy efficient, and therefore emit fewer GHGs per unit output, such as initiation of solar, wind and bio-fuel technologies. This may be due to foreign investors bringing new technologies, or domestic firms having to increase efficiencies in face of foreign competition.Trade and climate policies may not seem naturally allies. But, inclusion of climate concern on the trade agenda is now obvious. More clearly, trade's ability to foster growth and increased well being depends ultimately on a healthy environment. The Stern Report (2006) supports it by calculating that the costs of action on climate change are in fact less than the costs of inaction, and noting that failing to address the problem creates the equivalent of a 20% loss of GDP globally. In such a context, fundamental goals of multilateral trading systems are impossible to achieve. Therefore, there is increasing international interest in designing the rules and mechanisms of international trade regimes and investment policies that fit with climate policies. And following its lead, the Doha round of WTO negotiations has acknowledged this intrinsic connection by placing environment squarely on the trade negotiation agenda. (Mohammed Abdul Baten; Master's in Ecosystems, Governance and Globalisation, Stockholm Resilience Centre, Stockholm University, Sweden.)
Climate change and Islam
Published on Volume 7,Issue 37 (March 7-14,2009) Probenewsmagazine
The tenets of Islam address the issue of climate change
by Mohammed Abdul Baten
Climate change in recent times has led to discussions at various international forums. The recent Stern review (2006) shows how devastating the impacts of climate change will be, both on economy and society. The pervasive affects of this change regardless of territorial boundaries have forced international communities to include representatives from all sectors of the community in climate talks. Communities are analysing climate change from different points of view ranging from pure scientific to socio-political aspects. Recently, ethical and religious dimensions of climate change have also gained attention.
Religion is the oldest and most accepted institution in the world and holds the potential to reach and influence large numbers of people. In terms of numbers, 4.7 billion of the world’s population (6.38 billion) identify with one of the world’s 12 classical organized religions, ranging from about 2 million to 2 billion adherents each. Therefore, taking into account the vast majority of religious believers, an appeal for individual environmental responsibility could use as a part of its argument, at least, an appeal to the individual’s religious beliefs.
Religion is an appeal to the heart and higher values that inspire individuals and societies to transcend narrow self-interests. It helps in establishing moderation, restraint and sacrifice for the common good such as changing our unsustainable consumption behaviour responsible for emitting more CO2 (prime agent of global warming).
The success of environmentalist initiatives hinges not only on new developments in science and technology, but on a state of mind that is bound to be influenced as much (or more) by the power of images, narratives, metaphors, and appeals to feeling as by appeals to data, statistics, expertise, and formal reasoning; and religion has the power to reconstruct peoples’ mental map.
Formal and informal institutions that shape human behaviour and lifestyle are influenced to a greater part by religious beliefs. Such influence of religion creates an opportunity to use its enormous force in developing effective strategies against climate change.
Though impacts of climate change are unbiased, Muslim countries, commonly identified as world’s poor block, are mostly affected due to their lower resistance power and geographic location. Cyclone Sidr in Bangladesh is one of the recent examples of climate change affect on Muslim countries. The environment of Muslim countries is severely degraded. Islam has clear guidelines about environmental management but ignorance about Islamic knowledge, insufficient environmental research and unregulated and religiously unsupportive lifestyles of Muslims are responsible for this.
The Almighty has created all things on earth for the well-being of humans and in a balanced condition. Allah announces in the holy Qur’an, “And the earth we have spread out (like a carpet); set thereon mountains firm and immovable; and produced therein all kinds of things in due balance” (Surah Al-Hijar, Ayat 19). Unfortunately, forgetting the real teaching of Islam, man uses natural resources in an unfettered manner that leads to extinction of many plants and animals. This loss of valuable biodiversity is responsible for imbalance in the natural environment and frequent natural hazards.
Islamic lifestyle is based on the Qur’an and the Sunnah. Islamic teaching offers an opportunity to understand the natural order and to define human responsibility. Clearly, Islam imposes four responsibilities on man. These are responsibilities to the Creator (Allah), responsibilities to oneself, responsibilities to humanity, and responsibilities to all creatures. How these responsibilities will be executed is given in the Qur’an and Sunnah.
The teaching of Islam about environment stands on three principals - Tawheed, Mizan and Khalifa.
Tawheed is the main pillar of Islamic belief which states the oneness of the Creator (Allah) and his supremacy over everything on earth and it is to be believed that he is the creator of everything on earth. Allah says, “But to Allah belong all things in the heavens and on earth; and he it is that encompasseth all things” (Surah An-Nisaa, Ayat 126).Therefore, any abuse of creature is considered as sin in Islam.
Mizan is the principal of balance. Everything on the earth, the sun, the moon, the stars, and all the creations always follow a natural order, set by the Almighty. If they do not conform to the natural laws, it would be impossible for life function on earth. Therefore, we have responsibility to abide by the natural order and taking care of everything instead of violating their normal structure. In the Qur’an Allah says, “(Allah) Most Gracious! It is He Who has taught the Qur’an. He has created man: He has taught him speech (and Intelligence). The sun and the moon follow courses (exactly) computed; And the herbs and the trees both (alike) bow in adoration. And the Firmament has He raised high, and He has set up the Balance, in order that ye may not transgress (due) Balance” (Surah Ar-Rahman, Ayat 1-8).
Khalifa or the role of stewardship is the duty that the Almighty ascribed to Human. Allah created human as the best creature and it is responsibility of them to take care rest of other creatures. In this regard, in the Qur’an Allah says, “It is He Who hath made you (his) agents, inheritors of the earth: He Hath raised you in ranks, some above others: that He may try you in the gifts He Hath given you: for Thy Lord is quick is punishment: yet He is indeed Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful” (Surah Al-An’Am, Ayat 165). He also declares, “There is not an animal (that lives) on earth, nor a being that flies on its wings, but (forms part of) communities like you. Nothing have we omitted from the book, and they (all) shall be gathered to their lord in the end ” (Surah Al-An’Am, Ayat 38). The greatest Prophet Mohammed (Pbuh) also believed that man is the caretaker of all creatures not owner.
In Islam, any kind of pollution is seen as illegal activity and the Almighty warned humankind against this. He announces, “Mischief has appeared on land and sea because of (the meed) that the hands of man have earned, that (Allah) may give them a taste of their Deeds: In order that they may turn back (from the Evil)” (Surah Ar-Rum, Ayat 41). Therefore, worldwide increased intensity of natural hazards is the consequence of our irrational actions.
To get rid of the impacts of climate change, must emphasise on increasing the adaptive capacity of human. Increasing tree coverage, conservation of biodiversity, appropriate land management, rational use of water resources, and overall changing our wrecked consumption behaviour could contribute positively to the current endeavours against climate change. Islam gives us clear guidelines about natural resources management to face the challenges of climate change.
The Prophet (Pbuh) emphasises on sustainable management of fertile land and tree plantation. He announces, “If a Muslim plant a tree, that parts of it produces consumed by men will be as almsgiving for him. Any fruit stolen from the trees will be as almsgiving for him. That which the birds eat will also be almsgiving for him. Any of its produce which people may eat thus diminishing it, will be as almsgiving for the Muslim who planted it”. In another Hadith [The saying of the Prophet (Pbuh)] He declares, “If Muslim plants a tree, then whatever is eaten from it by birds is a charity, and whatever is stolen is also a charity”.
Water is considered as gift from the Allah by the Muslims. In the holy Qur’an, water is described as basis of life on earth, “Do not the Unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined together (as one Unit of Creation), before we clove them asunder? We made from water every living thing. Will they not then believe? ” (Surah Anbiya, Ayat 30). The science has also come to consensus that water is the primary source of life on earth. Water has given great importance in Islam, and in the Qur’an the word ‘Water’ (Arabic-Ma) is used 63 times.
Mohammed (Pbuh) was concerned about sustainable management of water resources. He declared the vicinity of water sources as protected areas for safeguarding its purity and ensuring continuous supply. Influenced by this principle, many countries declare the natural water sources as ‘protected area’ like the starting point of river. Namaz is one of the pillars of Islam, and for it one has to be clean and sanctified through Wadu that needs pure and clean water. The prophet (Pbuh) was very conscious about water pollution and its controlled use. He was very strict about water pollution and forbade his followers to urinate in stagnant water.
We have no alternative to sustainable use of natural resources to protect ourselves from climate change. We have to change our reckless resource use pattern. The Holy Qur’an declares, “It is He Who produceth gardens, with trellises and without, and dated, and tilth with produce of all kinds, and olives and pomegranates, similar (in kind) and different (in variety): eat their fruit in their season, but render the dues that are proper on the day that the harvest is gathered. But waste not by excess: For Allah loveth not the wasters” (Surah Al An’Am, Ayahat 141).
Bangladesh is one of the countries most affected by climate change. We should have appropriate strategies for climate change. Islamic knowledge about environment would be an influential tool to shape peoples’ mindset about nature management. Unfortunately, now-a-days we see terrorism in the name of Islam and the manipulation of peoples’ religious empathy in dirty politics.
Being one of the largest Muslim countries in the world, Bangladesh can use religious beliefs to face climate change. The government can include the Imams and religious leaders in climate talk to motivate people. The ministry of religious affairs, the Islamic foundation, and Islamic studies department of different universities can conduct research on various aspects of climate change from Islamic perspective and disseminate the knowledge to the people. That could contribute positively to our current endeavours against climate change.
The writer is pursuing higher studies in Stockholm University, Sweden
The tenets of Islam address the issue of climate change
by Mohammed Abdul Baten
Climate change in recent times has led to discussions at various international forums. The recent Stern review (2006) shows how devastating the impacts of climate change will be, both on economy and society. The pervasive affects of this change regardless of territorial boundaries have forced international communities to include representatives from all sectors of the community in climate talks. Communities are analysing climate change from different points of view ranging from pure scientific to socio-political aspects. Recently, ethical and religious dimensions of climate change have also gained attention.
Religion is the oldest and most accepted institution in the world and holds the potential to reach and influence large numbers of people. In terms of numbers, 4.7 billion of the world’s population (6.38 billion) identify with one of the world’s 12 classical organized religions, ranging from about 2 million to 2 billion adherents each. Therefore, taking into account the vast majority of religious believers, an appeal for individual environmental responsibility could use as a part of its argument, at least, an appeal to the individual’s religious beliefs.
Religion is an appeal to the heart and higher values that inspire individuals and societies to transcend narrow self-interests. It helps in establishing moderation, restraint and sacrifice for the common good such as changing our unsustainable consumption behaviour responsible for emitting more CO2 (prime agent of global warming).
The success of environmentalist initiatives hinges not only on new developments in science and technology, but on a state of mind that is bound to be influenced as much (or more) by the power of images, narratives, metaphors, and appeals to feeling as by appeals to data, statistics, expertise, and formal reasoning; and religion has the power to reconstruct peoples’ mental map.
Formal and informal institutions that shape human behaviour and lifestyle are influenced to a greater part by religious beliefs. Such influence of religion creates an opportunity to use its enormous force in developing effective strategies against climate change.
Though impacts of climate change are unbiased, Muslim countries, commonly identified as world’s poor block, are mostly affected due to their lower resistance power and geographic location. Cyclone Sidr in Bangladesh is one of the recent examples of climate change affect on Muslim countries. The environment of Muslim countries is severely degraded. Islam has clear guidelines about environmental management but ignorance about Islamic knowledge, insufficient environmental research and unregulated and religiously unsupportive lifestyles of Muslims are responsible for this.
The Almighty has created all things on earth for the well-being of humans and in a balanced condition. Allah announces in the holy Qur’an, “And the earth we have spread out (like a carpet); set thereon mountains firm and immovable; and produced therein all kinds of things in due balance” (Surah Al-Hijar, Ayat 19). Unfortunately, forgetting the real teaching of Islam, man uses natural resources in an unfettered manner that leads to extinction of many plants and animals. This loss of valuable biodiversity is responsible for imbalance in the natural environment and frequent natural hazards.
Islamic lifestyle is based on the Qur’an and the Sunnah. Islamic teaching offers an opportunity to understand the natural order and to define human responsibility. Clearly, Islam imposes four responsibilities on man. These are responsibilities to the Creator (Allah), responsibilities to oneself, responsibilities to humanity, and responsibilities to all creatures. How these responsibilities will be executed is given in the Qur’an and Sunnah.
The teaching of Islam about environment stands on three principals - Tawheed, Mizan and Khalifa.
Tawheed is the main pillar of Islamic belief which states the oneness of the Creator (Allah) and his supremacy over everything on earth and it is to be believed that he is the creator of everything on earth. Allah says, “But to Allah belong all things in the heavens and on earth; and he it is that encompasseth all things” (Surah An-Nisaa, Ayat 126).Therefore, any abuse of creature is considered as sin in Islam.
Mizan is the principal of balance. Everything on the earth, the sun, the moon, the stars, and all the creations always follow a natural order, set by the Almighty. If they do not conform to the natural laws, it would be impossible for life function on earth. Therefore, we have responsibility to abide by the natural order and taking care of everything instead of violating their normal structure. In the Qur’an Allah says, “(Allah) Most Gracious! It is He Who has taught the Qur’an. He has created man: He has taught him speech (and Intelligence). The sun and the moon follow courses (exactly) computed; And the herbs and the trees both (alike) bow in adoration. And the Firmament has He raised high, and He has set up the Balance, in order that ye may not transgress (due) Balance” (Surah Ar-Rahman, Ayat 1-8).
Khalifa or the role of stewardship is the duty that the Almighty ascribed to Human. Allah created human as the best creature and it is responsibility of them to take care rest of other creatures. In this regard, in the Qur’an Allah says, “It is He Who hath made you (his) agents, inheritors of the earth: He Hath raised you in ranks, some above others: that He may try you in the gifts He Hath given you: for Thy Lord is quick is punishment: yet He is indeed Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful” (Surah Al-An’Am, Ayat 165). He also declares, “There is not an animal (that lives) on earth, nor a being that flies on its wings, but (forms part of) communities like you. Nothing have we omitted from the book, and they (all) shall be gathered to their lord in the end ” (Surah Al-An’Am, Ayat 38). The greatest Prophet Mohammed (Pbuh) also believed that man is the caretaker of all creatures not owner.
In Islam, any kind of pollution is seen as illegal activity and the Almighty warned humankind against this. He announces, “Mischief has appeared on land and sea because of (the meed) that the hands of man have earned, that (Allah) may give them a taste of their Deeds: In order that they may turn back (from the Evil)” (Surah Ar-Rum, Ayat 41). Therefore, worldwide increased intensity of natural hazards is the consequence of our irrational actions.
To get rid of the impacts of climate change, must emphasise on increasing the adaptive capacity of human. Increasing tree coverage, conservation of biodiversity, appropriate land management, rational use of water resources, and overall changing our wrecked consumption behaviour could contribute positively to the current endeavours against climate change. Islam gives us clear guidelines about natural resources management to face the challenges of climate change.
The Prophet (Pbuh) emphasises on sustainable management of fertile land and tree plantation. He announces, “If a Muslim plant a tree, that parts of it produces consumed by men will be as almsgiving for him. Any fruit stolen from the trees will be as almsgiving for him. That which the birds eat will also be almsgiving for him. Any of its produce which people may eat thus diminishing it, will be as almsgiving for the Muslim who planted it”. In another Hadith [The saying of the Prophet (Pbuh)] He declares, “If Muslim plants a tree, then whatever is eaten from it by birds is a charity, and whatever is stolen is also a charity”.
Water is considered as gift from the Allah by the Muslims. In the holy Qur’an, water is described as basis of life on earth, “Do not the Unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined together (as one Unit of Creation), before we clove them asunder? We made from water every living thing. Will they not then believe? ” (Surah Anbiya, Ayat 30). The science has also come to consensus that water is the primary source of life on earth. Water has given great importance in Islam, and in the Qur’an the word ‘Water’ (Arabic-Ma) is used 63 times.
Mohammed (Pbuh) was concerned about sustainable management of water resources. He declared the vicinity of water sources as protected areas for safeguarding its purity and ensuring continuous supply. Influenced by this principle, many countries declare the natural water sources as ‘protected area’ like the starting point of river. Namaz is one of the pillars of Islam, and for it one has to be clean and sanctified through Wadu that needs pure and clean water. The prophet (Pbuh) was very conscious about water pollution and its controlled use. He was very strict about water pollution and forbade his followers to urinate in stagnant water.
We have no alternative to sustainable use of natural resources to protect ourselves from climate change. We have to change our reckless resource use pattern. The Holy Qur’an declares, “It is He Who produceth gardens, with trellises and without, and dated, and tilth with produce of all kinds, and olives and pomegranates, similar (in kind) and different (in variety): eat their fruit in their season, but render the dues that are proper on the day that the harvest is gathered. But waste not by excess: For Allah loveth not the wasters” (Surah Al An’Am, Ayahat 141).
Bangladesh is one of the countries most affected by climate change. We should have appropriate strategies for climate change. Islamic knowledge about environment would be an influential tool to shape peoples’ mindset about nature management. Unfortunately, now-a-days we see terrorism in the name of Islam and the manipulation of peoples’ religious empathy in dirty politics.
Being one of the largest Muslim countries in the world, Bangladesh can use religious beliefs to face climate change. The government can include the Imams and religious leaders in climate talk to motivate people. The ministry of religious affairs, the Islamic foundation, and Islamic studies department of different universities can conduct research on various aspects of climate change from Islamic perspective and disseminate the knowledge to the people. That could contribute positively to our current endeavours against climate change.
The writer is pursuing higher studies in Stockholm University, Sweden
রবিবার, ২২ মার্চ, ২০০৯
Climate change: Impact on forests
Published On: 2008-08-02 in the Daily Star-Environment
Mohammed Abdul Baten and Ronju Ahammad
Climate change would affect unique flora and fauna of the Sundarbans. IT is beyond doubt that Bangladesh is one of the badly affected countries from the impacts of climate change. Therefore, it is no more any fashion rather an imperative to call for effective measures for combating climate change. Of late, the government has given an announcement to create a fund for the purpose amounting to estimated three billion taka in the current fiscal year, which will be allocated to various adaptation and mitigation strategies against already set paradigm of bad consequences from the climate change such as losses from frequent cyclones in the south, drought in the northern region and decreasing agriculture productivity with recurring food.Though rest of the world is now emphasising on the restoration of and increasing green areas to combat climate change, yet we are still far from the reality. Most of our efforts to the green future concept are a matter of discourse in documents and seminars other than practice. The shirking of responsibility natural forests and afforestation with invasive exotic species in the form of social forestry or other schemes may not contribute to the battle against climate change at an expected level, many scientists revealed in their studies.Evidently, rapid transformation of land-uses, in particular deforestation is releasing back the stored carbon from forest into the atmosphere and thus increasing global warming. So, in the face of climate change, the effective management of forests for both goods and services to human well being becomes a challenge. For Bangladesh, this may be greater than others.The Kyoto Protocol, an international agreement between the parties to climate change has recognised the important role of forests for reducing carbon dioxide, and they initiated the strategy of Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) for high greenhouse gas emitters like USA, EU to buy carbon credit through afforestation scheme. In reality, carbon trade encourages plantation of fast growing monoculture species irrespective of biodiversity which in turn degrades the previous natural forest structure that generally coped successfully with different events like solar radiation and various natural hazards. Not only forest maintains biodiversity as a whole, but also provides subsistence livelihood to nearly 400 million people of the world who are living in and around the forests. International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) estimates that climate change will increase the vulnerability of the most poor communities (approximately 1.2 billion people) in tropical region because of their livelihood dependency on natural resources.The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) projected that the state of tropical forest ecosystems is likely to be worsen from climate change. Bangladesh being in the tropical region, different physical effects of climate change including increased temperature and precipitation, increased salinity and extreme weather events such as floods, cyclones and droughts will have profound negative impacts on its forests.Bangladesh is characterized by both natural and plantation forests which, however, account for 17.5 percent of the total land in documents, but only 6-7 percent in reality. The notable natural forest ecosystems are tropical wet evergreen and semi-evergreen forest (hill forests), moist deciduous forestry (sal forest), tidal forest (mangrove forest), and village forestry. The plantation forests are now increasing under the auspices of social forestry programme to ensure people participation and their socio-economic benefits. Each forest type possesses particular stand structure, composition and functional groups (i.e., the groups of species that perform multiple functions in an ecosystem such as pollination, nitrogen fixation, predation, decomposition etc.) and also builds site specific responses to climate variability. However, continuous deforestation (approximately 3.3 percent per year) in this region is reducing natural forest stocks, threatening valuable wildlife, and thus degrading micro-climate in both forest and adjacent regions. Because of the increased rainfall in monsoon, water runoff rate on the forest floor has increased from the previous one. As a result, rapid soil erosion causes nutrient leaching and destroys micro-orgainsim and reduces overall site quality for better forest growth in the previously dense hill forests of Chittagong, Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT), Sylhet, and Cox's Bazar. Most of the forests are also likely to be affected from the absence of ecological memory that is the network of species for interaction between each other and environment, and building the capacity for reorganisation within or outside the forest patch after different perturbations. Researches shows that regeneration rate of Garjan (Dipterocarpus Spp) in the Chittagong and CHT has declined considerably in the last decades. The monoculture plantation of Teak in CHT also exacerbates soil erosion because of poor undergrowth during heavy rainfall. Forestry experts find monoculture seldom leaves the land very productive for further recolonisation. Moreover, the increasing frequency of flood, as a consequence of climate change, and its prolongation also triggers the mortality of some homegarden species such as jackfruit, papya and bamboo mainly found in the plainland village forests.Over the last fifty years, the sal forests, situated in central and north-western region have decreased drastically due to illegal deforestation. Only a few areas reminiscent of the original forest remains, while government is trying to reforest the area with some so called fast growing exotic species such as Akashi (Acacia auriculiformis) and Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus camaldulensis). Many forest scientists argue that these exotic species are detrimental to biodiversity of the area may and transform the local ecosystem into aridity through their increased water uptake characteristics. Besides, climate change might increase the temperature in north-western region which infact alters the ecological processes in the Modhupur and Barind tracts through increased evapo-transpiration causing moisture stress (water deficiency) in winter, thus affecting the survival of sal forest ecosystem. Agricultural practices are now common phenomena in and around the previous forest patches instead of earlier forest based landuses.Being the largest single tract of mangrove forests in the world, the Sunderbans, a World Heritage Site is already affected with climate change impacts, importantly from increasing salinity and extreme weather events like tropical cyclones. Though, the main causal factors of top dying is yet to be known, but, some researchers predict that top dying of sundari trees (Heritiera fomes) is likely to be the consequence of slow increase of salinity over a long period of time. Salinity increase also affects the species' combination and regular successional patterns in the Sundarbans as some non-woody shrubs and bushes replace the tree species, reducing the forest productivity and habitat quality for valuable wildlife. World Wildlife Fund for Nature Conservation ( WWF ) estimates that due to sea level rise, nearly 7500 hectare of mangrove forest in the Sundarbans are projected to be flooded. Many researches have shown that tropical cyclones destroy the mangrove forests to a large extent. For instance, in the recent past, cyclone Sidr has destroyed one-third of the Sundarbans. Forest ecosystems may be or not adaptive to climate variability will depend on the complex interactions of multiple organisms ranging from trees, animals to micro-organisms. Very often the presence of functional groups and response diversity (i.e., diversity of responses to environmental change among species that contribute to the same ecosystem function) of species within the forests determine the adaptive capacity to the impacts of climate change. Recent studies show that massive afforestation with exotic species wouldn't be a pragmatic solution for the adaptation to the climate change. Rather, it is suggested that as implications of response, diversity and functional diversity-biodiversity should be conserved in their natural habitat by protecting existing natural forests, minimising soil disturbances, reducing carbon loss from soil, preventing potential loss of mycorrhizae and increasing freshwater inflow in the saline affected mangrove regions.
Mohammed Abdul Baten and Ronju Ahammad write from Stockholm Resilience Centre, University of Stockholm, Sweden.
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Mohammed Abdul Baten and Ronju Ahammad
Climate change would affect unique flora and fauna of the Sundarbans. IT is beyond doubt that Bangladesh is one of the badly affected countries from the impacts of climate change. Therefore, it is no more any fashion rather an imperative to call for effective measures for combating climate change. Of late, the government has given an announcement to create a fund for the purpose amounting to estimated three billion taka in the current fiscal year, which will be allocated to various adaptation and mitigation strategies against already set paradigm of bad consequences from the climate change such as losses from frequent cyclones in the south, drought in the northern region and decreasing agriculture productivity with recurring food.Though rest of the world is now emphasising on the restoration of and increasing green areas to combat climate change, yet we are still far from the reality. Most of our efforts to the green future concept are a matter of discourse in documents and seminars other than practice. The shirking of responsibility natural forests and afforestation with invasive exotic species in the form of social forestry or other schemes may not contribute to the battle against climate change at an expected level, many scientists revealed in their studies.Evidently, rapid transformation of land-uses, in particular deforestation is releasing back the stored carbon from forest into the atmosphere and thus increasing global warming. So, in the face of climate change, the effective management of forests for both goods and services to human well being becomes a challenge. For Bangladesh, this may be greater than others.The Kyoto Protocol, an international agreement between the parties to climate change has recognised the important role of forests for reducing carbon dioxide, and they initiated the strategy of Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) for high greenhouse gas emitters like USA, EU to buy carbon credit through afforestation scheme. In reality, carbon trade encourages plantation of fast growing monoculture species irrespective of biodiversity which in turn degrades the previous natural forest structure that generally coped successfully with different events like solar radiation and various natural hazards. Not only forest maintains biodiversity as a whole, but also provides subsistence livelihood to nearly 400 million people of the world who are living in and around the forests. International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) estimates that climate change will increase the vulnerability of the most poor communities (approximately 1.2 billion people) in tropical region because of their livelihood dependency on natural resources.The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) projected that the state of tropical forest ecosystems is likely to be worsen from climate change. Bangladesh being in the tropical region, different physical effects of climate change including increased temperature and precipitation, increased salinity and extreme weather events such as floods, cyclones and droughts will have profound negative impacts on its forests.Bangladesh is characterized by both natural and plantation forests which, however, account for 17.5 percent of the total land in documents, but only 6-7 percent in reality. The notable natural forest ecosystems are tropical wet evergreen and semi-evergreen forest (hill forests), moist deciduous forestry (sal forest), tidal forest (mangrove forest), and village forestry. The plantation forests are now increasing under the auspices of social forestry programme to ensure people participation and their socio-economic benefits. Each forest type possesses particular stand structure, composition and functional groups (i.e., the groups of species that perform multiple functions in an ecosystem such as pollination, nitrogen fixation, predation, decomposition etc.) and also builds site specific responses to climate variability. However, continuous deforestation (approximately 3.3 percent per year) in this region is reducing natural forest stocks, threatening valuable wildlife, and thus degrading micro-climate in both forest and adjacent regions. Because of the increased rainfall in monsoon, water runoff rate on the forest floor has increased from the previous one. As a result, rapid soil erosion causes nutrient leaching and destroys micro-orgainsim and reduces overall site quality for better forest growth in the previously dense hill forests of Chittagong, Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT), Sylhet, and Cox's Bazar. Most of the forests are also likely to be affected from the absence of ecological memory that is the network of species for interaction between each other and environment, and building the capacity for reorganisation within or outside the forest patch after different perturbations. Researches shows that regeneration rate of Garjan (Dipterocarpus Spp) in the Chittagong and CHT has declined considerably in the last decades. The monoculture plantation of Teak in CHT also exacerbates soil erosion because of poor undergrowth during heavy rainfall. Forestry experts find monoculture seldom leaves the land very productive for further recolonisation. Moreover, the increasing frequency of flood, as a consequence of climate change, and its prolongation also triggers the mortality of some homegarden species such as jackfruit, papya and bamboo mainly found in the plainland village forests.Over the last fifty years, the sal forests, situated in central and north-western region have decreased drastically due to illegal deforestation. Only a few areas reminiscent of the original forest remains, while government is trying to reforest the area with some so called fast growing exotic species such as Akashi (Acacia auriculiformis) and Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus camaldulensis). Many forest scientists argue that these exotic species are detrimental to biodiversity of the area may and transform the local ecosystem into aridity through their increased water uptake characteristics. Besides, climate change might increase the temperature in north-western region which infact alters the ecological processes in the Modhupur and Barind tracts through increased evapo-transpiration causing moisture stress (water deficiency) in winter, thus affecting the survival of sal forest ecosystem. Agricultural practices are now common phenomena in and around the previous forest patches instead of earlier forest based landuses.Being the largest single tract of mangrove forests in the world, the Sunderbans, a World Heritage Site is already affected with climate change impacts, importantly from increasing salinity and extreme weather events like tropical cyclones. Though, the main causal factors of top dying is yet to be known, but, some researchers predict that top dying of sundari trees (Heritiera fomes) is likely to be the consequence of slow increase of salinity over a long period of time. Salinity increase also affects the species' combination and regular successional patterns in the Sundarbans as some non-woody shrubs and bushes replace the tree species, reducing the forest productivity and habitat quality for valuable wildlife. World Wildlife Fund for Nature Conservation ( WWF ) estimates that due to sea level rise, nearly 7500 hectare of mangrove forest in the Sundarbans are projected to be flooded. Many researches have shown that tropical cyclones destroy the mangrove forests to a large extent. For instance, in the recent past, cyclone Sidr has destroyed one-third of the Sundarbans. Forest ecosystems may be or not adaptive to climate variability will depend on the complex interactions of multiple organisms ranging from trees, animals to micro-organisms. Very often the presence of functional groups and response diversity (i.e., diversity of responses to environmental change among species that contribute to the same ecosystem function) of species within the forests determine the adaptive capacity to the impacts of climate change. Recent studies show that massive afforestation with exotic species wouldn't be a pragmatic solution for the adaptation to the climate change. Rather, it is suggested that as implications of response, diversity and functional diversity-biodiversity should be conserved in their natural habitat by protecting existing natural forests, minimising soil disturbances, reducing carbon loss from soil, preventing potential loss of mycorrhizae and increasing freshwater inflow in the saline affected mangrove regions.
Mohammed Abdul Baten and Ronju Ahammad write from Stockholm Resilience Centre, University of Stockholm, Sweden.
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The climate war
Published On: 2008-09-05 in the Daily Star (Point counterpoint)
Mohammed Abdul Baten and Ronju Ahammad
THOSE who keep in touch with Hollywood science-fiction movies know about the film "Star Wars," and worry about the earth being attacked by aliens. By analysing different wars over the last two decades, many political analysts came to a consensus that they were for establishing control over valuable natural resources such as oil, fresh water etc. to secure future consumption of mighty nations in the prevailing or upcoming climate contingencies. Therefore, we can define these wars as "Climate Wars."Like other wars, climate war is not confined to only competing countries or regions. It affects all human beings, regardless of race, caste, ethnicity, sex and level of income, and confronts humanity with the threat of extinction. Though the world is trying to analyse climate change from different aspects, its security dimension is most often camouflaged by political or economic discussions. Many climate scientists claim that the present climate risk is creating new kinds of security threats to our essential life-supporting elements as well as compounding the existing social and political tension within a country and between countries, as resources and safe places become scarcer, and disasters destroy livelihoods, increasing the number of migrants and refugees.Global warming, the main causal factor for climate change, will present cross-linked multiple security aspects in the upcoming decades, such as decreasing food production, unavailability of fresh water, increased coastal hazards, mass migration, diseases, and conflicts for energy, a report titled "The Age of Consequences: The foreign policy and national security implications because of climate change," argues.Though the extent of climate change remains uncertain, it not only hinders human development and environmental conservation, but also poses a major threat to human security with increased frequency of extreme weather events like floods, cyclones and droughts that are degrading socio-economic conditions across the world, particularly in poor and developing countries. Because of increased temperature and drought, two consequences of climate change, agriculture production has declined in many parts of the globe, especially in the tropics where many developing countries are located. The most recent food crisis and price hikes of rice, wheat and maize, has adversely affected the world's poorest parts. The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) estimates that low agricultural productivity and worldwide food price have affected more than 800 million undernourished people in sub-Saharan Africa and some parts of Asia. As an agrarian economy, food crisis has also increased in Bangladesh. Most of our agriculture production is highly dependent on monsoon rain that accounts for nearly 90% of annual precipitation. Any kind of change in monsoon rain is likely to exacerbate the food crisis. Freshwater resources constitute about 2.5% of world water resources, but almost two-thirds of those are in inaccessible forms such as glaciers and permanent snow packs (the Antarctica alone has 60% of total world water resources). Climate change also influences freshwater availability through altering precipitation, evaporation and snow melting. An estimate shows that currently almost one-third of the world's population consumes less than 1000m3 water per year. Fresh water crisis has already created conflicts in the African region. Rainfall in the Darfur region of the Sudan has declined by almost 40% over the last century, creating violent clashes for water between nomadic herders and agrarian farmers. In South Asia also, glaciers may retreat from the Himalayans because of global warming, thus affecting freshwater availability in Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan. Moreover, sea level rise may increase salinity in fresh-water bodies and adjacent agricultural fields, thus resulting in unproductivity. Though Bangladesh gets enough precipitation in the monsoon, often causing flood, we have limited water for farming in the dry season. Control of Ganges water in the dry season has caused political tension between Bangladesh and India.Climate induced coastal hazards lead to migration of the vulnerable people to better parts of the country. We already have 4 million environmental refugees from river erosion. Scientists predict that, because of increased tropical cyclones and salinisation of the farming lands in coastal areas, environmental refugees will exceed 20 million in future. As a result, their demand for land, water, employment and other social services may trigger conflict with the local residents. Moreover, migration creates conflicts between neighbouring countries. The Indian government has already announced that it will build a barbed wire fence along its border with Bangladesh to prevent the influx of environmental migrants during sea level rise. This may unsettle the political co-existence with Bangladesh.According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), extreme weather events cause more than 1,60,000 deaths annually. Climate change is also likely to enhance the spreading of vector borne diseases like malaria, diarrhoea and AIDS.It is true that climate change will amplify security problems in developing countries. Poor governance, weak economy and absence of social cohesion may also overstretch their socio-ecological vulnerability. The work of Nobel laureate Al Gore makes it clear that today's global warming is not merely an environmental problem, rather it has become a global issue. Unfortunately, we see very little internationally coordinated effort to reduce climate change impacts. The UN can establish more collaboration between scientists, politicians and businesspersons for an effective climate change policy to safeguard the earth's security.Bangladesh, as a disaster-prone country, faces security implications from climate change. In this regard, the climate change issue should be included in the development plan of the country. Bangladesh can also draw attention of the world community in climate change conferences to take financial initiatives and share technology for adaptation.Ironically, despite the depressing effects, climate change offers humanity an opportunity for a quantum leap in sustainable development and peace making. For instance, Bangladesh can collaborate with the India for reducing trans-boundary environmental hazards. Both can establish a jointly managed conservation zone (i.e., Peace Park) for the Ganges delta, which will also raise the level of trust between them and contribute to overall stability in the region. We have little chance to win the climate war, unless concerted efforts are made. Margaret Beckett said in the UN Security Council (April 2007): "Climate change can bring us together, if we have the wisdom to prevent it from driving us apart."
Mohammed Abdul Baten and Ronju Ahammad write from Stockholm Resilience Centre, University of Stockholm, Sweden.
Climate Change: Rethinking from human perspective
Published on 08-09-2008 in The Daily New Nation (Environment)
Mohammed Abdul Baten & Ronju Ahammad
Even though man is the best creation by the Almighty, yet humanity is solely responsible for recent crisis of climate change. Evidently, humanity is a major force in global change and shapes ecosystem dynamics from local environment to the biosphere as a whole. United Nations projections for the growth of the world population and consumption show humanity is going to use double the bio-productivity of the planet by 2050. Reaching this level of consumption may be impossible, however, as the natural capital being used to enable this overshoot may well be depleted before the mid century mark, many scientists warned. Now the question arises: are we friend or foe of environment?Apparently, environmental problems are associated with poverty. In this sense, no other option exists than to overuse resources. Worldwide changes of forests, farmlands, waterways, and air are being driven by the need to provide food, fibre, water and shelter to more than six billion people. In fact, it's simply a matter of survival. In many cases, however, resource degradation is simply the result of human kind's insatiable desire to produce and consume leading to wilful short- term greed and corruption with no heed for the future. But, most unfortunate thing is that the nature is giving negative feedbacks to human behaviour more abruptly and devastatingly than before; complementary situation is now turning to a rival state. No doubt, poorer part of the world is the most affected by nature's cruelty. Adverse impacts of climate change namely tropical storms, floods, and droughts are greater in developing countries and least developed countries. Between 1990 and 2002, 94% of all natural hazards related death occurred in the developing countries.The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA) presents how human exploited nature unsustainably and made an asymmetrical relationship with nature. In fact, humans have already converted nearly a third of the total arable land area of the world, almost 3.8 million hectares, to agriculture and urban or built-up areas. Most of the remainder is too dry for agriculture or inaccessible. Between 1960 and 2000, the demand for ecosystem services (benefits provided by ecosystems) grew significantly as world population doubled to 6 billion and the global economy increased more than six fold. To meet this demand, food production increased by roughly 2.5 times, water use doubled, wood harvests for pulp and paper production tripled, installed hydropower capacity doubled, and timber production increased by more than half. Water scarcity and land degradation are already severe enough to reduce yields on about 16 percent of agricultural lands, especially cropland in Africa and Central America, and pasture in Africa. The average annual growth rate of cereal production in developing countries has dropped from 2.5 to 1 percent per year over the past 35 years. The use of two ecosystem services, capture fisheries and freshwater, is now well beyond levels that can be sustained even at current demands, much less future ones. At least one quarter of important commercial fish stocks are over harvested. From 5 percent to possibly 25 percent of global freshwater use exceeds long-term accessible supplies and is now met either through engineered water transfers or overdraft of groundwater suppliesIn the last few decades, approximately 20 percent of the world's reefs were lost; an additional 20 percent was degraded. In the Caribbean, 80 percent of coral has been lost in recent decades. Additionally, approximately a third of the world's mangrove areas were lost. The number of species on the planet is declining. Over the past few hundred years, humans have increased the species extinction rate by as much as 1000 times over background rates typical over the planet's history. Since 1750, the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide has increased by three times, primarily due to the combustion of fossil fuels and land use changes. Approximately 60 percent of that increase (60 parts per million) has taken place since 1960.As mentioned earlier, poorer countries are mostly affected by environmental variability. Bangladesh is one of the most vulnerable countries to several natural hazards; and hazards often become disasters because of geographical setting, poor planning, weak infrastructure, high population density, and technological insufficiency to early warning system. For instance, when Hurricane Andrew, a powerful category storm, struck in Florida in 1992, it caused devastation valued at 26.5 billion and 23 people lost their lives. An equivalent tropical cyclone SIDR that ravaged Bangladesh in 2007 resulted in over 4000 deaths, loss over 50000 cattle lives, displacement of millions of individuals from widespread tidal surge and damage of one third of the Largest Mangrove forest ( The Sundarbans) including its unique flora and fauna ( Data compiled from newspaper reports). What should we do standing in front of nature's rage with implications of climate change? What would be our future? Sustention or collapse of the current civilization? Though it is difficult to answer all these questions, yet it is obvious that all agree to the point, our present trends of resource use and view to the environment will result worse future. It is late but not too late to restore the relationship between human and nature. Efforts to stem current wrecked resource use system and avoid to ecosystem collapse must take into account the slow response times of human population and infrastructure. Innovative approaches to meet human needs should encourage not only at individual level but also at national to global level. Undoubtedly, to face the challenge of climate change, we should be the steward of nature and be rational of resource use. In this perspective, what would be the basis of Human- Nature relationship is best illustrated by The Surah 55, The Holy Quran, where the Almighty announces "Most Gracious is Allah, who reveals Himself in the Quran, in man's intelligence and in the nature around man. Balance and Justice, Goodness and Care, are the Laws of His worlds……."(Prepared by Mohammed Abdul Baten & Ronju Ahammad Stockholm Resilience Centre, University of Stockholm, Sweden)
Mohammed Abdul Baten & Ronju Ahammad
Even though man is the best creation by the Almighty, yet humanity is solely responsible for recent crisis of climate change. Evidently, humanity is a major force in global change and shapes ecosystem dynamics from local environment to the biosphere as a whole. United Nations projections for the growth of the world population and consumption show humanity is going to use double the bio-productivity of the planet by 2050. Reaching this level of consumption may be impossible, however, as the natural capital being used to enable this overshoot may well be depleted before the mid century mark, many scientists warned. Now the question arises: are we friend or foe of environment?Apparently, environmental problems are associated with poverty. In this sense, no other option exists than to overuse resources. Worldwide changes of forests, farmlands, waterways, and air are being driven by the need to provide food, fibre, water and shelter to more than six billion people. In fact, it's simply a matter of survival. In many cases, however, resource degradation is simply the result of human kind's insatiable desire to produce and consume leading to wilful short- term greed and corruption with no heed for the future. But, most unfortunate thing is that the nature is giving negative feedbacks to human behaviour more abruptly and devastatingly than before; complementary situation is now turning to a rival state. No doubt, poorer part of the world is the most affected by nature's cruelty. Adverse impacts of climate change namely tropical storms, floods, and droughts are greater in developing countries and least developed countries. Between 1990 and 2002, 94% of all natural hazards related death occurred in the developing countries.The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA) presents how human exploited nature unsustainably and made an asymmetrical relationship with nature. In fact, humans have already converted nearly a third of the total arable land area of the world, almost 3.8 million hectares, to agriculture and urban or built-up areas. Most of the remainder is too dry for agriculture or inaccessible. Between 1960 and 2000, the demand for ecosystem services (benefits provided by ecosystems) grew significantly as world population doubled to 6 billion and the global economy increased more than six fold. To meet this demand, food production increased by roughly 2.5 times, water use doubled, wood harvests for pulp and paper production tripled, installed hydropower capacity doubled, and timber production increased by more than half. Water scarcity and land degradation are already severe enough to reduce yields on about 16 percent of agricultural lands, especially cropland in Africa and Central America, and pasture in Africa. The average annual growth rate of cereal production in developing countries has dropped from 2.5 to 1 percent per year over the past 35 years. The use of two ecosystem services, capture fisheries and freshwater, is now well beyond levels that can be sustained even at current demands, much less future ones. At least one quarter of important commercial fish stocks are over harvested. From 5 percent to possibly 25 percent of global freshwater use exceeds long-term accessible supplies and is now met either through engineered water transfers or overdraft of groundwater suppliesIn the last few decades, approximately 20 percent of the world's reefs were lost; an additional 20 percent was degraded. In the Caribbean, 80 percent of coral has been lost in recent decades. Additionally, approximately a third of the world's mangrove areas were lost. The number of species on the planet is declining. Over the past few hundred years, humans have increased the species extinction rate by as much as 1000 times over background rates typical over the planet's history. Since 1750, the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide has increased by three times, primarily due to the combustion of fossil fuels and land use changes. Approximately 60 percent of that increase (60 parts per million) has taken place since 1960.As mentioned earlier, poorer countries are mostly affected by environmental variability. Bangladesh is one of the most vulnerable countries to several natural hazards; and hazards often become disasters because of geographical setting, poor planning, weak infrastructure, high population density, and technological insufficiency to early warning system. For instance, when Hurricane Andrew, a powerful category storm, struck in Florida in 1992, it caused devastation valued at 26.5 billion and 23 people lost their lives. An equivalent tropical cyclone SIDR that ravaged Bangladesh in 2007 resulted in over 4000 deaths, loss over 50000 cattle lives, displacement of millions of individuals from widespread tidal surge and damage of one third of the Largest Mangrove forest ( The Sundarbans) including its unique flora and fauna ( Data compiled from newspaper reports). What should we do standing in front of nature's rage with implications of climate change? What would be our future? Sustention or collapse of the current civilization? Though it is difficult to answer all these questions, yet it is obvious that all agree to the point, our present trends of resource use and view to the environment will result worse future. It is late but not too late to restore the relationship between human and nature. Efforts to stem current wrecked resource use system and avoid to ecosystem collapse must take into account the slow response times of human population and infrastructure. Innovative approaches to meet human needs should encourage not only at individual level but also at national to global level. Undoubtedly, to face the challenge of climate change, we should be the steward of nature and be rational of resource use. In this perspective, what would be the basis of Human- Nature relationship is best illustrated by The Surah 55, The Holy Quran, where the Almighty announces "Most Gracious is Allah, who reveals Himself in the Quran, in man's intelligence and in the nature around man. Balance and Justice, Goodness and Care, are the Laws of His worlds……."(Prepared by Mohammed Abdul Baten & Ronju Ahammad Stockholm Resilience Centre, University of Stockholm, Sweden)
জলবায়ু পরিবর্তনের ঝুঁকি মোকাবেলায় ইসলামের শিক্ষা
জলবায়ু পরিবর্তন (Climate Change) সম্ভবত বর্তমান বিশ্বের সবচেয়ে আলোচিত শব্দগুলোর মধ্যে একটি।শুধুমাত্র বিজ্ঞানীরাই নয় বরং অর্থনীতিবিদ, রাজনিতিবিদ, ব্যবসায়ী সহ সমাজের সকল স্তরের মানুষ জলবায়ু পরিবর্তনের বিরুপ প্রভাব নিয়ে চিন্তিত।এই প্রক্রিয়ার সাথে স্লংশ্লিষ্ট সকলে মত দিচ্ছেন ধর্ম, বর্ন নির্বিশেষে সকলের সম্মিলিত প্রচেষ্ঠার ফলে হয়তো এ সমস্যাকে আমরা মোকাবেলা করতে পারব। আর এ জন্য প্রয়োজন বৈজ্ঞানিক জ্ঞান থেকে শুরু করে ধর্মীয়,সামাজিক, অর্থনৈতিক সহ সকল ধরনের জ্ঞানের সুচিন্তিত সন্নিবেশ।
দূর্ভাগ্যজনক হলেও সত্যি, জলবায়ু পরিবর্তনের ফলে বিশ্বের দরিদ্র-ব্লক হিসেবে খ্যাত মুসুলিম বিশ্ব বেশি ক্ষতিগ্রস্ত হচ্ছে।বাংলাদেশে সাম্প্রতিক সিডর, পাকিস্তানে ভুমিকম্প, সুদানের দারফুরে জাতিগত দাঙ্গাসহ বিভিন্ন প্রাকৃতিক দূর্যোগে মুসলিম বিশ্ব বিপর্যস্ত।ইসলাম পরিবেশ নিয়ে সুস্পষ্টভাবে নির্দেশনা প্রদান করলেও ধর্মীয় অজ্ঞতা, গবেষনার অপ্রতুলতা এবং সর্বোপরি ধর্মীয় নিয়ম কানুন সঠিকভাবে অনুসরন না করার ফলে বাংলাদেশসহ মুসলিম বিশ্বের দেশগুলোর পরিবেশ এখন বিপর্যয়ের সম্মুখিন।
বিশ্বের তাপমাত্রা বৃদ্ধি পাচ্ছে এবং এর ফলে সামগ্রিক জলবায়ুর পরিবর্তন ঘটছে। তাপমাত্রা বৃদ্ধির জন্য গ্রীনহাউজ গ্যাস বলে খ্যাত কার্বন ডাই-অক্সাইড (CO2) দায়ী।মানুষের অনিয়ন্ত্রিত জীবনযাপন,অপচয়, জীববৈচিত্র্য (Biodiversity )ধ্বংস,ভোগবিলাসের নিমিত্তে প্রাকৃতিক সম্পদের যথেচ্ছ ব্যবহার এবং পরিবেশ সম্পর্কে ধর্মীয় অনুশাসন না মানার ফলেই বর্তমান অবস্থার সৃষ্টি হয়েছে বলে স্লংশ্লিষ্ট অনেকের ধারনা।
ইসলাম হচ্ছে পূর্ণাঙ্গ জীবন ব্যবস্থা।মানুষের সাথে প্রাকৃতিক পরিবেশের সম্পর্ক কি হবে তা ইসলামে সুস্পস্টভাবে উল্লেখ আছে।মুসলিমরা বিশ্বাস করে বিশ্ব-ব্রম্মান্ডের সবকিছুই মহান আল্লাহর সৃষ্টি এবং সবাই তার কাছে জবাবদিহি করতে হবে।এ প্রসঙ্গে পবিত্র কোরানে বর্ণিত আছে , “পবিত্র ও মহান তিনি, যিনি উদ্ভিদ, মানুষ এবং উহারা যাহাদিগকে জানেনা তাহাদিগের প্রতেকে সৃষ্টি করিয়াছেন জোড়া জোড়া করিয়া” (সুরা ইয়াসিন,আয়াত ৩৬)।
মহান আল্লাহতায়ালা সবকিছুই সৃষ্টি করেছেন মানুষের উপকারের জন্য এবং ভারসাম্যপূর্ণভাবে।পবিত্র কোরানে আল্লাহ রাব্বুল আলামিন ঘোষনা করেছেন, “পৃথিবীকে আমি বিস্তৃত করিয়াছি এবং উহাতে পর্বতমালা স্থাপন করিয়াছি, আমি উহাতে প্রত্যেক বস্তু উদ্ভুত করিয়াছি সুপরিমিতভাবে”(সুরা আল হিজ্বর, আয়াত ১৯)।কিন্তু ইসলামের প্রকৃত শিক্ষা ভুলে মানুষ অনিয়ন্ত্রিতভাবে বিভিন্ন প্রাকৃতিক সম্পদ ব্যবহার করতে থাকে যার ফলে অনেক উদ্ভিদ এবং প্রাণী (জীববৈচিত্র্য -Biodiversity) বিলুপ্ত হয়ে গেছে এবং অনেকগুলো বি্লুপ্তির পথে।পৃথিবীর প্রাকৃতিক পরিবেশের ভারসাম্যহীনতার জন্য যে জীববৈচিত্র্য ধ্বংস অনেকাংশে দায়ী তা বিজ্ঞানিরা ও বিভিন্ন গবেষণায় প্রমাণ পেয়েছেন।
উন্নতির চরম শিখরে পৌছার জন্য আমরা পৃথিবীর প্রাকৃতিক সম্পদকে এমনভাবে ব্যবহার করেছি যে ২০৫০ সালের মধ্যে মানষের ক্রমবর্ধমান চাহিদা পুরনের জন্য দুটি পৃথিবীর সমান প্রাকৃতিক সম্পদ প্রয়োজন।কিন্তু তা অসম্ভব ব্যাপার।তাই বিজ্ঞানি সহ স্লংশ্লিষ্ট সকলে মানুষের জীবনযাত্রা পরিবর্তনের কথা বলছেন,ধর্মীয় অনুশাসন মানার দিকে জোর দিচ্ছেন।অনেকেই এখন অভিমত দিচ্ছেন, ধর্মের মত বিশ্বজনীন প্রতিষ্ঠানই একমাত্র মানুষকে আশার আলো দেখাতে পারে।বিভিন্ন আন্তর্জাতিক সংস্থা এখন ধর্মীয় জ্ঞানকে পরিবেশ রক্ষার কাজে ব্যবহারের প্রতি গুরুত্ব দিচ্ছে।১৯৯৫ সালে বিশ্বব্যাংক “আধ্যাতিক জ্ঞানঃটেকসই পরিবেশ উন্নয়নের জন্য আবশ্যক” শিরোনামে সম্মেলনের আয়োজন করে।বিশ্ব স্বাস্থ্য সংস্থা (WHO) ১৯৯৬ সালে স্বাস্থ্য রক্ষায় ধর্মীয় জ্ঞান শীর্ষক পুস্তিকা বের। এছাড়া বিশ্বের বিভিন্ন স্থানে পরিবেশ রক্ষায় ধর্মীয় জ্ঞানের ব্যবহার নিয়ে বিভিন্ন গবেষনা হচ্ছে।এ প্রসঙ্গে বলে রাখা ভালো,পরিবশ নিয়ে ইসলামে সুস্পষ্টভাবে দিক নির্দেশনা দেয়া আছে।
ইসলামি জীবন ব্যবস্থা কোরান এবং হাদিসের আলোকে সুনির্দিষ্ট নিয়মনীতি দ্বারা পরিচালিত।প্রকৃতপক্ষে ইসলাম মানুষের উপর ৪ ধরনের কর্তব্য নির্ধারন করেছে।প্রথমত স্রষ্টার প্রতি কর্তব্য,দ্বিতীয়ত নিজের প্রতি কর্তব্য, তৃতীয়ত মানবতার প্রতি কর্তব্য এবং সবশেষে সকল সৃষ্টির প্রতি কর্তব্য ।এই কর্তব্যগুলো কিভাবে পালন করতে হবে সে বিষয়ে কোরান এবং হাদিসে পরিস্কারভাবে দিক নির্দেশনা দেয়া আছে।
পরিবেশ সম্পর্কে ইসলামের শিক্ষা ৩টি ভিত্তির উপর দাঁড়িয়ে আছে।এগুলো হল তাওহিদ (একত্ববাদ), খলিফা (স্বেচ্ছাসেবি) এবং আমানত (বিশ্বাস)।
তাওহিদ হচ্ছে ইসলামের মুল বিশ্বাস। যার অর্থ হচ্ছে আল্লাহ এক এবং তার কোন অংশীদ্বার নেই,তিনি এই বিশ্বের সবকিছুই সৃষ্টি করেছেন।পবিত্র কোরানে এ প্রসঙ্গে বর্ণিত আছে, “আসমান ও যমিনে যাহা কিছু আছে সব আল্লাহরই এবং সবকিছুকে আল্লাহ পরিবেষ্টন করে রয়েছেন” (সুরা আন নিসা, আয়াত ১২৬)।তাই আল্লাহর কোন সৃষ্টির অপব্যবহার পাপ।খলিফা এবং আমানত এ দুটি ভিত্তিও তাওহিদের বিশ্বাস থেকে জন্ম।
পবিত্র কোরান ঘোষনা করেছে, স্রষ্টার সৃষ্টির মধ্যে মানুষ সর্বশ্রেষ্ঠ এবং অন্যান্য সৃষ্টিকে দেখাশুনার দায়িত্ব তার(খলিফা)।শ্রেষ্ঠ জীব হিসাবে মানুষ অন্যান্য জীবের উপর অন্যায় আচরণকে ইসলাম সম্পূর্ণরুপে নিষেধ করেছে।এ প্রসঙ্গে আল্লাহ ঘোষনা করেন, ভূ-পৃষ্ঠে
বিচরণশীল এমন কোন জীব নাই অথবা নিজ ডানার সাহায্যে উড়ে এমন কোন পাখি নাই যাহা তমাদিগের মত উম্মত নয় (সুরা আনা’আম, আয়াত ৩৮)।
মহানবী হযরত মোহাম্মদ (সাঃ)ও বিশ্বাস করতেন, মানুষ সকল সৃষ্টির পরিচর্যাকারী মাত্র কিন্তু মালিক নয়।এ প্রসঙ্গে বিশিষ্ট চিন্তাবিদ ইরামন্ত্রী বলেছেন, “প্রত্যেক জাতি পৃথিবীর রক্ষক মাত্র। এই পৃথিবীকে দূষিত করার কিংবা এর সম্পদকে যথেচ্ছ ব্যবহার করার কোন অধিকার মানুষের নেই, বরং পৃথিবীর সম্পদকে এমনভাবে ব্যবহার করা উচিত যাতে ভবিষ্যতের নাগরিকরা একই রকম সুযোগ সুবিধা ভোগ করতে পারে এবং এটাই ইসলামের প্রকৃত শিক্ষা” তাই এ কথা নির্দ্বিধায় বলা যায়, জলবায়ু পরিবর্তনের হুমকি মোকাবেলার জন্য যে টেকসই উন্নয়নের (Sustainable Development) কথা বলা হচ্ছে তা ইসলামেরই শিক্ষা ।
জলবায়ু পরিবর্তনের ফলে বিশ্বব্যাপী প্রাকৃতিক দূর্যোগ বৃদ্ধি পেয়েছে এর অন্যতম প্রধান কারণ হচ্ছে পরিবেশ দূষণ।কিন্তু ইসলাম পরিবেশ দূষণকে গর্হিত কাজ হিসাবে চিন্হিত করেছে এবং এ থেকে বিরত থাকার জন্য নির্দেশ দিয়েছে।এ প্রসঙ্গে পবিত্র কোরানে বর্ণিত আছে, “মানুষের কৃতকর্মের দরুন সমুদ্রে ও স্থলে বিপর্যয় ছড়াইয়া পড়ে, যাহার ফলে উহাদিগের কোন কোন কর্মের শাস্তি তিনি আস্বাদন করান যাহাতে উহারা ফিরিয়া আসে”(সুরা আর’রুম, আয়াত ৪১)।এ আয়াত দ্বারা এটা স্পষ্ট, বিশ্বব্যাপী প্রাকৃতিক দূর্যোগসহ মানুষের ভোগান্তি বৃদ্ধি কোন অলৌকিক ব্যাপার নয় বরং আমাদেরই কৃতকর্মের ফল।
মহাবিপদের সামনে দাঁড়িয়ে মানবসম্প্রদায়।এ অবস্থার জন্য যে আমরাই দায়ী তা ইসলাম যেমন পূর্বেই হুশিয়ার করেছে তেমনি বর্তমান বিজ্ঞানও মানুষের অপরিনামদর্শী কর্মকে দোষারোপ করছে। জলবায়ু পরিবর্তনের বিরুপ প্রতিক্রিয়া থেকে রক্ষা পাওয়ার জন্য তদোপরি মানুষের অভিযোজন ক্ষমতা বৃদ্ধির জন্য অধিক পরিমাণে গাছ লাগানো, জীববৈচিত্র্য রক্ষার জন্য সচেষ্ঠ হওয়া, ভূমির সু-পরিকল্পিত ব্যবহার, পানি সম্পদের সুষ্ঠু ব্যবহার ও বন্টন এবং সর্বোপরি আমাদের বর্তমান অনিয়ন্ত্রিত জীবনযাপন ব্যবস্থার পরিবর্তন আবশ্যক বলে বিজ্ঞানীরা অভিমত ব্যক্ত করেছে। অপরদিকে ইসলামে এ বিষয়গুলো সম্পর্কে সুপরিকল্পিত এবং সুনির্দিষ্ট দিক নির্দেশনা দেয়া আছে। মহানবী হযরত মোহাম্মদ (সাঃ) উর্বর ভূমির সুপরিকল্পিত ব্যবহার ও বৃক্ষরোপনের জন্য তাগিদ দিয়েছেন।পবিত্র হাদিসে বর্ণিত আছে, “ কোন মুসলিমের রোপিত বৃক্ষ হইতে কোন ব্যক্তি ফল ভক্ষণ করিলে তা পরোপকার হিসাবে বিবেচিত হইবে, কোন ফল চুরি হইলে তাও পরোপকার হিসাবে বিবেচিত হইবে, কোন পাখি যদি ঐ বৃক্ষের ফল ভক্ষণ করে তবে তা জীবের প্রতি দয়া প্রদর্শন হিসাবে বিবেচিত হইবে (বোখারী শরীফ)।অন্য এক হাদিসে বর্ণিত আছে, “কোন ব্যক্তি যদি শুষ্ক অথবা পতিত জমিতে আবাদ করে তবে তা আল্লাহর জন্য কাজ হিসাবে বিবেচিত হইবে, যতদিন মানুষ ও পশু-পাখি ঐ জমি হইতে উপকৃত হইবে ততদিন ঐ ব্যক্তির উপর পূণ্য বর্ষিত হইবে”
মুসলিমরা পানিকে স্রষ্টার উপহার হিসাবে দেখে।পবিত্র কোরানে পানিকে প্রানের উৎস হিসাবে বর্ণনা করা হয়েছে, “ যাহারা কুফরী করে তাহারা কি ভাবিয়া দেখে না যে, আকাশমন্ডলী ও পৃথিবী মিশিয়াছিল ওতোপ্রতোভাবে, অতঃপর আমি উভয়কে পৃথক করিয়া দিলাম, প্রানবান সমস্ত কিছু সৃষ্টি করিলাম পানি হইতে, তবুও কি উহারা বিশ্বাস করিবে না” (সুরা আম্বিয়া, আয়াত ৩০)।বিজ্ঞানীরা ও গবেষণা করে এই সিদ্ধান্তে উপনীত হয়েছে যে, পানি থেকে সমস্ত প্রানের উৎপত্তি।পবিত্র কোরানে পানিকে যথেষ্ঠ গুরুত্ব দেয়া হয়েছে এবং ৬৩ বার পানি (আরবী-মা) শব্দটি ব্যবহার করা হয়েছে।পানিসম্পদের ব্যবস্থাপনা এবং এর দূষণ সম্পর্কে মহানবী হযরত মোহাম্মদ (সাঃ) জ্ঞাত ছিলেন।তিনি এর সর্বোত্তম ব্যবহারের জন্য পানির উৎসমুখে ‘সংরক্ষিত এলাকা’ (আরবি-হারিম) প্রবর্তনের সূচনা করেন।বর্তমানে অনেক দেশেই পানিসম্পদকে রক্ষার জন্য পানির উৎস এলাকাকে সংরক্ষিত স্থান (Protected Area)হিসেবে চিন্হিত করেছে। ইসলামের ৫টি স্তম্ভের অন্যতম নামাজের পূর্বশর্ত হচ্ছে ওযুর মাধ্যমে পাক পবিত্র হওয়া, আর ওযুর জন্য প্রয়োজন পরিষ্কার ও বিশুদ্ধ পানি। পানির পরিমিত ব্যবহার এবং এর দূষণ রোধে মহানবী(সাঃ)সচেষ্ঠ ছিলেন।বোখারি শরীফে বর্নিত আছে,মূত্র ত্যাগের পর পবিত্র হওয়ার জন্য তিনি ২/৩ লিটার পানি খরচ করতেন এবং গোসলে মাত্র ২-৩১/২ লিটার পানি ব্যবহার করতেন। তিনি আবদ্ধ পানিতে মল-মূত্র ত্যাগ করে পানিকে দূষিত করাকে সম্পূর্ণ নিষেধ করেছেন।
জলবায়ু পরিবর্তনের বিরুপ প্রতিক্রিয়া থেকে রক্ষা পেতে হলে প্রাকৃতিক সম্পদের সূষ্ঠু ব্যবহার সহ অপচয় রোধের কোন বিকল্প নেই।এ প্রসঙ্গে পবিত্র কোরানে বর্ণিত আছে, “তিনিই লতা ও বৃক্ষ উদ্যান সমূহ সৃষ্টি করিয়াছেন এবং খেজুর বৃক্ষ, বিভিন্ন স্বাদ বিশিষ্ট খাদ্যশস্য,যয়তুন ও দাড়িম্ব সৃষ্টি করিয়াছেন।ইহারা একে অন্যের সদৃশ এবং বিসদৃশও, যখন উহা ফলবান হয় তখন উহার ফল আহার করিবে আর ফসল তুলিবার দিনে উহার দেয় প্রদান করিবে এবং অপচয় করিবেনা; কারন তিনি অপচয়কারিদিগকে পছন্দ করেন না”(সুরা আন আম, আয়াত ১৪১)।
ইসলাম মানবতার ধর্ম আর অন্যদিকে জলবায়ু পরিবর্তনের ফলে সৃষ্ট দূর্যোগ সমগ্র মানবতার জন্য হুমকিস্বরুপ।তাই আসন্ন এই বিপদ থেকে মানবজাতিকে রক্ষা করতে হলে বিজ্ঞানের পাশাপাশি ইসলামের দিকনির্দেশনা মেনে চলার কোন বিকল্প নেই।এ প্রসঙ্গে বিখ্যাত ডাচ নৃ-বিজ্ঞানি ফ্রান্সিসকো ডি চাটেল বলেছেন, “পরিবেশ দূষণ এবং প্রাকৃতিক সম্পদের অতিরিক্ত ব্যবহারের ফলে পৃথিবীর কিছু অংশে মরুময়তা এবং পানি স্বল্পতা, অন্য অংশে বন্যা ও ঝড়ের প্রকোপ বেড়ে গেছে।এই সব জটিল প্রাকৃতিক সমস্যাকে সফলভাবে মোকাবেলার জন্য এখনই ধর্ম, বর্ণ নির্বিশেষে সকলকেই ইসলামের শিক্ষা গ্রহণ করা উচিত”
এটা ঠিক, এত অল্প পরিসরে ইসলামের শিক্ষা বর্ণনা করা অসম্ভব তাছাড়া আমার জ্ঞানের সীমাবদ্ধতাও এক্ষেত্রে অনেকাংশে দায়ী।তবে এ কথা নির্দ্বিধায় বলা যায়,পরিবেশের সুষ্ঠু ব্যবস্থাপনার জন্য ইসলামের শিক্ষা নিয়ে আরো গবেষণার প্রয়োজন রয়েছে।
[মোঃ আব্দুল বাতেন, স্টকহোম রেসিলিয়েন্স সেন্টার, স্টকহোম ইউনিভার্সিটি, সুইডেন]
দূর্ভাগ্যজনক হলেও সত্যি, জলবায়ু পরিবর্তনের ফলে বিশ্বের দরিদ্র-ব্লক হিসেবে খ্যাত মুসুলিম বিশ্ব বেশি ক্ষতিগ্রস্ত হচ্ছে।বাংলাদেশে সাম্প্রতিক সিডর, পাকিস্তানে ভুমিকম্প, সুদানের দারফুরে জাতিগত দাঙ্গাসহ বিভিন্ন প্রাকৃতিক দূর্যোগে মুসলিম বিশ্ব বিপর্যস্ত।ইসলাম পরিবেশ নিয়ে সুস্পষ্টভাবে নির্দেশনা প্রদান করলেও ধর্মীয় অজ্ঞতা, গবেষনার অপ্রতুলতা এবং সর্বোপরি ধর্মীয় নিয়ম কানুন সঠিকভাবে অনুসরন না করার ফলে বাংলাদেশসহ মুসলিম বিশ্বের দেশগুলোর পরিবেশ এখন বিপর্যয়ের সম্মুখিন।
বিশ্বের তাপমাত্রা বৃদ্ধি পাচ্ছে এবং এর ফলে সামগ্রিক জলবায়ুর পরিবর্তন ঘটছে। তাপমাত্রা বৃদ্ধির জন্য গ্রীনহাউজ গ্যাস বলে খ্যাত কার্বন ডাই-অক্সাইড (CO2) দায়ী।মানুষের অনিয়ন্ত্রিত জীবনযাপন,অপচয়, জীববৈচিত্র্য (Biodiversity )ধ্বংস,ভোগবিলাসের নিমিত্তে প্রাকৃতিক সম্পদের যথেচ্ছ ব্যবহার এবং পরিবেশ সম্পর্কে ধর্মীয় অনুশাসন না মানার ফলেই বর্তমান অবস্থার সৃষ্টি হয়েছে বলে স্লংশ্লিষ্ট অনেকের ধারনা।
ইসলাম হচ্ছে পূর্ণাঙ্গ জীবন ব্যবস্থা।মানুষের সাথে প্রাকৃতিক পরিবেশের সম্পর্ক কি হবে তা ইসলামে সুস্পস্টভাবে উল্লেখ আছে।মুসলিমরা বিশ্বাস করে বিশ্ব-ব্রম্মান্ডের সবকিছুই মহান আল্লাহর সৃষ্টি এবং সবাই তার কাছে জবাবদিহি করতে হবে।এ প্রসঙ্গে পবিত্র কোরানে বর্ণিত আছে , “পবিত্র ও মহান তিনি, যিনি উদ্ভিদ, মানুষ এবং উহারা যাহাদিগকে জানেনা তাহাদিগের প্রতেকে সৃষ্টি করিয়াছেন জোড়া জোড়া করিয়া” (সুরা ইয়াসিন,আয়াত ৩৬)।
মহান আল্লাহতায়ালা সবকিছুই সৃষ্টি করেছেন মানুষের উপকারের জন্য এবং ভারসাম্যপূর্ণভাবে।পবিত্র কোরানে আল্লাহ রাব্বুল আলামিন ঘোষনা করেছেন, “পৃথিবীকে আমি বিস্তৃত করিয়াছি এবং উহাতে পর্বতমালা স্থাপন করিয়াছি, আমি উহাতে প্রত্যেক বস্তু উদ্ভুত করিয়াছি সুপরিমিতভাবে”(সুরা আল হিজ্বর, আয়াত ১৯)।কিন্তু ইসলামের প্রকৃত শিক্ষা ভুলে মানুষ অনিয়ন্ত্রিতভাবে বিভিন্ন প্রাকৃতিক সম্পদ ব্যবহার করতে থাকে যার ফলে অনেক উদ্ভিদ এবং প্রাণী (জীববৈচিত্র্য -Biodiversity) বিলুপ্ত হয়ে গেছে এবং অনেকগুলো বি্লুপ্তির পথে।পৃথিবীর প্রাকৃতিক পরিবেশের ভারসাম্যহীনতার জন্য যে জীববৈচিত্র্য ধ্বংস অনেকাংশে দায়ী তা বিজ্ঞানিরা ও বিভিন্ন গবেষণায় প্রমাণ পেয়েছেন।
উন্নতির চরম শিখরে পৌছার জন্য আমরা পৃথিবীর প্রাকৃতিক সম্পদকে এমনভাবে ব্যবহার করেছি যে ২০৫০ সালের মধ্যে মানষের ক্রমবর্ধমান চাহিদা পুরনের জন্য দুটি পৃথিবীর সমান প্রাকৃতিক সম্পদ প্রয়োজন।কিন্তু তা অসম্ভব ব্যাপার।তাই বিজ্ঞানি সহ স্লংশ্লিষ্ট সকলে মানুষের জীবনযাত্রা পরিবর্তনের কথা বলছেন,ধর্মীয় অনুশাসন মানার দিকে জোর দিচ্ছেন।অনেকেই এখন অভিমত দিচ্ছেন, ধর্মের মত বিশ্বজনীন প্রতিষ্ঠানই একমাত্র মানুষকে আশার আলো দেখাতে পারে।বিভিন্ন আন্তর্জাতিক সংস্থা এখন ধর্মীয় জ্ঞানকে পরিবেশ রক্ষার কাজে ব্যবহারের প্রতি গুরুত্ব দিচ্ছে।১৯৯৫ সালে বিশ্বব্যাংক “আধ্যাতিক জ্ঞানঃটেকসই পরিবেশ উন্নয়নের জন্য আবশ্যক” শিরোনামে সম্মেলনের আয়োজন করে।বিশ্ব স্বাস্থ্য সংস্থা (WHO) ১৯৯৬ সালে স্বাস্থ্য রক্ষায় ধর্মীয় জ্ঞান শীর্ষক পুস্তিকা বের। এছাড়া বিশ্বের বিভিন্ন স্থানে পরিবেশ রক্ষায় ধর্মীয় জ্ঞানের ব্যবহার নিয়ে বিভিন্ন গবেষনা হচ্ছে।এ প্রসঙ্গে বলে রাখা ভালো,পরিবশ নিয়ে ইসলামে সুস্পষ্টভাবে দিক নির্দেশনা দেয়া আছে।
ইসলামি জীবন ব্যবস্থা কোরান এবং হাদিসের আলোকে সুনির্দিষ্ট নিয়মনীতি দ্বারা পরিচালিত।প্রকৃতপক্ষে ইসলাম মানুষের উপর ৪ ধরনের কর্তব্য নির্ধারন করেছে।প্রথমত স্রষ্টার প্রতি কর্তব্য,দ্বিতীয়ত নিজের প্রতি কর্তব্য, তৃতীয়ত মানবতার প্রতি কর্তব্য এবং সবশেষে সকল সৃষ্টির প্রতি কর্তব্য ।এই কর্তব্যগুলো কিভাবে পালন করতে হবে সে বিষয়ে কোরান এবং হাদিসে পরিস্কারভাবে দিক নির্দেশনা দেয়া আছে।
পরিবেশ সম্পর্কে ইসলামের শিক্ষা ৩টি ভিত্তির উপর দাঁড়িয়ে আছে।এগুলো হল তাওহিদ (একত্ববাদ), খলিফা (স্বেচ্ছাসেবি) এবং আমানত (বিশ্বাস)।
তাওহিদ হচ্ছে ইসলামের মুল বিশ্বাস। যার অর্থ হচ্ছে আল্লাহ এক এবং তার কোন অংশীদ্বার নেই,তিনি এই বিশ্বের সবকিছুই সৃষ্টি করেছেন।পবিত্র কোরানে এ প্রসঙ্গে বর্ণিত আছে, “আসমান ও যমিনে যাহা কিছু আছে সব আল্লাহরই এবং সবকিছুকে আল্লাহ পরিবেষ্টন করে রয়েছেন” (সুরা আন নিসা, আয়াত ১২৬)।তাই আল্লাহর কোন সৃষ্টির অপব্যবহার পাপ।খলিফা এবং আমানত এ দুটি ভিত্তিও তাওহিদের বিশ্বাস থেকে জন্ম।
পবিত্র কোরান ঘোষনা করেছে, স্রষ্টার সৃষ্টির মধ্যে মানুষ সর্বশ্রেষ্ঠ এবং অন্যান্য সৃষ্টিকে দেখাশুনার দায়িত্ব তার(খলিফা)।শ্রেষ্ঠ জীব হিসাবে মানুষ অন্যান্য জীবের উপর অন্যায় আচরণকে ইসলাম সম্পূর্ণরুপে নিষেধ করেছে।এ প্রসঙ্গে আল্লাহ ঘোষনা করেন, ভূ-পৃষ্ঠে
বিচরণশীল এমন কোন জীব নাই অথবা নিজ ডানার সাহায্যে উড়ে এমন কোন পাখি নাই যাহা তমাদিগের মত উম্মত নয় (সুরা আনা’আম, আয়াত ৩৮)।
মহানবী হযরত মোহাম্মদ (সাঃ)ও বিশ্বাস করতেন, মানুষ সকল সৃষ্টির পরিচর্যাকারী মাত্র কিন্তু মালিক নয়।এ প্রসঙ্গে বিশিষ্ট চিন্তাবিদ ইরামন্ত্রী বলেছেন, “প্রত্যেক জাতি পৃথিবীর রক্ষক মাত্র। এই পৃথিবীকে দূষিত করার কিংবা এর সম্পদকে যথেচ্ছ ব্যবহার করার কোন অধিকার মানুষের নেই, বরং পৃথিবীর সম্পদকে এমনভাবে ব্যবহার করা উচিত যাতে ভবিষ্যতের নাগরিকরা একই রকম সুযোগ সুবিধা ভোগ করতে পারে এবং এটাই ইসলামের প্রকৃত শিক্ষা” তাই এ কথা নির্দ্বিধায় বলা যায়, জলবায়ু পরিবর্তনের হুমকি মোকাবেলার জন্য যে টেকসই উন্নয়নের (Sustainable Development) কথা বলা হচ্ছে তা ইসলামেরই শিক্ষা ।
জলবায়ু পরিবর্তনের ফলে বিশ্বব্যাপী প্রাকৃতিক দূর্যোগ বৃদ্ধি পেয়েছে এর অন্যতম প্রধান কারণ হচ্ছে পরিবেশ দূষণ।কিন্তু ইসলাম পরিবেশ দূষণকে গর্হিত কাজ হিসাবে চিন্হিত করেছে এবং এ থেকে বিরত থাকার জন্য নির্দেশ দিয়েছে।এ প্রসঙ্গে পবিত্র কোরানে বর্ণিত আছে, “মানুষের কৃতকর্মের দরুন সমুদ্রে ও স্থলে বিপর্যয় ছড়াইয়া পড়ে, যাহার ফলে উহাদিগের কোন কোন কর্মের শাস্তি তিনি আস্বাদন করান যাহাতে উহারা ফিরিয়া আসে”(সুরা আর’রুম, আয়াত ৪১)।এ আয়াত দ্বারা এটা স্পষ্ট, বিশ্বব্যাপী প্রাকৃতিক দূর্যোগসহ মানুষের ভোগান্তি বৃদ্ধি কোন অলৌকিক ব্যাপার নয় বরং আমাদেরই কৃতকর্মের ফল।
মহাবিপদের সামনে দাঁড়িয়ে মানবসম্প্রদায়।এ অবস্থার জন্য যে আমরাই দায়ী তা ইসলাম যেমন পূর্বেই হুশিয়ার করেছে তেমনি বর্তমান বিজ্ঞানও মানুষের অপরিনামদর্শী কর্মকে দোষারোপ করছে। জলবায়ু পরিবর্তনের বিরুপ প্রতিক্রিয়া থেকে রক্ষা পাওয়ার জন্য তদোপরি মানুষের অভিযোজন ক্ষমতা বৃদ্ধির জন্য অধিক পরিমাণে গাছ লাগানো, জীববৈচিত্র্য রক্ষার জন্য সচেষ্ঠ হওয়া, ভূমির সু-পরিকল্পিত ব্যবহার, পানি সম্পদের সুষ্ঠু ব্যবহার ও বন্টন এবং সর্বোপরি আমাদের বর্তমান অনিয়ন্ত্রিত জীবনযাপন ব্যবস্থার পরিবর্তন আবশ্যক বলে বিজ্ঞানীরা অভিমত ব্যক্ত করেছে। অপরদিকে ইসলামে এ বিষয়গুলো সম্পর্কে সুপরিকল্পিত এবং সুনির্দিষ্ট দিক নির্দেশনা দেয়া আছে। মহানবী হযরত মোহাম্মদ (সাঃ) উর্বর ভূমির সুপরিকল্পিত ব্যবহার ও বৃক্ষরোপনের জন্য তাগিদ দিয়েছেন।পবিত্র হাদিসে বর্ণিত আছে, “ কোন মুসলিমের রোপিত বৃক্ষ হইতে কোন ব্যক্তি ফল ভক্ষণ করিলে তা পরোপকার হিসাবে বিবেচিত হইবে, কোন ফল চুরি হইলে তাও পরোপকার হিসাবে বিবেচিত হইবে, কোন পাখি যদি ঐ বৃক্ষের ফল ভক্ষণ করে তবে তা জীবের প্রতি দয়া প্রদর্শন হিসাবে বিবেচিত হইবে (বোখারী শরীফ)।অন্য এক হাদিসে বর্ণিত আছে, “কোন ব্যক্তি যদি শুষ্ক অথবা পতিত জমিতে আবাদ করে তবে তা আল্লাহর জন্য কাজ হিসাবে বিবেচিত হইবে, যতদিন মানুষ ও পশু-পাখি ঐ জমি হইতে উপকৃত হইবে ততদিন ঐ ব্যক্তির উপর পূণ্য বর্ষিত হইবে”
মুসলিমরা পানিকে স্রষ্টার উপহার হিসাবে দেখে।পবিত্র কোরানে পানিকে প্রানের উৎস হিসাবে বর্ণনা করা হয়েছে, “ যাহারা কুফরী করে তাহারা কি ভাবিয়া দেখে না যে, আকাশমন্ডলী ও পৃথিবী মিশিয়াছিল ওতোপ্রতোভাবে, অতঃপর আমি উভয়কে পৃথক করিয়া দিলাম, প্রানবান সমস্ত কিছু সৃষ্টি করিলাম পানি হইতে, তবুও কি উহারা বিশ্বাস করিবে না” (সুরা আম্বিয়া, আয়াত ৩০)।বিজ্ঞানীরা ও গবেষণা করে এই সিদ্ধান্তে উপনীত হয়েছে যে, পানি থেকে সমস্ত প্রানের উৎপত্তি।পবিত্র কোরানে পানিকে যথেষ্ঠ গুরুত্ব দেয়া হয়েছে এবং ৬৩ বার পানি (আরবী-মা) শব্দটি ব্যবহার করা হয়েছে।পানিসম্পদের ব্যবস্থাপনা এবং এর দূষণ সম্পর্কে মহানবী হযরত মোহাম্মদ (সাঃ) জ্ঞাত ছিলেন।তিনি এর সর্বোত্তম ব্যবহারের জন্য পানির উৎসমুখে ‘সংরক্ষিত এলাকা’ (আরবি-হারিম) প্রবর্তনের সূচনা করেন।বর্তমানে অনেক দেশেই পানিসম্পদকে রক্ষার জন্য পানির উৎস এলাকাকে সংরক্ষিত স্থান (Protected Area)হিসেবে চিন্হিত করেছে। ইসলামের ৫টি স্তম্ভের অন্যতম নামাজের পূর্বশর্ত হচ্ছে ওযুর মাধ্যমে পাক পবিত্র হওয়া, আর ওযুর জন্য প্রয়োজন পরিষ্কার ও বিশুদ্ধ পানি। পানির পরিমিত ব্যবহার এবং এর দূষণ রোধে মহানবী(সাঃ)সচেষ্ঠ ছিলেন।বোখারি শরীফে বর্নিত আছে,মূত্র ত্যাগের পর পবিত্র হওয়ার জন্য তিনি ২/৩ লিটার পানি খরচ করতেন এবং গোসলে মাত্র ২-৩১/২ লিটার পানি ব্যবহার করতেন। তিনি আবদ্ধ পানিতে মল-মূত্র ত্যাগ করে পানিকে দূষিত করাকে সম্পূর্ণ নিষেধ করেছেন।
জলবায়ু পরিবর্তনের বিরুপ প্রতিক্রিয়া থেকে রক্ষা পেতে হলে প্রাকৃতিক সম্পদের সূষ্ঠু ব্যবহার সহ অপচয় রোধের কোন বিকল্প নেই।এ প্রসঙ্গে পবিত্র কোরানে বর্ণিত আছে, “তিনিই লতা ও বৃক্ষ উদ্যান সমূহ সৃষ্টি করিয়াছেন এবং খেজুর বৃক্ষ, বিভিন্ন স্বাদ বিশিষ্ট খাদ্যশস্য,যয়তুন ও দাড়িম্ব সৃষ্টি করিয়াছেন।ইহারা একে অন্যের সদৃশ এবং বিসদৃশও, যখন উহা ফলবান হয় তখন উহার ফল আহার করিবে আর ফসল তুলিবার দিনে উহার দেয় প্রদান করিবে এবং অপচয় করিবেনা; কারন তিনি অপচয়কারিদিগকে পছন্দ করেন না”(সুরা আন আম, আয়াত ১৪১)।
ইসলাম মানবতার ধর্ম আর অন্যদিকে জলবায়ু পরিবর্তনের ফলে সৃষ্ট দূর্যোগ সমগ্র মানবতার জন্য হুমকিস্বরুপ।তাই আসন্ন এই বিপদ থেকে মানবজাতিকে রক্ষা করতে হলে বিজ্ঞানের পাশাপাশি ইসলামের দিকনির্দেশনা মেনে চলার কোন বিকল্প নেই।এ প্রসঙ্গে বিখ্যাত ডাচ নৃ-বিজ্ঞানি ফ্রান্সিসকো ডি চাটেল বলেছেন, “পরিবেশ দূষণ এবং প্রাকৃতিক সম্পদের অতিরিক্ত ব্যবহারের ফলে পৃথিবীর কিছু অংশে মরুময়তা এবং পানি স্বল্পতা, অন্য অংশে বন্যা ও ঝড়ের প্রকোপ বেড়ে গেছে।এই সব জটিল প্রাকৃতিক সমস্যাকে সফলভাবে মোকাবেলার জন্য এখনই ধর্ম, বর্ণ নির্বিশেষে সকলকেই ইসলামের শিক্ষা গ্রহণ করা উচিত”
এটা ঠিক, এত অল্প পরিসরে ইসলামের শিক্ষা বর্ণনা করা অসম্ভব তাছাড়া আমার জ্ঞানের সীমাবদ্ধতাও এক্ষেত্রে অনেকাংশে দায়ী।তবে এ কথা নির্দ্বিধায় বলা যায়,পরিবেশের সুষ্ঠু ব্যবস্থাপনার জন্য ইসলামের শিক্ষা নিয়ে আরো গবেষণার প্রয়োজন রয়েছে।
[মোঃ আব্দুল বাতেন, স্টকহোম রেসিলিয়েন্স সেন্টার, স্টকহোম ইউনিভার্সিটি, সুইডেন]
এতে সদস্যতা:
পোস্টগুলি (Atom)
