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Environment rights groups on Sunday called on the government to ensure transparency and accountability in climate financing.
They also called for ensuring fund for climate vulnerable communities on priority basis, including climate combat focused projects.
The rights groups made the demands at a conference titled ‘Climate Budget 2020-2021 expectation: Transparency and Justification’ at Dhaka Reporter’s Unity in the city.
The conference, organised by Network on Climate Change in Bangladesh (NCC,B),was chaired by Member Secretary of Unnayandhara Trust.
Mahbubur Rahman Apu, research and advocacy officer of NCC,B read the key note paper at the press conference.
In his speech Mahbubur Rahman said, “This year 55.69 per cent (Tk 3.2 trillion) of the national budget has been allotted to 25 ministries/divisions, among which 7.52 per cent (Tk 242 billion) is for climate related financing.
In the outgoing fiscal year, the allotted amount was 58.11 per cent and climate related allocation was 7.81 per cent.
Allocation increased a little bit but the proportion of allocation decreased significantly, he said.
Furthermore, a significant amount from the allotted budget remains unspent due to the lack of proper planning.
Besides, there is no specific clarification on climate vulnerability mitigation and adaption on this fiscal year’s budget and even in some circumstances, dual count exists, said Mr Apu adding “no significant importance is given on food security, natural calamity, agriculture, forest and environment on this year’s climate related budget.”
Moreover, there is a lack of balance in the budget allocation among different ministries and divisions.
Considering all these points, NCC,B placed five-point demand-- at least 1.0 per cent of the GDP will have to be allocated for climate related activities, form a climate commission, impose ‘’Green Tax’’ for the excessive use of gas, oil and electricity and airplane journey, form a local ‘Climate Fiscal Framework’.