06-11-2022

SUNdAy, NOvEMbER 6, 2022
4
Acting Editor & Publisher : Jobaer Alam
e-mail: editor@thebangladeshtoday.com
Sunday, November 6, 2022
For sustainable
building of coastal
embankments
S
peakers
at a online discussion last year demanded an
immediate allocation of Tk 400 crore to build and repair
coastal embankments damaged by cyclones. They also asked
the government to ensure Tk12,000 crore in allocations each fiscal
year to build and maintain sustainable embankments in coastal
areas. The online discussion titled "Save Embankments and Save
Economic Activity of Coastal People Through National Budget
2020-21" was jointly organised by Coast Trust - a nongovernmental
organisation - and Campaign for Sustainable Rural
Livelihood - a national network of individuals, organisations and
institutions. Chairman of Polli Karma Sohayak Foundation Qazi
Kholiquzzaman presided over the function while Rezaul Karim
Chowdhury, executive director of Coast Trust, moderated it.
Saber Hossain Chowdhury, chairman of Standing Committee on
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, noted
economist Dr Qazi Kholiquzzaman, lawmaker Akhtaruzzaman
Babu, and Dhaka University Professor Dr Mahbuba Nasrin spoke,
among others, at the occasion.
Qazi Kholiquzzaman said a special budgetary allocation is a must
to recover the losses of the coastal people. Otherwise, many will lose
their employment and the areas will become prone to endemic
poverty. An immediate survey should be conducted in this regard,
he added. He also recommended that the government prioritise the
construction of coastal embankments led by local government
bodies. How relevant these recommendations have been are amply
seen from the latest ruinous impact of the latest cyclone Iash in our
coastal areas.
According to Coast Trust research, about 150 kilometres of
Bangladesh's 5,757 kilometres of coastal embankments were
affected by super cyclone Amphan . The latest cyclone Sitrang only
added to the devastations. Saber Hossain Chowdhury said in that
discussion that the Water Development Board should work in
cooperation with local bodies to face any natural disaster.
Simultaneously, transparency should be ensured and a long-term
plan is appreciated in this respect, he added.
Dr Mahbuba Nasrin emphasised the importance of planting
trees in and outside embankments to protect them against natural
disasters. Chairman of Koyra sadar union of Khulna Md Humayun
Kabir said no new embankments have been built in the union
recently. The existing embankments are poorly repaired every year
and the area is at-risk during each natural disaster. Some ring
embankments have been built with the help of local people but they
are not strong enough, he added.
Rezaul Karim Chowdhury said the government needs to follow
the Sri Lankan model, i.e, coastal afforestation on both sides of
embankments. This could be beneficial for both embankments
plus riverine and brackish water fisheries resources. Hashem
Mohajon, chairman of Char Kukri Mukri union in Char Fasson
upazila under Bhola, said the budget for building embankments
should be open. Additionally, more allocations are needed to build
a sustainable embankment.
Bhavotosh Mondol, chairman of a union of Shyamnagar upazila
in Satkhira, said the Water Development Board builds namesake
embankments. They seem not to be responsible to anyone.
Lawmaker Akhtaruzzaman Babu said there is no study on our
embankments. A technical study is a must for sustainable
embankments across Bangladesh.
The speakers also demanded local governments be given the
mandate and budget for embankment construction and
maintenance - while the Water Development Board will provide
design, monitoring and technical support. The army should be
deployed immediately to reconstruct the embankments in worstaffected
areas . Additionally, plans should be made to construct
embankments on remote islands where poor people live and are
exposed to disasters, they said.
We believe there is merit in the call of the experts urging the
government to protect the vast multitude of people living in coastal
areas by providing regular budgetary allocation for embankment
under the local government. The experts, participating in a virtual
conference also called upon the government to allocate at least Tk
12,000 crore per year for embankment construction, repair and
maintenance.
Every year there is accretion of sediments adding to our land
mass in the delta region. And demographic pressure compels
people to seek newer pastures here. Coastal areas are susceptible to
cyclones and surges that wreak severe damage to both land and
homestead. Cyclones cause major damage to the coastal
embankment washing away parts and inflicting cracks or breaches
in many other points through which sea water enter inside the
embankment, inundating dwellings of thousands of people.
It is not that the government is not alive to the problem. It has
several coastal embankment projects under various
nomenclatures. There was the Coastal Embankment Project (CEP)
implemented during the 1960s and early 1970. And following the
two severe cyclones, SIDR and AILA, that hit the coastal zone with
devastating effect, the Coastal Embankment Improvement Project,
and under it various other schemes, were formulated with
international financing.
But the problem is that the long network of embankments,
running into hundreds of miles, seldom stands a storm surge fully.
The standard of work and of course poor quality of construction
materials combine to render these protection measures brittle.
There is need to construct newer embankments every year, apart
from regular and durable repair and maintenance.
Storms and storm surges are things we have to live with. The
problem has been compounded even more by the climate change
phenomenon which lays the vast swathe of the coast vulnerable to
submersion permanently. And these embankments suffer damage
not only due to natural causes but by human activity also.
We believe that there is logic in the suggestion that the allocation
be made to the local government. That would make repair work
easier to manage and oversee, and the reaction to damage can be
quicker than what we have seen in the recent past. The post-
Amphan scenario and now the post Sitrang one are cases in point.
Coastal embankments require regular repair and maintenance,
and thus incremental funding, under this head specifically. To this
need should be there high priority action starting from the
upcoming budget of 2022-23.
Myanmar military junta's 'Nuclear capability dream'
brings disaster in South and Southeast Asia
Since the coup in 2021, some regions of the
country, mainly the Northwest and
Southeast, have sunk into turmoil, turning
Myanmar into a war zone. The world has been
shocked by the military junta's airstrikes, like the
one on a school in Depayin Township on
September 16 that killed 7 innocent
schoolchildren. On the grounds that the school
is a bastion of the resistance, the military has
imprisoned the attack survivors. According to
accounts, almost 2,000 individuals, regardless
of age, gender, or disability, who had been
accused of affiliation to pro-democracy parties,
have perished in battles and other deadly
incidents since the military takeover.
An estimated 20,000 public buildings,
including housing, temples, and schools, have
been destroyed. Unfortunately, because exact
figures are difficult to verify, these data
significantly underestimate the level of violence
and destruction. Nevertheless, this aids in
comprehending the country's ongoing
humanitarian crisis and the danger it poses to
the regional order.
The UN requested that countries stop selling
weaponry to Myanmar in order to decrease the
damage that violence was causing to the
country and the wider region; however, this plea
went unanswered. China and Russia, who have
continued to provide the majority of Myanmar's
weapons, ammo, and planes after the coup, are
the country's two main arms suppliers by far.
Myanmar has signed an agreement with Russia
for the cooperation in atomic energy, further
solidifying their relationship.
The military's long-held desire to possess
nuclear energy to produce electricity, as they
have asserted, will hopefully be realized by this
agreement. It will also be utilized for medical
and scientific research. Analysts have expressed
fear that the military may utilize it to develop
nuclear weapons, though. If this worry proves to
be accurate, it could lead to significant problems
on a global scale. The Nuclear Non-Proliferation
Treaty (NPT), a binding international
agreement that completely outlaws nuclear
weapons, should be recognized as Myanmar is a
signatory.
According to a documentary made in June by
an opposition group, Myanmar (Burma) has
begun taking first measures toward building
nuclear weapons. Sai Thein Win, a former
Representatives of more than 190
countries (including 100 heads of state)
are descending on Sharm El Sheikh this
weekend for the UN's COP27 climate
conference. But progress since last year's
breakthrough agreements at COP26 in Glasgow
has been painfully slow.
The United Nations Environment Program's
recent Emissions Gap Report paints a sobering
picture, reporting that only 0.5 billion metric
tons have been cut from the 17-billion-ton
annual carbon-dioxide deficit that must be
closed by 2030 if we are to limit global warming
to 1.5 degrees Celsius over pre-industrial levels.
As global economies look to accelerate their
rollout of electric vehicles and low-carbon
infrastructure, senior figures from both
industry and governments have voiced
concerns that resource shortfalls could hinder
KAMAl UddIN MAZUMdER
officer in the Myanmar army, provided
information for the documentary by the
Democratic Voice of Burma. Win claimed to be
the deputy manager of specialized machine tool
firms involved in the production of ballistic
missiles and nuclear weapons in Myanmar.
After a sequence of interactions that
increased under the current junta and its
military predecessor, Russia assisted the
Southeast Asian nation's two-decade-long road
toward nuclear capability.
Many believe this is the first step in a plan to
use nuclear energy for military objectives,
including the production of nuclear weapons,
despite the present regime's insistence that it
will be used for peaceful purposes in Myanmar,
which has been plagued by persistent electricity
shortages.
The country also signed the Nuclear Weapons
Treaty in 2018, but has not yet ratified it. Given
the Junta's recent contempt for international
law, it is difficult to predict whether or not they
will continue to uphold these treaties.
The junta's long-term pursuit of nuclear
weapons is highlighted by a deal struck by the
military administration in Myanmar and the
state-owned nuclear energy business of Russia to
jointly assess the construction of a small reactor in
the Southeast Asian nation, analysts said.
The junta's long-term pursuit of nuclear
weapons is highlighted by a deal struck by the
military administration in Myanmar and the
state-owned nuclear energy business of Russia to
jointly assess the construction of a small reactor in
the Southeast Asian nation, analysts said.
The "roadmap for cooperation upon its own
citizn" was signed by Myo Thein Kyaw, the
regime's minister of science and technology,
Thuang Han, the minister of electricity, and
Alexey Likhachev, the head of Russia's State
Atomic Energy Corporation, while they were all
in Vladivostok for the Eastern Economic Forum
from September 5 to 8. Senior Gen. Min Aung
Hlaing, the head of the Junta, oversaw the
contract's signature.
The "roadmap for cooperation upon its own
citizn" was signed by Myo Thein Kyaw, the
regime's minister of science and technology,
Thuang Han, the minister of electricity, and
Alexey Likhachev, the head of Russia's State
Atomic Energy Corporation, while they were all
The UN requested that countries stop selling weaponry to Myanmar in
order to decrease the damage that violence was causing to the country and
the wider region; however, this plea went unanswered. China and Russia,
who have continued to provide the majority of Myanmar's weapons,
ammo, and planes after the coup, are the country's two main arms
suppliers by far. Myanmar has signed an agreement with Russia for the
cooperation in atomic energy, further solidifying their relationship.
the green transition.
One metal that will be crucial in this respect is
copper. Its high conductivity makes it the
optimal choice for the wiring, foil, and cables
inside electrical systems. No feasible substitutes
currently exist, so the production of copper will
need to increase drastically to supply this
transition from a carbon-intensive energy
system to a mineral-intensive one.
Eighty percent of copper's uses are linked to
its property as a conductor, so it follows that the
push to electrify our lifestyle will also lead to a
surge in the demand for copper.
Indeed, a study by S&P Global finds that by
2050, "transition-related applications are
expected to boost overall copper demand to
about 50 million metric tons from the current
25 million." Global sales of electric vehicles
(EVs) have already grown threefold in the last
SINEM CENGIZ
THEO NORMANTON
in Vladivostok for the Eastern Economic Forum
from September 5 to 8. Senior Gen. Min Aung
Hlaing, the head of the Junta, oversaw the
contract's signature.
The regional forums haven't done much to
curb the ongoing violence, much to the dismay
of many. The current state of affairs necessitates
the creation of fresh strategies that will more
successfully contribute to taming the chaos that
could further destabilize the area.
The neighboring countries that share a border
with Myanmar are unhappy with the current
state of affairs for two reasons: first, the
encroachment of air space, as the Junta's
constant airstrikes and the firing of shells into
their territory have injured a few Thai and
Bangladeshi citizens in addition to destroying
property, and they have filed a complaint
against these incidents.
While the latter confirmed that numerous
mortar shells had been fired into Bangladeshi
territory, the Junta attempted to shift the blame
from itself to insurgent organizations. However,
the Bangladeshi government emphasized that
Myanmar was in charge of limiting violence
COP, copper, and the green transition
three years. By 2025, they are expected to
account for roughly a quarter of the global car
market. This type of vehicle can use more than
three times as much copper as a car with an
internal-combustion engine.
Renewable energy installations are even more
copper-intensive. An offshore wind farm uses
around five times the amount of copper per
megawatt needed for hydrocarbon-fueled power
plants. Solar facilities, meanwhile, require more
than twice as much copper as conventional power
plants. The significance of this fact will not be lost
on the European Union legislators who have
decided to bring forward the target of doubling
European solar capacity from 2030 to 2025. The
race to secure copper is on.
All of these factors are likely to lead to a
historic copper deficit as consumption spikes. If
supply continues at the pace of current recycling
within its borders. For the security of
neighboring nations, the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs reaffirmed its "zero tolerance stance" on
terrorism.
Similar challenges are being faced by the Thai
side as well. SAC fighter jets reportedly crossed
three 5-kilometer lines into Thai land in July
2022, according to Thai residents. The peasants
living on the Thai side of the river felt panic and
insecurity as a result of this. The invasion of
fighter jets and weaponry from Myanmar into
Thai territory was reportedly met with reports
of visibly irate Thai soldiers, but the Thai
government has opted to downplay the incident
because Myanmar has now apologized.
If Myanmar persists in pursuing its longcherished
nuclear goals, Southeast Asia will
always be at risk. The military regime would
undoubtedly deploy the weaponry against
insurgents and numerous ethnic rivals. Not
only that, but the Myanmar junta's idiocy would
make the entire Southeast Asian region
unstable and violent. The aggressiveness of
Myanmar would be increasing daily. The best
illustration of this is the recent escalation of
border tensions between Bangladesh and
Myanmar. The military in Myanmar is so
ruthless and vicious that it has been attacking its
own citizens with airstrikes. As a result, the
military of Myanmar poses a greater threat
from nuclear weapons than North Korea itself.
The Protocol to the SEANWFZ Treaty is
violated by Myanmar's behavior. Regardless of
the reality, it is a fact that nuclear Myanmar isn't
inthe interests of China, India, or any of the
neighboring nations. Another nuclear power close
to their border is unaffordable. Other nations in
the region would undoubtedly feel unsafe. In the
long run, a direct nuclear threat from Myanmar
would destabilize the entire area. There must be
an arms race in the area if nuclear deterrence is
effective. All regional participants would feel
uneasy as a result of Myanmar's risky ambition.
The West should work with all the neighboring
nations and ASEAN to put pressure on Myanmar
to abandon its plans to develop nuclear weapons.
They must adopt similar measures to those taken
in the Iran case, North Korean case, or else the
world would face another nuclear menace.
The writer is Researcher and Security
Analyst Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Climate change: conflict multiplier or diplomacy trigger?
For the next two years, two countries in the
Middle East and North Africa region will
host the annual UN climate change
conferences. Egypt will host COP27 this month
and the UAE is due to host COP28 next
November. The world's most prominent
climate change summits will allow countries in
the region to highlight their climate challenges,
shed light on the importance of multilateralism
to restore the MENA ecosystem, and focus on
the geopolitical factors related to climate
diplomacy.
This is not the first time that MENA
countries have hosted the climate change
conferences. Previous annual forums were
held in Morocco in 2001 and 2016, and in
Qatar in 2012. However, no serious action
has been taken since then regarding climaterelated
problems. This is due to several
factors, including a lack of serious awareness
among people in the region about the severity
of the issue; lack of a proper scientific
research relevant to this region; lack of
seriousness among governments downplaying
the effects of climate change; and, most
importantly, a lack of cooperation among
countries in the region when it comes to solving
their common and most dangerous future
problems: climate-related migration, and food
and water scarcity.
Despite the fact that MENA is vulnerable to
drought, flood, fire, food and water insecurity,
this region has been a relatively small actor at
the global climate change diplomacy table.
However, as threats to food, water and health
become a part of national security, countries in
the region have started to place climate change
at the center of their policy implementations
and take a more active role in the global arena in
regards to climate diplomacy.
In particular, the consequences of Russia's
invasion of Ukraine on food and energy security
has exacerbated the importance of multilateral
cooperation on climate-related problems.
Shocks to the global food supply chain caused
by the Russia-Ukraine war have again
highlighted the MENA region's food-security
challenges, as well as the importance of food
security.
The MENA region has struggled with water
challenges and extreme temperatures for
years. Growing population and conflicts have
turned the spotlight on these challenges with
greater urgency. Aisha Al-Sarihi, a Gulf
scholar specializing in climate change-related
problems, argues that the Arab uprisings that
swept the MENA region were linked to
climate change. She believes that protests in
Tunisia in 2011 were the result of drought
that affected food prices and led to conflict.
Thus, she links climate change to the national
security and stability of states, suggesting
governments integrate climate change into
their policy implementation strategies.
As threats to food, water and health become a
part of national security, countries in the region
have started to place climate change at the
center of their policy implementations
Climate-related problems, such as water
scarcity, have also been a source of conflict
between neighboring countries in the region,
including Turkiye, Iran, Iraq and Syria, which
Turkiye also faces challenges in management and development of
water resources, while working on maintaining water quality, and
is expected to become a water-stressed country by 2030. Population
growth and economic development are the two most serious
challenges in regards to water, energy and food security.
view the issue from a national security
perspective. Transboundary water plays a
critical role in sustainable development of these
countries and, thus, induces huge potential
risks and benefits associated with development.
Iraq is the most vulnerable of these countries
to the effects of climate change, including water
and food insecurity. Iraq may be oil rich, but it
is plagued by poverty after decades of war. The
same applies to Syria. Falling water levels in the
Tigris and Euphrates rivers are a huge concern
for Syria and Iraq, which are both engulfed by
instability with no end in sight.
Turkiye also faces challenges in management
and development of water resources, while
working on maintaining water quality, and is
expected to become a water-stressed country by
2030. Population growth and economic
development are the two most serious
challenges in regards to water, energy and food
security.
In the past, the transboundary water issue has
even brought Turkiye and its neighbors to the
brink of crisis, yet there is still no mutual
understanding on this issue. These countries
are now at the brink of climate disaster. Mutual
cooperation is no longer a matter of bargaining,
but a necessity for survival. Scarcity of water and
food is a serious threat to national security, as
much as conventional threats. In recent years,
several agreements on climate change have
been inked among countries in the region, such
as the UAE, Turkiye and Saudi Arabia, which
are also committed to reaching net-zero
emissions in the next 25 to 40 years.
Therefore, Egypt's hosting of COP27 this year
comes at a critical juncture. It not only shifts the
center of gravity in climate diplomacy to the
MENA region, but also offers countries in this
region the chance to play key roles in climate
change adaptation and mitigation. It will also
allow countries such as Turkiye, Iraq and Iran to
focus more on their common climate-related
problems and turn the water issue from a
source of tension to a tool of cooperation.
Sinem Cengiz is a Turkish political analyst who specializes in
Turkiye's relations with the Middle East. Twitter: @SinemCngz
and exploration projects, this demand simply
cannot not be met.
As things stand, the market output of copper
is around 25 million metric tons a year.
Consultancy Wood Mackenzie recently
published a report forecasting that 9.7 million
tons of extra annual supply will be needed over
the next decade from projects that have not yet
been approved (this amount is equal to almost a
third of current refined-copper consumption).
"The outcome of our end-use modeling
reveals that the likelihood of delivering the
copper required to meet future demand shifts
from challenging in our base case to improbable
in our AET-1.5 (accelerated energy transition)
scenario," the Wood Mackenzie report finds. "In
AET-1.5, low-carbon copper demand over the
next 20 years would be equivalent to 60% of the
current market size."