Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Md Shahab Uddin on Monday said the government is working relentlessly to find innovative and sustainable solutions to climate change impacts on human health, animals and livestock, ecosystem and biodiversity.
"We must take coordinated measures to protect the health and wellbeing of animals, as their resilience is interconnected with the resilience of our ecosystem," he told a brainstorming meeting on finding solutions to adverse impacts of climate change on health at the Department of Environment (DoE) in the capital.
The environment minister said the government is arranging brainstorming sessions to learn from leading experts, officials, and stakeholders who have deep insights into the impacts of climate change on health.
"Their knowledge and expertise will be invaluable in shaping our policies and strategies to address these challenges effectively. The ideas and commitments will undoubtedly pave the way for a more resilient and sustainable future for our nation and beyond," he said.
Shahab Uddin said climate change disrupts ecosystems, leads to loss of biodiversity, and worsens pollution levels, affecting the quality of the air, water, and soil.
"This, in turn, has far-reaching consequences on human health and the health of all living beings. We must recognise that the health of our environment directly impacts our own health," he added.
Deputy Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Habibun Nahar and Special Envoy to Prime Minister for Climate Change and Chair of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Saber Hossain Chowdhury spoke on the occasion as special guests with Environment, Forest and Climate Change Dr Farhina Ahmed in the chair.
Sanjay Kumar Bhowmik, additional secretary (climate change) of the ministry, and Vandana Shah, vice-president of Global Health Advocacy Incubator, CTFK, presented keynote papers.
