Let’s plant trees to save the country

The climate of Bangladesh is much diversified. It is called the country of six seasons. Summer, Rainy, Autumn, Late Autumn (Hemanta), Winter and Spring are six different seasons that can be easily identified by their distinctive climate behaviour.

 Naturally climate of Bangladesh is temperate climate where the difference between temperature of summer and winter are low and the overall temperature is moderate and tolerable. But from the last few years weather is behaving very rough with the nature. Too much hot like Middle East countries change the climate variation of our country. The wind of global climate change blowing in our country also. Recent days unbearable hit in summer is a matter of concern.

 As warming is increasing day by day the city dwellers are installing Air Conditioners, Cooler, Electric fan to combat with the high temperature which further generates hit into the environment. We are using technology to fight with hit but we are forgetting most effective natural and long lasting technique to fight against the warming and climate change.

Now let see with some data that how Bangladesh has already suffered by the global climate change. There is a proverb that nature will take its revenge. As we are continuously doing injustice with the nature so nature is taking its revenge. Bangladesh is one of the vulnerable countries among the world affected by climate change. In the 2020 edition of German watch's Climate Risk Index, it ranked seventh in the list of countries most affected by climate calamities during the period 1999-2018.

Though Bangladesh is contributing only 0.56% of global emission change still it is suffering extremely. Impact of climate change has increased average temperature substantially as a result summer gets longer, winter is getting warmer and monsoon is getting unpredictable beyond the norm which erode the distinct seasonality of Bangladesh. Very recently, in this summer, temperature of Bangladesh soars to recorded 42.8o C. Flood, erosion, drought, less and heavy rainfall, frequent cyclone, sea level increase and intrusion of salinity are contributions of climate change that Bangladesh is experiencing. Melting Himalayan glaciers caused from high temperature that blows to the rivers of Bangladesh further combined with stronger downpour increased the water level of the river basin has been destroying villages and thousands of livelihoods. It is reported that due to this devastation over 10 million Bangladeshis already being climate refugees.

By one estimate, up to 50% of those now living in Bangladesh's urban slums may be there because they were forced to flee their rural homes as a result of riverbank flooding. In addition to it, over the last decade, on average, nearly 700,000 Bangladeshis were displaced each year by natural disasters, according to the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre. The sufferings are not limited here rather there are many more to describe.  

One of the main reasons of global warming is greenhouse gas emission. We are blaming to the developed countries for global climate change as those countries are mostly responsible for global warming and global climate change. United Nations has taken different initiatives globally to face the climate change like funding to the most vulnerable countries and underdeveloped countries affected by climate change, policies for reduction of global warming etc. But in addition to UN steps to climate change, each country as well as each individual has to take their own initiatives to fight against climate change.

 According to World Bank data of 2020, developed country like Germany tries to maintain 40% forest of their total land area against of which their actual position is 32.7%. In USA, around 36.21% area is covered by forest which is around one third of USA. In south Asia, Bhutan maintains highest forest area which is 71.4%. Nepal, Sri lanka and India have forest area of 41.6%, 34.2% and 24.3% respectively while Bangladesh has 14.5% forest area only. The position of Bangladesh has been deteriorated over the years. In 1990 forest area was 14.8% which had stand 14.5% in 2020. Though, during these period forest area of total South Asia increased from 16.3% to 18,8% where as total world forest area decreased from 31.6% to 30.7%.  If, these statistics are correct and if, we do not take any immediate steps to improve the situation for the long run then it is undoubted that Bangladesh will fall in a great danger of drastic climate change which will cost a lot.

A rich forest maintains good eco-system which creates an environment of healthy living standard for all kinds of species of the world. The World Health Organization has compiled a list of ecological goods and services that depend on forests and without which humans could not survive, including: flood and drought mitigation, water purification, erosion control, and disease reduction. Tropical forests especially act as one of the world's largest carbon sinks, accumulating atmospheric carbon dioxide during photosynthesis and thus mitigating climate change. Maintaining the size, continuity, and biodiversity of the world's forests is crucial for human health and prosperity. Bangladesh is an over populated country.

To meet up the demand of growing population rapid urbanization (mostly unplanned) and industrialization, growth in infrastructure and agricultural are taking place by deforestation which leaving our generations in a harmful situations of environmental risk. So, there is no alternative to rapid increase of forest area of our country. If each person plant and care at least five trees in each year then we can gift 80 crore plant to the nature by our individual effort. Tree plantation should be planned way. Irrespective of city or village no single place should not keep idle where a tree can plant. Tree plantation should be a social movement with priorities. Involving school, college and university students with this movement will create awareness in mass level.

Government and local authorities formulate policy to plant trees in road side as well as in fallow land. Every building constructed in city should keep place for planting trees within its area including roof. Tree plantation should be included as corporate social responsibilities so that all corporate bodies spend a budget for forestation. The best way to combating the devastation of climate change is plantation and forestation. So, to save the nature we should forward with the slogan, "Let's come, plant trees."   
   
The writer is a banker & freelancer