Earth Society organises Climate Camp marking World Environment Day

The Earth Society on Saturday organised a 'Climate Camp' marking World Environment Day all around Bangladesh.

The aim behind the initiative was to create a platform to recreate, reimagine and restore the earth by youth participation, action and collaboration for resetting relationships with nature, reads a press release. 

Climate Camp's opening ceremony was inaugurated on an online platform, with the presence of Foreign Affairs Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen as the chief guest.

Among others, Robert Chatterton Dickson, British High Commissioner to Bangladesh; Nahim Razzaq, Convenor of the Climate Parliament Bangladesh; Abul Kalam Azad, Special Envoy of the Climate Vulnerable Forum Presidency of Bangladesh; Sudipto Murkerjee, Resident Representative UNDP Bangladesh and Monowar Mostafa, Country Lead European Climate Foundation were present at the ceremony.

This year, 50 organisers and 454 participants joined the Climate Camp event and collaborated with the Earth Society from all around Bangladesh. The entire day, the organisers and participants spent on hosting their own climate camp event at their local community. At the end of the event, The Earth Society conducted idea screening and three best ideas were awarded with incentives of future collaboration to promote their ideas for its sustainability. 

Abdul Momen mentioned that the Bangladesh government is working hard to tackle the extreme climate change impacts in the country. He also mentioned, Bangladesh is pursuing a low carbon development path, to substantially raise our NDC (Nationally Determined Contribution) and adaptation ambition, bringing transformation in transportation to reduce pollution. 

Guest of Honor, Nahim Razzaq, reflected emphasis on Youth Led Climate actions, plastic pollution, human's behavior towards nature and appealed that, "We must mobilize funds for these sorts of initiatives like Climate Camps and Climate financing for more engaging of people all across Bangladesh. We must engage the Youth and give them the opportunity to create a world we want to see." 

Special guest, Abdul Kalam Azad stated that our honorable Prime Minister, Seikh Hasina believes that for taking steps for the environment, the time is not tomorrow, it is now. We have to come together and take steps to save our planet. 

Special guest, Sudipto Murkerjee stated that the economy should grow, but not at the cost of the environment. We need to highlight the positive initiatives towards nature and budgets should be discussed in Parliaments for protecting the environment and biodiversity of nature. 

Special guest, Monowar Mostafa believes that, to make Earth greener and livable, it is the duty of the youth to participate and take actions for the environment. They should be provided with the resources they need in order to act. 

The Earth Society dedicated the entire day to engage people with climate. Abdul Momen launched The Earth Society's Climate literacy website on 5th June for the children, youths and citizens above the age of 18 for literacy and knowledge regarding climate. People can assess and enhance their knowledge on climate issues through this website, and they will be awarded with a certificate once they are done with their climate literacy. 

Organisers and participants have nominated climate issues of their community like plastic pollution, deforestation, waste management, behavioral issues, environmental degradation of Haor areas, Birds losing their habitats and many more to bring ideas to counter these challenges with the promise to reset their relationship with nature from the climate camps organized throughout the day after the opening ceremony.