In the aftermath of the COP13 at Bali, Indonesia, the Government of Bangladesh increasingly felt the need for a climate change strategy to carry forward and coordinate activities in support of the Bali Action Plan.

Many nations have proposed targets for renewable energy production that can only be described as ambitious, given the current levels and the short time frames involved. Proposals in the United States aim to increase renewable electricity production to 15 percent by 2020, a significant amount, given that hydropower capacity is extremely unlikely to expand.

Tropical deforestation is responsible for 15-20% of total man-made emissions of greenhouse gases. In December 2007, at the international conference of Bali, the United Nations acknowledged that a viable solution to climate change must include a mechanism to limit deforestation and forest degradation.

In failing to tackle climate change with urgency, rich countries are effectively violating the human rights of millions of the world

Climate change has a special significance for IFAD. Agriculture is the main source of livelihood for most poor rural people, and it is also the human activity most directly affected by climate change. Dealing with the inevitable impact of climate change is now high on the development agenda.

Bangladesh is one of the most electricity deprived nations in the world. Despite large potential for renewable energy sources in Bangladesh, currently their contribution to the electricity supply remains insignificant. Use of renewable energy is considered an indispensable component of sustainable energy systems, as renewables emit less greenhouse gas emissions compared to fossil fuel energy systems. However, to advance such sustainable energy systems, appropriate strategies and institutional settings need to be put in place for all nations.

India is the world

Climate change is a serious environmental challenge that could undermine the drive for sustainable development. Since the industrial revolution, the mean surface temperature of earth has increased an average of 1degree celsius per century due to the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

Nitin Sethi | TNN

Replacing much of Australia's beef and lamb with kangaroo meat could significantly cut the continent's greenhouse gas emissions and save its native terrain. A recent study suggests phasing out some 7 million cattle and 36 million sheep from Australian rangelands

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