The average weather pattern in a place over the years is called climate. The change in that familiar weather pattern is called climate change. But in the current world, climate change has become a global problem. As a result of climate change, the world is getting warmer, the weather is becoming more extreme, and the sea level is rising.
Almost every country in the world is suffering from change-related problems in one way or another. According to the latest data from the international research organization German Watch, Bangladesh is ranked seventh among the countries most at risk from climate change-related disasters. Basically, one of the main reasons for climate change is the greenhouse effect.
Due to the burning of fossil fuels for energy production, various types of harmful gases including carbon dioxide, nitrogen, methane are increasing in the atmosphere, and these gases are continuously heating the atmosphere. Similarly, the impact of climate change in Bangladesh over the past two decades has been obvious. Natural disasters such as severe heat waves, marine cyclones, floods, droughts, increased salinity in coastal areas, river erosion, and lightning have increased at an alarming rate.
Therefore, reducing dependence on fossil fuels and increasing the use of renewable energy, considering the problems of climate change, can be an effective solution to address these challenges. One of the advantages of renewable energy technology is the ability to generate electricity without emitting harmful greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
To solve the long-term problem of climate change, we must focus on renewable energy, not fossil fuels.
Unlike power plants based on fossil fuels (coal, oil or natural gas), it is possible to generate clean energy using technologies such as solar power plants, hydro power plants, and wind turbines. Where air pollutants and greenhouse gases such as particulate matter sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and carbon dioxide will not be emitted.
But in the current context, 91.3 percent of the total electricity generation is from fossil fuels, 1.3 percent is generated from renewable energy and the remaining 7.3 percent of electricity is imported from abroad, of which the amount of electricity generated from renewable energy is 1.9 percent. As a result, the majority of the country’s total greenhouse gas emissions are emitted as a result of electricity generation using fossil fuels. But to solve the long-term problem of climate change, we must focus on renewable energy, not fossil fuels. For example, in sustainable agricultural management, we should further encourage the process of cultivating using solar irrigation pumps instead of diesel.
By cultivating using solar irrigation pumps instead of diesel, it will not only reduce carbon emissions, but also help maintain environmental balance by conserving groundwater resources. In addition, one of the advantages of using clean energy is that by reducing carbon emissions, it will play a role in implementing our Sustainable Development Goals 2030 Agenda.
Despite all these advantages, we do not have a large investment in renewable energy. However, although several good initiatives have been seen in the past, their activities have not been fruitful due to the lack of proper monitoring. For example, in 2010, it was made mandatory to install rooftop solar power generation systems in households, industrial and commercial establishments as a condition for getting grid connection.
This step was taken to increase the renewable share in the country’s total electricity generation. But the program has been hampered by low-quality equipment in solar panels, lack of regular monitoring, and lack of public awareness. If rooftop solar systems are properly utilized, it is possible to get electricity from renewable sources at a satisfactory level in the country. It is important for the interim government to emphasize these aspects. In addition, the issues that are gaining importance at the ongoing COP29 climate conference in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, are reducing carbon emissions, stopping the use of fossil fuels such as oil, gas, and coal, inventing technologies that can reduce the impact of industry on the climate, investing in renewable energy, etc.
Bangladesh will talk about climate finance this time. In other words, if developed countries provide financing, developing countries will be able to invest in the use of green energy as well as adapt. It will also discuss fair transitions and fossil fuel subsidies. In real terms, if we are to save the world today, we need to reduce carbon emissions to zero. Only then will we be able to prevent climate catastrophe and reach the Sustainable Development Goals.
The writer is a Bangladesh-based independent columnist and freelance journalist.