Environmental Disaster
Why not a global research centre in Bangladesh?
Cyclone devastation in Bangladesh. Photo: Amirul Rajiv
Living in total harmony with the environment is the precondition to survival of the human society. But modernisation, luxury, anticipated long term gains for families and next generations to shot-sighted national prosperity and development gains generally lead to over exploitation of natural resources inflicting damages. This mostly tantamount to adding fuel to the fire, i.e., geo-meteorological processes against the normal habitat or ecosystem; which are otherwise containable with judicious uses and interferences within regenerating limits--and thereby maintaining harmony with the environment. Bangladesh, a small land mass almost at sea level and a unique deltaic plain with about 164 million population, has now became the world's most ecologically vulnerable spot, susceptible to almost all kinds of disasters in ever increasing frequency, intensity and severity because of global warming. Bangladesh is also one of the worst scenario countries, where environmental damages are rampant in terms of hill cutting, river filling, deforestation, pollution, over allocation of land for industry/office/house as well as lack of adherence to the laws of the land. Whereas, Bangladesh, besides its resilient people of merit, has all the potentials, with its land and water being highly productive. Thus, Bangladesh could become a role model, through demonstration of adherence to laws for upholding the balance of natural ecosystem, and evolving relevant knowledge and technologies through research. Here the world-wide successful model in cholera research, the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, could be an eye opener for the world community. Accordingly, the Daily Star news items: “Japan to Help Build Environment Training Centre” in Bangladesh (October 5, 2010), and Prime Minister's “Tougher Stance Against Environmental Terrorists” (October 13, 2010), have been very timely and encouraging. These demonstrate government's commitment, and Japan's recognition of Bangladesh's environmental vulnerability and urgency for capacity building. Ideal venue for research and trainingBangladesh possesses almost all geo-meteorological characteristics, comprised of alluvial plain land, marsh lands, mountains, hills, forests, sea coasts, offshore islands, etc. along with all features of vulnerability: drought, downpour, recurrent flooding, inundation, cyclone, tornado, storms, erosion, earth quakes, etc. with radical changes in seasonal features. It also provides almost all types of disaster resilient people living in mud/thatched houses, and diverse spots for research and training throughout the year. Thus Bangladesh, with all the environmental chronicle of woes for itself, is also an eye opener and an ideal venue for evolving the knowledge and technology, essential for combating disasters, while re-recognizing the need for co-habitation with nature. Indispensability of a global research centre
The merit of acquiring information on the spot of natural phenomenon-based comprehensive knowledge and experience, with/out secondary and tertiary time-series data, is likely to be the near panacea of all possible remedies for disasters. And dealing with the ever-increasing dimension of environmental hazards demands evolving essential knowledge and technology based on the real ground scenarios, which will be more effective in reducing loss of life and properties, and post-disaster sufferings, besides loss of education of millions of children annually. Diverse disaster spots in a tiny land mass also pave way for varieties of training on emerging knowledge and technology through research; and thereby facilitating policy-planning and strategies for actions ahead of, during and post disaster periods. Under these realities, Bangladesh would be the most suitable venue for a “Global Environmental Disaster Research Centre (GEDRC)” with diverse ecological hot spots-based “Outreach Work Stations” across the world, all to be run by international experts. It will have world-wide partnership arrangements, since both the developed and developing countries have the same stake in the climatic challenges as a part and parcel of the global ecosystem, having highly dynamic impact on the socio-economic processes. That means, no country will ultimately be able to escape the difficulties and hardships of other countries, and the responsibilities thereof. Capitalisation on the real ground information, indigenous knowledge, skills and experiences of the people, logistics and support services, volunteers, etc. are essential for enriching the world community with the appropriate modern know how, so as to cope with the increasing dire consequences. The advantages of combining the world-wide disaster types and spot specific research outputs in innovating newer adoptable concepts and processes will lead to achieving sustainable global benefits. The proposed GEDRC will require, besides environmental manpower of international expertise, all kinds of generous assistance from international community, like Japan, to face the challenges of global consequences, so as to put the research centre on a sound foundation, like the ICDDRB. Charity must begin at home
The essence of dealing with the environmental disaster is the recognition of 'oneness of man and nature' and the underlying processes. Human being, because of its supremacy of intelligence, established its control, in many respects, over the nature, has artificial houses to have luxury of comfortable living, considering itself alienated from the nature; and is using natural components irrationally, without any consideration for ultimate consequences. Thus human civilization has forgotten that there is a limit as to how much the global ecosystem can bear the brunts of manmade negative implications. Bangladesh citizens are in no way different from the rest of mankind. Thus we need to convince the world community that we have put into effect all corrective measures, essential for ideal conservation of both “natural and artificial environment”, in all terms of uses of land, water, air and biodiversity; including adjustments in meeting demands of ever increasing population. This will require enacting/enforcing laws as required, embodying, among others, a mandatory “unitary land space utilisation policy”, limiting luxury/comfort for all practical purposes. Prof Dr M Anwarul Huque, former DG, NAEM, MOE is an ecosystem specialist; E-mail: manwarulhuque@gmail.com
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