Published: 06 November 2019
A new report titled, “Choked by Coal: The Carbon Catastrophe in Bangladesh” shows that 63-fold coal power expansion is going to take place in Bangladesh, which will add 115 million of tonnes of carbon dioxide emission annually. The coal-based energy production plan will dramatically increase coal power capacity of Bangladesh from the current level of one coal plant generating 525 MW to twenty-nine coal plants generating 33,250 MW. It will catastrophically worsen climate vulnerability Bangladesh, the report produced and published by Market Forces and 350.org in collaboration with Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB), Waterkeepers Bangladesh and Bangladesh Paribesh Andolon suggested.
Speaking at the press conference to launch the report, Iftekhruzzaman, Executive Director of TIB said, “Bangladesh does need huge investments to meet growing energy needs, but we can't afford the unprecedented coal boom at our own peril. We seem to have given in to investment aggression of some foreign financial entities and governments without duly considering the environmental implications of the projects which are set to convert Bangladesh from a worst affected country by climate change to a fastest expanding climate polluter.”
Dr. Zaman also said “Our coal dependence is contradictory to Government commitment under SDGs. It is alarmingly self-defeating not only environmentally, but also socially, economically and in terms of human security,”. He called upon the government to abandon this suicidal course and move faster and more strategically to renewable energy.
See the report here.
