BANGLADESH INSTITUTE OF INTERNATIONAL AND STRATEGIC STUDIES

FACING CLIMATE CHANGE CHALLENGES IN SOUTH ASIA: THE ROLE OF SAARC

Author: Md. Jahan Sholeb

DOI Link: DOI: https://www.doi.org/10.56888/BIISSj2015v36n2a4

ABSTRACT

Global climate change in recent years has turned into a complex phenomenon. The issue has drawn widespread attention globally. South Asia is a region which occupies about 5 percent of the world’s total landmass and 20 percent of the world’s total population which is expected to rise about 25 percent by 2025. Over the years, South Asian countries are becoming affected with multitude of climate related hazards including cyclones, floods, droughts, extreme temperatures, glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) and storm surges. Climate does not maintain national boundary, therefore, combined efforts are essential to mitigate such calamities. Regional arrangements are considered essential to face climate change challenges. This paper examines initiatives of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) on climate change issue and tries to recommend what further steps the organisation can adopt in this regard. Although SAARC has taken some initiatives, more concrete and coordinated actions are necessary to face the calamities of climate change.