South Asian countries stress fund for environmental loss and damage

South Asian counties have called upon to introduce loss and damage compensation aims to helps reduce vulnerability of 1.8 billion population here.

The demand came up at a side level discussion of eight South Asian nations platform styled South Asia Cooperative Environment Programme.

Bangladesh Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Md Shahab Uddin, Naseer Ahamed, Minister of Environment Sri Lanka, Uma Regi, Uma Regi, Minister for Women, Children and Senior Citizen, Sherry Rehman, Minister for Climate Change of Pakistan, and representatives of India, Bhutan and other countries attended the sideline discussion on "One Voice South Asia" at Bangladesh Gallery at COP27 conference.

Bangladesh Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Md Shahab Uddin said the platform can work together to ensure loss and damage compensation of 1.8 billion people in the region.

Sri Lankan environment minister said the region should sign two separate agreements to reduce regional environment pollutions.

"Over 1.8 billion people of the South Asia suffered due to land degradation, deforestation and mismanagement of land....it's not able to reach our environmental goal of the region due to political mistrust of the region," he said.

He called upon the more cooperation among the countries to overcome the crisis.

Uma Regi, minister for women, children and senior citizen of Nepal said her country has lost at least two percent of GDP due to climate change per year.

"We need support of each other on capacity building, adaptation of climate financing," she suggested.

She welcomed the move of regional cooperation in the region.

Deputy Minister Of environment and climate change Habib UN Nahar, Dr Farhina Ahmed, secretary of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change also attended at the discussion.