At the Ocean Decade Fifth Foundations Dialogue – High-Level Roundtable in Tokyo, Syeda Rizwana Hasan, the Environment Advisor to Bangladesh's Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, urged the international community to strengthen partnerships in safeguarding the world's oceans and advancing the Blue Economy.
Speaking virtually from Dhaka, she emphasized that only global collaboration can ensure the sustainable management of marine resources in line with Sustainable Development Goal 14, according to a press release.
Rizwana Hasan highlighted the pressing environmental threats that are especially impacting Bangladesh. The country is ranked ninth globally in terms of plastic pollution, primarily due to transboundary plastic inflows from upstream nations. She pointed out that mismanaged waste continues to plague Bangladesh, calling for targeted provisions in the ongoing global plastic treaty negotiations to protect vulnerable nations like Bangladesh, which are geographically exposed to the effects of plastic waste.
In addition, Hasan criticized the shipbreaking industry, which poses a significant hazard to Bangladesh's coastal environment. She described the Hong Kong Convention as "grossly deficient" in regulating toxic ship dismantling practices, which are threatening marine ecosystems.
Hasan also discussed the importance of the Bay of Bengal to Bangladesh’s economy and regional cooperation. She emphasized the critical role the bay plays in connectivity and the nation's economic growth, underscoring initiatives such as the Assessment of Coastal and Marine Biodiversity Resources project. This initiative, in collaboration with leading universities, has developed a national database, conservation management plans, and monitoring protocols to protect marine life.
The Advisor also warned about the real threat of sea-level rise, which she said could submerge one-third of Bangladesh, displacing millions of people. She further highlighted the global risk, with over 52 small island states facing similar challenges. The threat, she argued, underscores the need for global solidarity to mitigate these environmental dangers.
She concluded by inviting international investment in sustainable seafood processing facilities, showcasing Bangladesh’s potential in the Blue Economy. Rizwana Hasan's call for global action on ocean governance and marine science was supported by several distinguished speakers, including Dr. Atsushi Sunami, President of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation; Kristin Iglum, Ambassador of Norway to Japan; Prof. Yutaka Michida, Chair of UNESCO-IOC; Dr. Saif AlGhais, Chair of IOCINDIO Sub-Commission; and Ilana V. Seid, Chair of AOSIS.
The roundtable, focused on advancing ocean leadership and addressing the growing challenges in marine science and governance, provided an important platform for dialogue on protecting the world’s oceans for future generations.
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